Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-23
SMOKE PROBLEM
IN CALIFORNIA.
The Government Takes a Hand TO
Prevent Destruction of
The Forests
AROUND KESWICK, SHASTA co.
INJUNCTION Against Mountain Copper
Company Complaint Made About
Fumes from Selby Plant

The shelter smoke problem is caus-
ing trouble in California and 1t would
seem that the Utah smelling compan-
les are not the only ones that will be
obliged TO figure out some remedy
whereby the safety of vegetable and
animal life may be preserved.
According to the Mining and scien-
tihc Press, the United States Circuit
court has issued an Injunction restrain
Ing the Mountain Copper companw
from further damaging the forests in
the vicinity Of heswick, Shasta county,
Cal. This suit says the publication,
has been dragging along for several
years with the result that the govern
ment has finally secured victory, but
II Is victory OF questionable value.
The forest about Keswlck consists
chiefly OF scattering nut pine, brush and
a few oaks. That the smelter fumes
have Injured this sparse and stunted
growth of trees there is no doubt, and,
also the contention of the Mountain
Copper company that the damage was
relatively slight Is, without doubt, true,
but evidently a principle must be up
held, and, as n result, the town OF Kes-
wick, with all OF its prosperity and d.
versity of commercial interests, is
doomed The Mountain Copper COM
pany has given employment to more
than 1000 men at it's smeters, and a
single monthly wage paid to these men
would pay for all the timber situated
within the one In any manner affected
by the smelter fumes. The plant at
Keswiok is large one and contains a
complete and extensive equipment.
There are FIVE water-j Jacket furnaces,
having combined daily capacity Of
nearly 1000 tons There are II calcin-
lng furnaces, three conyerters and a
large amount of other machinery
Thousands OF tons of ore have been
heap-roasted IN the past, and the fumes
from these heaps, as well as from the
stacks, has afforded numerous opportu-
mites for complaint on the part OF small
formers who will now find that they
have lost the only market for their pro-
ducts which they have had for years.
The works have also afforded a market
for the gold-bearing siliceous ores OF
the district, but with the closing down
Of the works which will probably fol-
low this recent court decision, Shasta
county will have lost a most import
ant factor In It's commercial life.
within few days II has been re-
ported that money has been subscribed
with which TO carry on litigation
against the Selby Lead & Smelling Co.,
whose works are at Vallejo Junction,
In Contra Costa county, Cal. The prin-
cipal complainants are said to be the
residents Of the vicinity Of Benica, in
Solano county. on the opposite side OF
the Straits Of Carqulnez, and six miles
Itgfa NJ In bd
| sjelby works have been In operation
there for many years. and 1t would
/ seem that the discovery has Just been
made that the fumes from the stacks
/ are injurious. The only method as yet
pointed out by which the various
smelling companies Of the west may
( hope to continue business Is that they
may engage In the making OF sulphurlc
acid as a bi-product of their smelling
operations. This is entirely practical
Bile, but It involves a lnrge outlay of
capital for plant, and considerable ex-
! pense thereafter in carrying OH the acid
making But after having made this
I great quantity OF acid there VIII be no
market Tor ii which can be reached by
the manufacturers where the product
would bring a price which would even
pay for the cost Of manufacture. 1t
/ has been suggested that the acid could
/ be employed In the teaching of partial
| ly roasted ore, thus saving the ex-
pense Of smelling, 1t is not difficult
matter for one with knowledge of
chemistry to work out scientific pro-
ccsses on paper, but the business OF
mining and smelling of copper ores Is
! not conducted for the purpose of dem
onstrating scientific theories, nor even
facts, but for profit, and when no pro-
ft results from the operation the pro-
position usually comes to a standstlll
| soner or later.