Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-05
CITIZENS Of FANN|N
COMPLAIN OF FUMES
Pass Resolutions Asking At
torney-GeneraI to Make
Official Investigation

At public meeting held at the court
house in Blue Ridge, Ca, on July 80,
which was attended by large concourse
of farmers and bushes men of Fannin
county, resolutions were passed unani-
mously which assert that the fumes from
the Tennessee Copper company's plant
at Copper Hill are greatly damaging
vegetation, crops and timber. The res
olutions follow:
Resolved First, That in the matter OF
the Tennessee Copper companies and the
injuries to vegetation in said county ana
adjoining counties, it is reported in the
Atlanta papers that committee Of the
legislature recently visited the copper
companies and made report to the
general assembly of Georgia that by
condensing the poisonous FUMES emanat-
ing from the copper companies plants no
injury is now being done, or likely to
be done to the crops, timber, soil, ana
vegetation; and that no injury for the
present year has been or is being done 10
the crops and vegetation;
Resolved, That it is within the knowl-
edge of all the people attending this
Meeting that crops and vegetation all
over said county and adjoining counties
are being damaged which is amply shown
to any impartial person who will visit
the smoke district and examine Tor
themselves impartially; and 10 this end
this meeting earnestly invites the Hon.
Howlette A. Hall, attorney general or
this state, to come to Blue Ridge lmme-
diately and examine for hlmset the
truth of this resolution.
Resolved, second That as a matter OF
fact, the injury this year is as great
II not greater. than that Of any proceed
ing year. 4
Resolved, third, That the consensus Of
opinion of this meeting is that the con-
duct of the committee which visited SAID
copper companies in passing through the
smoke district injured by the Tennessee
Copper companies without investigating
any of the devastation caused by the
fumes of the said copper companies ana
gathering their knowledge solely from
the officers and agents of said companies
a New Jersey and London corporation,
without consulting with one Georgia citi-
zen who is injured by the fumes, was
great outrage and injustice to the clti-
zens of Georgia, whose property and
lives have been imperiled by these fumes
for a number of years.
That it is the sense of this meeting that
it is the duty of the legislators under
both their oaths and the constitution OF
this state that the lives and the property
of the people of the state of Georgia be
not taken by these foreign corporations
without just and adequate compensa-
ton,
Resolved, fourth, That whereas an. eff
fort has been made on the part Of said
companies to have the injunction in
favor of the state of Georgia against said
companies vacated,
Resolved, That we, the people of Fan
min county, do most earnestly protest
against this as 1t would greatly leopard
ize our interest by removing the only re-
straint which we have and placing US
at the mercy of said corporation
Resolved fifth, That we, the citizens
of Fannih county, desire to express our |
thanks to the representatives OF the
Farmers union for timely assistance In |
putting us on notice of the outrageous !
move of the said companies of having |
introduced a resolution to vacate the |
Injunction which was obtained In the :
favor of the state of Georgia against !
the copper companies, to the utter ruin |
of the unsuspeeting people of this smoke !
infested district.
Resolved sixth, That the attorney gen |
eral offthis state is earnestly requested y
to use his good offices, to have the leg !
islature of Tennessee to repeal the stat |
ute requiring non-residents to give a /
bond of $3.50 in order to bring suit in 3
that state by giving the residents of I
this state the same rights and oppor- |
tunities to bring suit in that state as
the citizens of Tennessee have in this |
state, in order that the poor people Of |
this state, who are unable to give bond |
TO bring suit in that state, may do |
so by making an affidavit as in this |
state.
Resolved seventh, That the attorney |
general of this state also use his good |
offices to have the legislature Of Tonnes !
see provide facilities in the way of |
judges or courts to try and dispose of |
the cases filed and to be filed at Ben |
ton, Tenn, as the docket is so longest |
ed that litigants, who are injured by the |
copper companies are so greatly delayed |
that their expense in attending trial is
as great as the amount they recover.
Resolved eighth, That the attorney
general is earnestly requested to prepare
a bill amending section 3077 of the civil
code making injuries to real and per-
sonsl property assignable so that the |
poor people of this and adjoining coun-
ties, injured, who are unable to give
bond in the state of Tennessee to bring
suit for injuries may transfer their
claims for value, in order that the trans
fierce may bring suit on same, and fur
Their ask the present legislature to pass
the same.
Resolved ninth, That a copy of these
resolutions be sent to each of the At
lanta papers, Hon. Hewlette A. Hall, at
torney general of the state of Georgia,
speaker of the house of representatives
and the presde--t of the senate and
also a copy to each of the local papers.
(Signed) w. A. Dawes,
]. WILKES HUGHES, Chairman.