The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-29
IN THE smoke MATTER
Opinions of Mr.. Wethey of the
Butte Reduction Works.
SULPHUR A GOOD THING
It May Be Rough on verdure. but Who
Wants verdpre. Anywaya-No Re-
ply Yet From the Montana Ore
Purchasing Company.

The smelter owners OF Butte have
come to the conclusion that perhaps
they had better make some fort after
all toward a solution Of the smoke nuis-
ance problem and yesterday County
Attorney Stapleton was asked to defer
his report and recommendations to the
court for a few days. They promised
to hold a meeting and see IL something
could not be done without being COM
PEELED to do IL. and Mr.. stapleton
agreed to hold Off his report until Sat
urday.
A. II. wethey of the Butte Reduction
Works. owned by w. A. Clark. yester-
day sent n communication to the county
attorney In reply to the latter's general
notice sent out 10 days ago. Mr..
wethey follows The example OF the
of the Colorado and Butte n
Boston and says his smelter does not
create any of the smoke. and then he
goes farther and argues that sulphur
smoke Is really a good thing and a
people only imagine Il Is not. As for
the absence of such a thin as verdure,
why that is entirely immaterial In a
county like this. Who wants verdu-e,
anyway? Mr.. Wethey's letter Is as fol-
lows:
bulNts Noul.s itt. 60
Guy Stapleton. County Attorney,
Butte. Mont: Dear Sir-You favor OF
the 2lst instant. calling my attention TO
the order made by Judge Lindsay OF
Department No. l of the district court.
directing the county attorney TO invrs-
tigate and report in regard to the smoke
nuisance. Is duly received.
Mayor Harrington and william
Clark, chairman Of the county commits
s%ioners. called to see me at the Butte
Reduction Works on the 18th instant.
and left a request that we o shut
down the works on account OF the dense
smoke prevailing. We shut down the
same afternoon. The following evening
a meeting vas held In the city hall. and
the mayor stated that he had visited the
reduction works and found that we had
shut down everything n that our ac-
ton had made no difference To the
smoke. After the meeting was over I
told the mayor hat we were willing TO
remain closed down as long as seemed
necessary. as we did not desire To make
life miserable for anybody. He aid
that he had visited the works himself
during the afternoon and was quite con-
WINGED that none of the smoke frons the
reduction works came over the town.
and that we might as well start our
works up again at once. County Com
missioner Clark was with him at the
NAAAAC NV Cth DAE alId ~
was not until we had received this per-
mission that we resumed operations.
Whenever there is an east wind the
smoke from certain smelters must
necessarily cross the town, or whenever
there Is nc wind at all, or with a fog or
mist. the smoke viii cross the town. as
IL is heavier than the atmosphere and
naturally rolls down to the lowest point.
which Is west.
Il deny that the smoke Is injurious
to persons in a normal state of health
and would point out the fact that the
public schools OF this city ave never
been closed on account of any epidemic
of disease as one proof that the sulphur
fumes nave the beneficial effect Of keep
ing the city free from eve epldemics.
such as occur in very other city in the
United States.
THE blackness and density OF the
smoke the early part of the month
was mainly due to the general use OF
soft coal for fuel. not only i'm the mines
surrounding the town. but in the large
business blocks n dwellings in the
town itself.
II would call attention to the fact
that I'm the Black Country In the mid
land district OF England. the country
for many miles is In a measure black
ned and deprived of verdure by the
coa and iron industries. This naturally
- - 1901 = ~ w u laN Y
never heard Of IN attempt being made
20 interfere with these industries. The
loss OF verdure here is immaterial. as
the country is naturally sterile and bar
rem.
while, from the location OF our smell
ter, we do not consider that we are In
any way responsible for the nuisance
complained of. you will find us ready
willing TO cooperate in any good
work for the benefit OF the community.
Very respectfully yours.
"A. II. WETHEY, Secretary"
No reply has yet been received from
the Montana ore Purchasing company.
and OF the four smelling companies
that have answered the county attor-
ney's letter three plead not guilty and
the whole responsibility Is shouldered
on the Parrot smelter. IL would seem
that the Parrot will have TO go.
Judge Lindsay yesterday afternoon
directed the county attorney TO issue
subpoenas for all the superintendent
OF smelters TO appear In court at 2
O'Clock next Tuesday to be examined on
the smoke question.
A meeting OF all the smelter superln-
tendents and general managers was held
at the Silver Bow club last evening 10
consider the smoke question generally
and was best to be done with ref
erence 10 the recent action Of Judge
Lindsay. The meeting was in session
about two hours. but the result could
not be learned. as none OF those pres
ent were willing to give out anything
for publication. General Manager Rob
ert Grant OF the Parrot smelter. when
seen. said a Joint letter was to be sent
to the court. but its contents he de-
clined to divuige.
II you need a heater. come to US. We