The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-01
SHOULD OFFER A REWARD.
A Taxpayers Comment on the
Smoke Nuisance.
SMOKE-DRIED SUGGESTION
The County and City Should Assist the
Court in the Solution of the Prob
lem Citizens Should
Wake Up.
To the Editor of the Standard.

10 the Editor of the Standard.
Dear Sir: AS an old resident and
taxpayer of the city of Butte, who mas
been keeping track of the actions of
His Honor Judge Lindsay in his at
tempt to compel the large smelter and
mine owners to adopt some method of
dispensing with the noxious and poi
sonous fumes and smoke which have
not only killed every bit Of vegetation
in the city of Butte and it's suburbs,
but which is also getting in it's deadly
work upon the citizens and taxpayers
and cutting short the lives Of the
men, women and children Of this COM
munfty, deem it right to suggest that
the city and county authorities should
supplement the efforts of Judge Lind
say by Offering reward for any inven-
ton which will prove effective and con-
sumo the deadly smoke which is now
being. inhaled by the citizens of this
county and which is causing more lots
to be bought III the cemetery for the
burial of its victims than the number
of lots that are being purchased for
building purposes.
Winter is fast approaching, and we
shall experience repetition of former
sick through these dangerous fumes
and persons with weak lungs will be
sent to an untimely grave, hurried
there by the negligence of the smelter
companies and the apathy of the city
and county authorities, who are APP
parently asleep, when the health and
lives of their constituents are in peril.
1t is an undeniable fact that nearly
all of the men who are making their
millions out of the mines and shelters
of Butte reside outside Of the Smoky
City," and the resident owners spend
little of their time amongst their own
sulphurous fumes, but the poorer
classes, who are assisting in the piling
up of these millions for their masters
are compelled to remain here and risk
their lives underground, whilst on the
surface their wives and little ones sick
en- and die through the deadly smoke
these plutocrats will not attempt to
get rid of
Thousands upon thousands of dol
lars are spent annually in litigation be-
tween the mine owners and smeltermen,
but they never dream of spending one
cent towards preserving the lives or
their workingmen and their families by
removing their poisonous smoke, which
is enveloping the town and fatten1ng
the graveyard every day during the
winter months.
1t is high time the citizens should
awaken to these facts and demand that
the city and county authorities should
come to their rescue, by encouraging
some inventive genius to solve the
smoke problem by offering reward for
a successful smoke-consumer, and IL
necessary contribute towards the ex-
pense of trying any plan that looks at
all feasible. So far Judge Lindsay has
stood alone in this matter, and we are
wondering what his next move will be
when the 1st of November comes around
and the smoke will be as bad as ever
and apparently nothing done by the
smelter companies. The city fathers
and county commissioners should step
forward and support the judges efforts
in a substantial and practical manner,
and their actions would be Endorsed by
the taxpayers, who are DESTROYS of once
more breathing a pure atmosphere.
I ask you, Mr.. Editor, in the inter-
ests of the residents of Butte, to give
my letter space in your Sundays issue,
so that the matter may be ventilated.
and probably some benefit may accrue
from it. Respectfully yours,
SMOKE DRIED.
Butte, Sept. 30, 1899.