The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18
Phases OF the smoke Question.

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Given n day or two Of smoke and one
business man jokes another and good
nature prevails. II IL clears up then.
nothing more Is said and the agitation
stops. But let the smoke continue n
few days longer. Then the people get
serious. They grow more earnest with
every day Of smoke. Men get gloomy
and depressed. a day or two more and
they get irritable and indignant. II
the smoke still keeps on they become
determined and ready for action. and
the following day they may become
revolutionary and anarchistic. It usu-
ally happens hat before the anarchistic
stage is reached n gentle wind ONE
from heaven or from Rocker and blows
the smoke barometer rises up to he
joking point again.
one would a W to pass through a
season or two Of Butte smoke fully to
realize the way in which the city's pop
ulation Is affected thereby. Merchants
can tell you abo Il. 1t is not alone
the fact that the women will not go out
si'IlAAAk w Nv FAtlbh' u W. Nif
main difference comes from the damp
ener that the smoke puts on ones
Christmas feelings. How can a man
who can't draw n full breath without
coughing appreciate the sublimity OF
that most glorious Of all sentiments.
Peace on earth-good will toward all
men? what n grand sentiment that is
when the sun Is shining,
The smoke has the effect Of tighten
ing the strings on ones pocketbook.
The business men will tell you that that
Is so. The average Butte man is lib
eral and generous to a fault. You can
not find "A city OF even 100, 900 inhabit-
ants where more money Is expended for
holiday gifts than is expended right in
Butte under ordinary conditions. But
the smoke kills generosity germs on
sight. The average Butte man. when
the smoke pail fills the streets. thinks
he would better keep his money In the
bank. save IL up and leave Butte as
soon as possible. He concludes hat he
will economize and send only a few
presents this Christmastide or else
cheaper ones. That is one of the evil
phases Of this smoke disease. II there
comes a day or two of bright. warn
sunshine. just before Christmas, his
heart s%oftens. his purse strings loosen
and he becomes the same generous
Butte man of former years.
When the smoke is very. very bad.
the smoke question in Butte causes
more bitterness than is caused by an
ordinary political fight. A great deal
depends on how the smoke affects one.
How can the man who Is suffering from
asthma. or a bad cold. or weak lungs.
or who thinks he has symptoms OF
pneumonia. v any patience with the
robust. independent individual who de-
clares that the smoke doesn't hurt him
any. hat he likes II. hat the smoke ~
beneficial to the community in that 1t
kills all disease germs, that the smell
tiers were here before the people who
are kicking and II the latter don't like
e.. they should move out? How can the
man who has a sick wife or a baby,
choking. sitting with he noXious
fumes. have any patience with the nan
who has no family i'm town. who has
strong lungs and breathes the sulphur
fumes like ozone? And. on the other
hand. how can the smelterman. who de-
ponds on his days work i'm the smelter
to feed his family. who is hoping To
save a dollar or two to buy Christmas
presents 10 I'll his children's stockings.
have N patience with the man with
the asthma who wants to close down all
the smelters until after the holidays?
In some respects a smoky season in
Butte Is as lively. as exciting and as
acrimonious as the hottest Of political
battles.
VIII the smoke question ever be
solved? Give Butte thirty straight days
81 good stin smoke. hot from the heaps
and the calcine furnaces. and the ques-
ton would surely be solved. That is
probably the only way IT will ever be
solved. Smoke agitation is invariably
dissipated at the instant when the sun
pierces the clouds. II is seldom that
the smoke lasts in Butte more than one
week. and from May TO November there
g. always a smoke i"nterregnum during
which time one sees no smoke and
hears nothing about smoke. II the time
ever comes when Butte will nave thirty
days Of consecutive smoke. the people
will solve the problem.
The expression was often heard in
Butte during the late smokiness hat
IL was criminal to suggest such "A thing
as driving the smelteTs out Of town,
that they are the life OF the camp. that
every town I'm Montana would welcome
Butte's smoke and that Butte would de-
cline in population and in value OF
property IL the smelters are removed
The people OF Butte will doubtless all b,
willing and pleased to endure th'