38 INJURY BY SMELTER WASTES. 



investio:ation sliowed that a fire swept over this part of the country 

 about forty-two 3^ears ago, but thousands of trees that were dying 

 in the summer of 1908 had grown up after the fire. 



An inspection was made up Modesty Creek Valley for a distance of 

 about 2^ miles inside the National Forest, which is approximately at 

 sec. 23, T. 6 N., K. 1 1 W., and about 10 miles from the smelter. From 

 this point observations were made for about a mile in a gidch which 

 runs south from Modesty Creek Valley and is said to be designated 

 as Dry Gulch. The return to Modesty Creek was made by way of a 

 bluff which runs to the east of Dry Gulch and to the south of Modesty 

 Creek. The lodgepole pines in the bottom of Modesty Creek Valley 

 were apparently uninjured, but on the bluffs at the sides of the valley 

 the needles were much discolored as far as sec. 23, T. 6 N., R. 11 W. 

 In the bottom of this valley large numbers of young firs were partially 

 killed, and on the bluffs at each side of the creek all of the red firs 

 appeared to be dead or severely injured. On the bluff which ran east 

 of Dry Gulch the lodgepole pines were discolored and injured to a 

 considerable extent. Practically all of the red firs were dead or 

 dying and from the death of the 1908 growth of these trees it appeared 

 that the injury from the fumes had been recent. An examination 

 for fires showed that none of any great intensity had occurred in this 

 forest for approximately forty years. On the whole, the damage to 

 both lodgepole pines and red firs in and around this valley was much 

 greater than it was in 1906, when a former examination was made. 



Another inspection was made, going from Deer Lodge up the valley 

 of Tin Cup Joe Creek for a short distance inside the National Forest, 

 about 19 miles from the smelter. At the entrance to the valley large 

 numbers of young red firs in good condition were growing. As the 

 trip up the valley was continued to the National Forest large numbers 

 of red firs and lodgepole pines in good condition were seen in the bot- 

 tom of the valley. On the ridges on each side of the valley the lodge- 

 pole pines were uninjured, but some of the older red firs were dying. 

 Nearly all of the red firs, especially the younger ones, were in first- 

 class condition. On the whole it appeared that this valley was beyond 

 the limit of injury to lodgepole pines and at the extreme limit of injury 

 to red firs. 



EAST OF THE SMELTER. 



The route taken extended from Anaconda across the northern six 

 sections of T. 4 N., R. 9 W., to a point about 11^ miles east of the 

 Washoe smelter. At the National Forest boundary (sec. 2, T. 4 N., 

 R. 9 W.) only red firs were growing at the foot of the mountains, no 

 lodgepole pines being seen. The young red firs at this point showed 

 considerable injury, the 1908 growth having been killed, but the 

 older trees were in fairly good condition. As the journey was con- 



