Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-14
Latest Novels to Ask State Board
Of Health 10 Investigate
Smoke Belt
WILL DEMAND A REUDCED TAX.
Property Owners Declare They Are
Forced to Continue the Case De-
spite Efforts Of the SHELTERS

The action Of the residents Of Sal
Lake valley is fling q petition sIgne,
by 500 men 10 the board Of counl
commissioners Monday was folowe,
yesterday afternoon by a second petit
ton aimed against the smeter smoke
and signed by nearly twice as manl
people as signed the FIRST petition. II
was presented TO the state board OIL
health and requests an investigation on
It's part, under the statutes requiring
It to Investigate reported unsanitary
and unhealthful conditions.
The fun petition Is as follows.
10 the state Board Of Heath
The undersigned, your petitioners, re-
specttully represent.
We are residents, property holders
and taxpayers of salt Lake county anl
State of Utah.
The smeuers located near the center
OF the county operated by the American
.Smolting d Refining company, the Unit
81 states Smelling company the Utall
consolidated Mining company the blng-
lNIlA AWllNNlNhAfN NNlNNNN " hHiNANi'fn
company, and the Bingham Copper *
Gold Mining company as al present
conducted, are injurious to health, Of
fensiye to the senses, and not only in
teriere with the comfortable enjoyment,
but are destructive Of both life end
property.
They are nuisances injurious to the
public health and In a high degree, det-
lrlmental 10 the welfare OF the people.
THE gases and fumes sent forth by
these shelters IN immense and ncreas-
ing volumes, dinused through the at
m0sphere, and finally condensed ana de-
posted upon the soil and vegetation
are freighted with such poisonous in
gradients 90 arsenic, anthony sulphur,
dioxde, carbon dl0Xde and other dele
terlous elements
The cumulative effect Of lnhaling the
air thus polluted, according to the Opin-
ion Of competent physicians, is pro-
ductlYe Of sickness, disease and death.
Many domestic animals have died from
this cause. These smelters are fast
causing the desoatlon Of our gardens
and fields and rendering our homes un-
safe and unfit for habitaton.
Our situation has become int0lerabla
and II Is imperatiYely necessary That
these nulsances be abated.
As your honorable body Is charged by
the law with the duty of making SAINT
tary investigations and inquiries re-
epecting the causes OF disease 4,
including those Of domestic animals, the
sanitary condition and effects Of local-
ties. employments and circumstances IN
the public health" we respect
fully request that You take such
action In regard 10 these shelters with
a view TO their abatement as nuIsances
and that the public health and safety
may be protected,
COMMITTEES REPORT
o. p. Miller Of the citizens COM
mlttee was seen today IN regard TO
the attitude and future intentions OF
the organized farmers and property
holders IN the smoke belt
In answer TO the question: What
VIII your committee do now I'm Wow
Of the fact that It is apparent that the
smelters are working ON the problem
and intend TO affect It's solutions pos
sibe' he said. "As far as the COM
mlttee Is concerned there is only one
thing TO do, and that Is to take the
matter to the courts and let them de-
eide what is to be done and see II the
shelters shall continue to ruin our
homes without redress. Salt Lake
county has been enyeloped IN a dense
cloud OF smoke for the past six weeks.
and the volume Of fumes that has been
thrown out by these plants Is simply
appalling. II this condition continues
to exist our trees VIII look like dried
mullet stalks and the valley win be
bare OF vegetation Real estate and
INC aitys prosperity Is bound to SUE
yer as well as that Of our country
farms.
IT IL O grave and serious question.
as anyone can learn by spending
few days on the farms ia the vicinity
OF the plants. Men OF limited means
whose horses drop down I'm the har-
ness, and whose cattle die I'm the mas
lures cannot carry their protest to the
courts ana so must suffer their losses
II Is a problem In which the state
board OF health should interest itself
Ior the health Of the people In this
smoke belt IN jeapordy, and the state
Jaw should be brought to bear on these
conditions that are dangerous 10 life
and health. ''0
WANT TAXES REDUCED.
another thing we must do. as n com.
mittoe Is TO ask for a heavy reduction
IN assessments for taxes on land where
the crops were ruined this year by The
smoke. This year many farms brought
a yleld or almost nothing, and 10 force
out OF these land holders The payment
on the usual tax would force them Ia,
Nacale thelr homes In many cases be.
sides being tminently unjust TO them
res SIR we are going TO continue
TINS matter We have got 10 contlnuo
~ ana we propose 90 ask thai tho CONT
order the smelters TO close untu suon
time as they can open with the prob.
lem solved and their poisoned fumes "a
controlled that they do not Law vast
me homes OF the inhabitants tbro,,gb.
out me country There are only thro,
possibilities ahead. one is To contrj
the smoke, the other Is To close tbo
smelter' and the last is 10 ,bsnion
the homes Of the miles OF acreage lv'
ing within the affected district ana
turn the country over to the smelters
which alternative Il win be. wo nro.
.ose 20 let the courts decide. ana we
afe eolng ahead, realizing that n wv
cannot accomplish one OF the drst tu.o
we must accept the third"