state tennessee copper argued decided may ligon johnson john hart complainant james parks howard cornick john frantz james wright martin vogel defendants justice holmes delivered opinion bill equity filed state georgia pursuance resolution legislature direction governor state enjoin defendant copper companies discharging noxious gas works tennessee plaintiff territory alleges consequence discharge wholesale destruction forests orchards crops going injuries done threatened five counties state alleges also vain application state tennessee relief preliminary injunction denied ground fear great irreparable damage might done early day fixed final hearing parties given leave minded try case affidavits done without objection although method unsatisfactory decision turned nice question fact view take think unlikely either party suffered harm case argued largely one two private parties elements relied upon suit ground equitable relief wanting state owns little territory alleged affected damage capable estimate money possibly least small suit state injury capacity capacity state interest independent behind titles citizens earth air within domain last word whether mountains shall stripped forests inhabitants shall breathe pure air might pay individuals utter word remains final power alleged damage state private owner merely makeweight may lay one side dispute whether destruction forests led gullying roads caution demands sort part state relief injuries analogous torts must examined dwelt upon missouri illinois ed sup plain demands must recognized grounds alleged proved union made forcible abatement outside nuisances impossible thereby agree submit whatever might done renounce possibility making reasonable demands ground still remaining interests alternative force suit missouri illinosi ed sup peculiarities necessarily mark suit kind state case somewhat certainly entitled specific relief private party might lightly required give rights pay apart difficulty valuing rights money choice may insist infraction shall stopped entering union sink position private owners subject one system private law quite freedom balance harm done injunction plaintiff complains deciding two subjects single political power without excluding considerations equity always takes account give weight given argument comparison damage threatened plaintiff calamity possible stop defendants business question health character forests first second growth commercial possibility impossibility reducing fumes sulphuric acid special adaptation business place fair reasonable demand part sovereign air territory polluted great scale sulphurous acid gas forests mountains better worse whatever domestic destruction suffered destroyed threatened act persons beyond control crops orchards hills endangered source demand enforced must notwithstanding hesitation might feel suit private parties doubt whether injuries might suffering property left action law proof requires words denied defendants generate works near georgia line large quantities sulphur dioxid becomes sulphurous acid mixture air hardly denied denied success gas often carried wind great distances great tracts georgia land evidence pollution air magnitude pollution open dispute without attempt go details immaterial suit proper add satisfied preponderance evidence sulphurous fumes cause threaten damage able scale forests vegetable life health within plaintiff state make case within requirements missouri illinois ed sup whether georgia insisting upon claim harm good citizens determine possible disaster outside state must accepted consequence standing upon extreme rights argued state guilty laches deem unnecessary consider far defense available suit sort since opinion due diligence shown conditions different recent years evil grown greater state brought bill defendants however already abandoning old method roasting ore open heaps hoped change stop trouble ready agree return method upon agreement made bill dismissed without prejudice plaintiff finds thinks finds tall chimneys present use cause poisonous gases carried greater distances ever evil helped state georgia adheres determination alternative issuing injunction allowing reasonable time defendants complete structures building efforts making stop fumes plaintiff may submit form decree coming october next injunction issue justice harlan concurring state georgia opinion entitled general relief sought bill therefore concur result things however contained opinion implied language concur constitution gave original jurisdiction cases state shall party intended think authorize apply behalf principle rule equity applied facts suits wholly private parties suit private parties evidence equity give plaintiff injunction grant relief like circumstances plaintiff happens state possessing powers sovereignty georgia entitled relief sought state party established right relief proof opinion mistake scope proceeds largely upon ground sitting case equity owes special duty georgia state although party facts owe duty plaintiff individual