The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-22
DID THE RIGHT THING
The Law Will Be Enforced
Against the Shelters.
REMOVING THE SHELTERS
Mr.. Haidorn Considers the Threat q
Harmless Biur-They Would Not
Be Missed to the Extent OF
One Dollar.

Attorney George Haldorn believes
that the smoke nuisance in Butte can
be solved easily and quickly. and that
the owners of the smeiters will do II IL
compelled to.
Judge Lindsay did the right thing
in making the order on the county at
torney to take steps TO abate the nuis-
ance." said Mr.. Haldorn before starting
for the East. ii has struck the key
note. When the smelter owners realize
that the people will stand II no longer
and that the law will be enforced
against them as 1t is against the poor
fellow who maintains n nuisance in his
back yard. they will get together and
consult with their engineers and in "a
hours will have accomplished more to-
ward a solution OF the smoke question
than we could in "a years. This talk
about driving the shelters out OF town
is nonsense and Is only held up as a
bugaboo to brighten children and fool
ish men. The mines cannot be removed
from Butte and smelters are needed to
treat the ores. The smelling companies
will not spend a dollar unless compelled
TO, and they can get rid of the smoke
cheaper by building fumes or by other
means mar by removing their smelters.
But even IL they should get out Of Butte
the city ear well aford TO lose them. IL
is foolish to talk about the great finan-
cial loss the city would sustain. Why.
there are not over 400 men employed in
all the misunderstanding smelters
around Butte. II the smelters were COM
PEELED TO leave Butte these men would
still find employment, for the same num-
Der would have to be employed wherever
the smelters locate. The removal az the
smelters would mean more business for
the railroads and the consequent invest
ment OF more non and the employ
ment of more men by them and the min
ing companies for the transportation of
the ore. IL would therefore be a bene-
fit rather thai a loss to Butte In that
n respect alone. IL would meal n
much greater benefit I'm other respects.
Just as soon as IL can be published to
the world that Butte is rid of the smell
ter smoke for good and all time the
population viii increase a hundred per
cent. In No time. Men of mean who now
make their money in Butte and spend
Ii i'm New York or Paris or other for
eign places will spend most OF their
time and money in Butte. Mining men
from all over the state and the North
west will make their headquarters In
this city. Butte has the finest climate
In all the world and the city could be
made into an attractive place of resi-
dence. Capital would be attracted and
untold new investments would be made.
/ tell you the removal of the smelters
would not be missed TO the extent of
81. Anyway. I don't believe In being
hoggish. This is n big state and III
other towns are better located for the
accommodation OF the smelters I am in
favor Of letting them have them. But
/ don't believe there IL much danger
of the smelters leaving Us. II the law
Is enforced against them they will
make a blum about shutting down and
getting out. but they will soon come To
time when they find that their blum is
called, and then they will do some
thing to abate the smoke nuisance. In
my law practice 7 have always found
violators OF the law will not respect il
until IL Is enforced against them.
Il believe the smoke ear be gotten rid
or by means OF stacks or fiues, but I am
not i'm faVOr of bonding the county for
n cent. which would be equivalent TO
buying the smelling companies to obey
the law and respect the rights of o 1000
people In Butte. ] have never heard
that Anaconda or Deer Lodge county
were asked to pay for the construction
of the Anaconda company's fiues. No
more should the people OF Butte be
asked to pay for the construction Of
1ues for HI smelters of this city. The
men who own the smelling plants are
making millions and any one of the
companies could build ample nues out
Of its annual profits and the stockhold-
ers would never miss the money. To
ask the people to pay for the abatement
or a nuisance Of which they are the
victims Is a proposition little short Of an
outrage"