Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1901-10-18
The Rocky Fork Company Is Expending
Thirty Thousand Dollars In Mann
moth Establishment
NO MORE COAL SLACK
New Law Goes Into Effect Nov. and
Plant Will Be In Operation
Soon Thereafter.

Ever since last spring the Rocky Fork
Coal company has been preparing to
observe the new coal slack law passed at
the last session Of the state legislature,
but owing to unforeseen circumstances
over which the company had no control
| it will not be in position to conform to
the laws provisions exactly within the
specified limit Of time.
The enactment is known as senate bill
No. Sc and prohibits the dumping or de
posting Of coal slack or screenings into
any stream containing fish or water
used for domestic or irrigation purposes.
The agitation which finally eliminated
/ in the passage Of the bill was OF long
standing and was one of the issues Of the
last campaign in Carbon county. The
measure was zealously urged by the
ranchers living along Rock creek, who
will hail with satisfaction the day when
the waters Of this beautiful stream are
free from the contamination arising from
the dumping therein Of slack from the
Rocky Fork coal mines. This company,
however. would have taken the same
steps it IS now employing had the law
not been passed and would be in a posi-
ton now to inaugnrate the new depart
ure but for the labor troubles connected
with the recent great steel strike, which
operated to delay the shipment of the
necessary machinery ordered last spring
for the coal washing plant.
The building for this mammoth plant
is practically completed and occupies a
commanding position On the site of the
. old power house. just across the creek
1t is a four story structure, 41Xllo, and
IS to be equipped with modern machinery
Of the Luhrig Washery pattern. Several
carloads Of this machinery have arrived
the work Of installing the ponderous
pieces has already been commenced anc
! Manager O'Shea states that the com
/: pany expects to have the plant properly
!! equipped and III active operation inside
] Of thirty days. This will be about two
!. weeks after the date fixed by the legis
lOI Liz ldW lnUO 0tASSo, ~
J under the existing conditions it IS no
! likely that the penalty for non -compli
Z ance with the provisions Of the statute
! on the exact day OF its initial operation
will be enforced against the Rocky Forl
company, as every effort possible ha
! been made to get the plant in running
! order by Nov. 1. The total cost Of th
J plant is $4,000
Under the new departure no NOR
slack will be dumped into the creek. Al
I the screenings, nut size and under, an
to be conveyed to the washer and ther
! treated for the market This process 9
washing is to be applied as well to tn
slack as to the nut and pea coal, and II
Z stead Of the slack being wasted as form
} erly it will be saved and made to pre-
duce good revenue. All washed screeI
7 ings find d ready market for stationer
J engines and domestic purposes.
: It has been stated by those nc
familiar with the washing process tha
: the waters Of the creek will he almost 3
s. badly polluted from the washing nlat
as from the dumping Of the slack in tn
creek. hut this is an entirely and who'll
erroneous idea There will simply be
discoloration of the water of the cree