The History and Legal Phases Of The Smoke Problem (a9199862-219e-4199-9096-8b364972cffd)

THE CHAIRMAN (J. W. MALCOLMSON, Kansas City, Mo.).-Gentlemen, Dr. P. J. O'Gara, Director of the Department of Agricultural and Smelter By-Products Investigations, of the American Smelting & Refining Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, is here; he has given attention to this very important problem and I will call on him for a few remarks. P. J. O'GARA, Salt Lake City, Utah.-I have had charge of the investigations of the smoke problem for the American Smelting and Refining Co. during the past four years. One of the worst burns we ever experienced occurred shortly after we began putting all our gases through the baghouse. This occurred in 1914 after the roaster gases had been put through the baghouse; previous to that time, the greater portion of the roaster gases was not put through the baghouse. Everyone knows why a hot-air balloon goes up. The hotter the air in the balloon, the higher it will go. In other words, hot gases will rise higher than cold gases. When gases are handled in any way that will tend to lower their temperatures, these gases are going to travel less high in the atmosphere and will therefore tend to reach the ground sooner than if they are turned out very hot. So far as injury to vegetable life is concerned, sulphur dioxide is the only element in smelter smoke that need be considered. The solution of the problem will be either to take out the excess of sulphur dioxide or to diffuse it high enough, up in the atmosphere so that the concentra-