The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-11
OGDEN SHELTER
PROSPECT GONE
H. S. Joseph Tells Weber Club
That Farmers Opposition
Ends Possibility.

The prospects of Ogden becoming a
smelter city are gone past and this city
IS no longer looked upon by the Utah
Mine Operators association as a prob
able headquarters for its smelling bust
ness. The stand taken by the farmers,
who strenuously opposed the bringing of
the Smelter here, did the work. The an
nouncement was made in a cOmmunica-
ton addressed to the president of the
Weber club, received yesterday from
Harry Joseph, secretary of the associa-
ton.
When the farmers and horticulturists
first announced that they would fight the
locating of large plant on the site now
occupied by the Utah Smelling company
it was thought to be the work OF few
and that the movement would amount to
nothing. The first meeting in opposition
to the smelters was held at Willard a
week ago At this meeting the resOlu-
tons, published in these columns Sunday,
were adopted. Owners of more than TO-
900 acres of land attached their names to
the resolutions and it was this concerted
opposition that caused the mine owners
to reach the decision not to further con-
slider the Hot Springs site.
Here are the contents of the letter from
Secretary Joseph to President Pingree:
In view of the continued agitation by
the farmers of Ogden against the estab-
lshment of an independent smeiter rs
contemplated by the Utah Mine Oper-
ators' association, beg to say that we will
have to withdraw our effort in that di
rection. 1t would be folly for anyone to
put capital into an enterprise which would
meet the trouble that the farmers in Salt
Lake gave and which now appears to ne
indicated for the future by the farmers
north of ogden. According TO what is
now law in this state. the right of in
junction could De issued against any
smelter which would make even the pre-
tense of damage TO any farm.
n fhnEa
believe it would be a waste of effort on
your part to attempt any further negOtia-
tons looking to thhe establishment of an
Independent smelter near Ogden under
the auspices of the association.
Approaching the desire on the part
of your good people to help the para
mount industry of the state. with re-
grets that under the circumstances we
are unable to utilize the present smelling
plant near your city, and with many
thanks for your kind cOurtesies and hos
pitality extended, we are, etc.
In the face of what has occurred in con-
nection with this proposition it is un-
likely that any organization in Weber
county will attempt to induce any of the
smelling companies to come to OgGen.
The attitude of the farmers in the four
settlements around the Utah smelter is
taken as representative of the whole
county.
President Pingree is quoted as saying
that the Weber club has worked for two
years on the proposition; that many per-
sons had set aside their personal inter-
ests and considered only what would be
good for the most people; that just on the
point of success to have failure come as
the result of the agitation of a few was
most exasperating. and that he felt that
the largest industrial opportunity ever
offered in the state had been lost.