The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-02-21
MR. DoUEL TESTIFIED THAT IT
WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR TAIL
INGs TO REACH CREEK.
BUTTE'S SEWERS ARE BLAMED
School of Mines Professor Gave the
Analysis of a. Samples of Water
end Sediment Taken From Sill
yer Bow Creek.
Especial to Inter Mountain.)

Especial to Inter Mountain)
Anaconda, Feb. 21.-The trial of the
Colusa- Parrot damage case now going on
in the district court before Judge Napton.
continues to attract great interest.
1t Is doubtful II there was ever civil
suit tried here that has created so much
attention from the general public.
The plaintiffs in the pending action
completed their side of the case yester-
day afternoon so far as the introduce
tion of testimony Is concerned, and the
defense began the examination of its
witnesses.
The first called was A. II. Wethey, gen.
eral manager of all the w. A. Clark min
ing interests in Butte.
Mr.. Wethey's theory was that the wa
ters of Silver Bow creek, consequently
the Deer Lodge river, were not polluted
from the smelters. He declared that he
had given the subject much attention
since he began his mining operations in
Butte, and that he had long since come
to the conclusion that the chemicals det-
rimental to vegetation found in the sew
eral creeks spoken of come from the va
rious mines of Butte.
Springs Are Impregnated.
"These waters" the witness went on
and oxide of zinc and various other
chemicals which flow out of the mines
of Butte and vicinity.
Numerous springs are impregnated
with these chemicals and the waters from
them find their way into Silver Bow
creek and the other streams below"
Mr. Wethey was followed by James
Douel, whose testimony was unimport-
ant.
Anaconda, Feb. 21.-The examination
of witnesses for the defense in the case
of J. w. and Henry Watson VS.. Colusa-
Parrot Mining & Smelling company was
continued in the district court this morn
ing. The witnesses called were James
Douel, Carl Galliger and Professor King
of the state school of mines.
The testimony of Mr.. Douel was to the
effect that Silver Bow creek was covered
with culverts in the proximity of the
smelters and that 1t was impossible for
any tailings or deleterious substances
from the works to enter the creek.
Galliger testified to taking Al sam
Piles of the water and the sediment was
the same from each above and below the
point at which the smelters are located.
the greater part of the testimony OF
Professor King was based.
Prof. Kings Testimony.
He said that analysis OF seven fair and
impartial samples taken from a point
above the smelters gave weight of
.0599 grams of chlorine in one liter of
water. This from the clear solution, that
is from the water without the sediment.
ha tar r,1iX wi he nt
he obtained no trace of chlorine either
above or below the smelter.
From the same number of samples
taken below the smelters he obtained
.578 grams of chlorine to the liter of
water. These figures, the professor
stated, showed more chlorine above the
smelter than below 1t.
The professor here became quite tech
nical, giving the exact analysis of the
water of Silver Bow creek. above and
below the smelters.
Blames Butte's Sewers.
He also explained at length the mode
of precipitation of the water in some of
the mines of Butte, and stated that
much of this water from the mines ran
through the sewers of Butte city and
emptied into Silver Bow creek.
He stated that he was familiar with
the dumps of many of the mines about
Meaderville, mentioning the Oskaloosa
and several others, and said that they
drained into Silver Bow creek and might
contain quantities of impurities. lie was
asked as to the influence of Butte smoke
upon vegetation and after explaining at
length showed how 1t hindered the
growth of vegetation.
Checks UP Starr.
He was then given the report Of analy-
sis taken DR.. Emil Starr, and after look
ing 1t over, was asked whether or not it
was correct. This report was submitted
as evidence by plaintiffs.
II have no right to take exceptions to
the report" replied Professor King. II
do not approve of the method by which
he conducted his examinations
"IIe took the water and sediment and
examined them separately and it seems
TO me that separating the sediment from
the water Is taking away a definite
weight of the water. / made NINE diff
ferently. However, take no exceptions
to the report of Mr.. Starr
In his report Starr said that one-tenth
of one per cent of copper in water would
interfere with vegetation
Professor King said that this was ap-
pfoxlmately 100 times more copper than
ne found in the water.
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In Honor of Washington.