The Anaconda standard., 1899-01-01


fiues.
After reading his own report, Mr..
Stapleton also read the different letters
he had received from the managers of
the various smelters, and the Joint let
ter from the smelter men. After all
had been presented to the court, Judge
Lindsay said:
I'm response to the suggestions of the
county attorney, all I have to say at
this time is that the smoke nuisance
will be abated, if within the power Of
the court. After due consideration, the
court will direct the course which it de-
sires shall be pursued by the county at
torney. 1t is not within the mind of
the judge of the court to discriminate
against any person or corporation
charged with maintaining the nuisance
complained of; yet, the conclusion has
been reached that the same must and
shall be abated. That may as well be
understood now as at any other time.
l shall consider the report submitted by
the county attorney and / shall hereaf-
te endeavor to effectually dispose Of
the matter, and suggest that which,
in the judgment Of the court, is neces
sary in order that the existing nuisance
be abated.''
The matter will come up again on
| Tuesday afternoon, a. which time the
smelter superintendents and managers
will appear before Judge Lindsay in
response to subpoemas, for personal eX-
animation as to the best means to ac-
complish the end sought and as to what
they propose doing about it. 1t is likely
that definite order will then be made
by the court.
While it is generally agreed that the
flue plan offers the most feasible solu-
ton of the smoke nuisance, everybody
interested does not agree as to the best
plan for building the tiue The propos-
ition of the smeltermen seems to be
that the county and city assume the
biggest proportion of the expense. Some
heavy taxpayers are not in favor Of
contributing anything or bonding the
county unless the county or city is to
receive a proportiOnate profit arising
from the fiue dust. Then again, there
are some people who are not in favor of
contributing a cent under any c0ndi-
| tions, and argued it might just as
| rea sonable to call together all the GRIM.
| inals and crooks in the county and buy
| them or pay them to obey the law and
respect the lives and property of the
| people They say the smelters occupy
the position of constant vioators of the
law, of which the people of Silver Bow
county have been the victims and suf-
| ferers. The present movement and pop
! ular uprising against a continuance of
| the deadly nuisance may be likened to
| the formal tion of a vigilance committee,
| or another Committee of one hundred" !"
| and it would be ridiculous to suggest to
| the committee that they compromise
| with the offenders and pay them to be
| good.
| One suggestion made yesterday was
that a company be organized to, build
| the fues, and sell stock in the concern
! The smelters could then buy as much
of the stock as they wished and every
citizen of Butte who favored contri-
button toward building the f1ues would
have an opportunity to do so, and he
| would have something to show for his
| investment. The f1ues will be a pay
ing proposition and will pay good in
| terest on the investment. AS proof of
! this. reference is made to the experience
| of the Anaconda campany with it's fiues
! at Anaconda. There are two flues at
| the upper works and three at the lower
| works. That it pays to clean them out
may be judged by the fact that each
| fiue produces about 5000 tons of dust
| containing about u per cent copper.
| This is an item of at least S4S,000 in cop
per saved from each fiue, not taking in
| to consideration the gold and silver
| After the fumes pass the long flues
| but little dust goes up the perpendicu-
| lar stack. 1t has been said that there
| are capitalists ready to organize a
company and build all the flues requir-
ed, provided all the smelling companies
| Will sign contract to connect with the
tlues. The fiue company will rely en-
| tirely on the profits from the fue dust
to pay its stockholders for the invest
| rapnt