The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-13
THE SMOKE SITUATION
A Meeting of Citizens Called for
This Evening.
CALLED ON SMeLTERMEN
Mayor Harrington and County Commits
sioner Clark Visit the SHELTERS With
. View to Ascertainine What
Dan Be Done.

Mayor Harrington and Chairman of
the Board OF County Commissioners
Clark made trip yesterday to various
smelters Of The city TO see the condi
tons and talk with the smeltermen In
regard to the possibility OF letting rp
for a time on the smoke. The visit was
a pleasant one to the officials in n
double respect. They were pleasantly
received by the company officials whom
they visited and they found IL pleasant
to get nj of the smoke for a time.
For around the smelters there Is no
smoke at all. Butte has IT all.
On each one Of the companies having
smelters in lie town a copy OF the fol-
lowing request was left:
THE undersigned. representing the
city council of the city of Butte and
also the county commissioners of Silver
Bow county. respectfully represent;
That the dense smoke which for the
last few days has existed in Butte. pro-
duced by the smelters which surround
the city. has become so dense and is 50
charged with sulphur and other injur-
ious substances, that its further exist
ence has become a nuisance. and is
dangerous TO the public health OF The
inhabitants OF this city. Many cases
have already occurred In which persons
Affected by breathing this smoke have
been compelled to go to hospitals in
order to receive treatment for the in
juries caused by breathing this smoke.
1t is impossible for this state of things
to continue, and persons Of delicate
health or those in any way p~redieposed
to sickness to continue 10 reside in the
city.
w therefore earnestly and respect
fully petition each owner OF a smelter
or reduction works in prox-
from which these poisonous fumes and
smoke issue. TO suspend the operations
Of the smelters for a few days and I'M
til a change In the climatic conditions
is sufficient to remove this public cal
amity which now overhangs the city.
Respectfully.
"P. S. HARRINGTON. Mayor.
WILLIAM ID. CLARK.
Chairman Board Of County Commits
sioners."
Messrs, Harrington and Clark. accom-
panied by Chief of Police Mulholland.
visited all the smelters and talked with
officials in regard to closing down for
n INN ~ II. "tNhNs kGhtt
ager of the Butte Reduction works. was
first seen.
81 am very sorry indeed for the peo-
pie of Butte" said Mr.. Wethy, and
l am willing to do whatever you may
think best. 1 am willing to attend "A
meeting OF the smeltermen and the cit
izenS TO talk the matter over. There
is only one way TO stop the smoke and
that is to close down the smelters. Now
the question to be determined is
whether the people want the smeiters
closed down or not. II will throw a
good many people out of employment.
II smelters are closed the mines
must be closed. too. and that will
throw more men out OF employment. I
do not think II practical to close for a
day or two. II we d.d. a day or two
after we started up nee more there
might be the same climatic conditions
as at present. necessitating another
shut down. The only feasible thing to
me seems to be to close down for the
smoky season. as IL known. That
might bring hardship to a good many
families Of working people"
Larry Muldoon. foreman at the Butte
Reduction works. was visited and he
showed the officials the stalls where ore
is roasted. The mayor said that very
little smoke was leaking out of the
stalls and he was satisfied that the
"a I. Alt
Mr.. Muldoon said that the intense sui
phurous smoke comes from calcine fur
naces. and the only way to stop II is
TO hut down.
Henry Williams. superintendent OF
the Colorado smelter. was next visited.
Il am sorry for Butte said Mr.. VIII
iams. The oub with Butte is that
it is badly located. You ought to move
down TO Williamsburg herr. We have
no smoke here. As for shutting down.
] am absolutely certain that IL you
shut down the other four smelters and
let us run o WON'T get 4 particle of
smoke. We have a different process
and We furnish no part of the smoke
which is so offensive In Butte. II It is
demonstrated that we do furnish part
OF the smoke and IL is desired that we
close down, we are willing TO do it,"
Manager Robert Grant of the Parrot
smelter was next visited.
II am very sorry" said Mr.. Grant.
ut is too bad. I am very glad that my
family live down here Instead of up in
town. OF course the smoke from the
various smelters Is not tagged. but I
am perfectly satisfied that the smoke
from the Parrot smelter furnishes its
share OF the annoyance to Butte. I am
ready to shut down In "a hours IL IL
will do any good and the people want
II. / will do everything / can TO re-
Eeve the people of Butte in their dis
tress. 1 don't blame them for kicking
and am sincerely sorry for them"
Mr.. Shoemaker. foreman OF the smell
ter, was also called on. He said that
the closing down OF the smelter would
be an expensive proposition and he hbp-
ed IL would not be necessary to resort
to such means. Both ne and Mr.. Grant
agreed that the only solution Of tine
smoke problem is the erection OF 8 big
nue n high stack on the mountains,
as has been done in Anaconda.
The officials were unable to md Su-
perintendent Thomas Of the Butte &
Boston smeiter, but a copy OF the re-
quest was left for him.
Superintendent Holloway of the NJ.
O. +. smelter was seen and expressed
great sympathy.