The Washington times., 1908-12-05
White House Conference to
Discuss Destruction of
Forests by Fumes.
EXPERTS REPORT
DELAYS PLANS
Anaconda Company Concern
Which May Be Proceed
ed Against.

A fight that has been waged in the
courts by farmers for a long period may
result in the Government bringing suit
against the Anaconda Copper Company.
subsidiary OF the Amalgau.ated Cop
Der Company, which will mean the clos
Ing down, at least temporarily, of
smelter which employs between 1900
and 1890 men.
After a conference at the White House
this noring. Ia which Senators Carter
ana Dixon OF Montana. Lodge OF GIassa-
chusetts, Representative Pray OF Mon
tana, Solicitor General EOyt. several
other attorneys. and several high oiH-
clalS OF the Copper trust took part IL
was stated that the President Is deter
mined 10 take action, which awaits only
the report OF some special investigators
VINO VIII 80 70 Georgia To look into
SLHtiJlnE methods IN vogue there.
Reduce Output.
The case OF the United States will
be based upon the alleged destruction
Of vegetation on forest reserves .bv rhe
fumes or the smelters. II an injunc-
lon is sued out. and is granted, or il
suit Is brought ana the smelter is clos
edi 1t Will mean that the production of
copper IN TINS country viii be reduced
Dy al least One-nfJn. If other smeILers
"a the vicinity of Anaconda and Butte
are dueCLeu through any decision mage
IA TINS suit the copper production OF
montana VIII be seriously ENDANGERED.
aCIoit--Lls 80 tl4e sliIv4-vE yIu-.a.a.
Inc PRESIDENT action Is understood
70 pe based upon the report OF two
special Investigators Dr. J. K 4av-
"afu and Dr. Robert Formal both
OF wAom were present this morning
ana both or whom told the Chief Execu-
f - e LA undoubtedly mucn damage To
t0LesL reserves Is being done through
IAS SIEeiLers Tunes
II was asserted that in Georgia
sHleltefs a method has been found
whereby the sulphur ana arsenic In
the fumes are rendered nOn-destruC-
i've TO vegetation and it is 10 inves-
u6ate sucn smelteTs that the Presi- I
dent has delayed action.
Longtime Suit.
The original sal: aga ast the Ana
conda company was started more
than four years ago. was fought
through court after court and the
records l. the case are now before
the United States District court which
has Jurisdiction over Montana.
Ans suit was instituted by farmers
who claimed that The fumes from the
sulelters was destroying the value OF
LAelr farm lands. The President became
nLereS ed IN tle matter several months [
ago and II was he who 0ruered the ex-
RSL - sent 10 AANC5 5L-BaLe CDuGllgn5. lie I
also asked the Department Of Justice 10
see whether OF not il was possible 20 /
oFlng suit against the copper company I
by reason Of injury TO forest reserva- /
uons.
The conference this morning was !
practically the last step in the matter /
before the Institution OF suit. Attorney /
General BonaparJe several days ago in /
formed the President that he believed
suit could be brought successfully.
Experts Report.
According TO the testimony of the ex- /
perts there are more than 5.OJ0OJ0 !
pounds OF sulphur gas and more than
5000 pounds Of white arsenic produced !
each day by the offending smelter. r.
L. Clinton. an attorney of Butte. who
represented the farmers throughout
their suit and who was present this
morning, said after the meeting that /
IN Georgia IL has been found that by
another process even these by-produCts
may be utilized to advantage.
John d. Ryan, managing director of
the copper company and several other
men interested IN that concern. were
present, but their arguments failed to
convince the President that suit should
not be brought. Just how soon the ac-
ton Will be taken was not disclosed.