The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-26 00:00:00

THE SMOKE NUISANCE AGAIN I

Notwithstanding the many informationa that have been
laid against the principal smoke makers within the
borough, under the Sanitary Amendment Act for Liver-
pool, and the fines that have from time to time been
imposed, the nuisance from dense volumes of smoke
issuing from the various manufactories, have not been
abated, although the proprietors of all manufactories
must be perfectly aware that a clause was inserted, after
mature consideration, and that it was well known from
practical experience, that the nuisance could be avoided,
with due care and attention, bad been inserted in the act,
" that all furnaces employed, or to be employed, in
the working of engines by steam, &c., shall, in all cases
be constructed or altered, so as to consume or bnrn the
smoke, &c. of such furnaces. Yesterday, no less than
five of the principal firms were summoned before the
magistrates, Messis. Shiel and Evans, for the infringe-
ment of the section of the local Act above quoted, end in
each case, the parties summoned were fined in the full
penalty of a and costs, which, as , the magistrates
observed shotild be a warning as well as a reminder
that the provisions of the Act would be enforced. Mr.
M'Gowan, the representative of the Health Committee,
appeared for the prosecution, and the cases were proved
by Mr. Inspector Wignall, who has the onerous duty
imposed. upon him of ' laying and substantiating each.
complaint.
Mr. David Logan, anchor and chain cable maker, of
No. 3, Sefton street, Park, was summoned for permitting
dense volumes of smoke to issue from his chimney on
the 18th of Feb. last.

Mr. M Gowan said he had again to trouble the
bench with several cases
_under the Smoke Preven-
tion Act. in consequence of the complaints that
had been made of the nuisance arising from the
same. He would take the first two or three cases,
in which there could be no difficulty to decide, as
similar cases had been adjudicated upon before ; but
with regard to the other cases there might be some slight
diffic'ilty as he understood that some opposition would
be offered to the previous decision of the Bench. But
at any rate he should ask the bench to impose the full
penalty in every case proved, as every step had been
taken by intimation and notice to prevent the parties
being brought before the court, and he should prove that
it was only through carelessness and negligence on the
part of the defendants that they were then summoned.
In the case of Mr. Logan, he called Mr. Inspector
Wignall, who stated that on the 18th of February he
noticed dense volUmes of stroke issuing from the chimney
of the defendants from 4.31. to 4.42, a period of eleven
minutes. Mr. M‘Gowan : You have visited the works,
and could that smoke have been prevented? Mr. Wignall :
Certainly it could. Mr. Ill'GJwan : Were the works so
constructed, and in such good order, that there was
no nedesqity for such dense voluntes of smoke, if proper
care had been observed ? Mr. Wignall : Most certainly.,
Mr. M'Gowan : Tell the magistrates how you have shown to
the defendants that such a volume of smoke might have
been prevented. Mr, Virignall then explained to the bench
that he had supplied the furnace with coals at different in-
tervals in the course of one day, and had proved to the
proprietors that With due care and attention. that there was
inn Occasion for the smoke. Mr. C. B. Logan, solicitor,who
appeared for the defendant : Does not opening the furnace
doors, as' you have described to supply the coals,
reduce the pressure of the steam ? Mr. Wignall :
Certainly not, if the coals are properly supplied.
Mr, Logan then called a workman of the works, who
stated that opening the furnace doors did reduce the steam,
and that the workmen did not approve of the steam being
reduced. Mr. M'Gowan said in answer to. the objection he
would call a gentleman *ell acquainted with the works,
and who also knew what the result would be. He called
Mr. Wye Williams, who explained that the idea entertained
by the last witness was perfectly chimerical, the fact being,
that if sui:eient air was given the smoke would be consumed.
And, in answer to Mr M`Gowan, he said the air acted
in the same way in furnaces as it did with persons' lungs—
that is if they had sufficient air to work the
lungs the man would live, if not he world die.
Mr. M,Gowan said the fact was that, with due care and
caution, the smoke might be prevented, and that the only
fault rented in not having a code of regulations amongst
the workmen, to make them amenable to the penalty; for
in all cases when it had been the practice to make the men
pay the fines imposed, the nuisance had been abolished.
Mr. Wignall then stated that he had given the fol-
lowing notices to the defendant, on the annexed dates:—

TO DAVID LOGAN.

Take notice, that you are hereby required to produce
before the Magistrates, at the Sessions House, Chapel-
street, in the Borough of Liverpool, on the hearing of a
summons before them on Wednesday, the 25th day of
February instant, touching a nuisance arising from your
steam engine, situate in Sefton street, caused by the
emission of an unnecessary quantity of smoke, the several
notices mentioned in the schedule hereunder written,
which %sere served upon you on or about the respective
dates thereof.
Ist Notice
2nd Notice 2sth July, 1856.
3rd Notice 2Bth July, 1856.
4th Notice l9th February, 1857.
The Bench decided upan inflicting the full penalty of Z 5
and costs.
Mr. John Macfio and others were summoned for a
similar offence. Mr. M‘Gowan explained that the defend-
ants bad been several times before the _Court, but in each
case had been fined, and it was Clear that, with proper
management, the nuisance could be abated, notwithetand•
ing that they had abave 40 fu,naces which sent their
smoke up one shaft. Inspector lyignall was called, and
he proved that in this case be had noticed dense volumes of
smoke issuing from the shaft- in Batchelor street, on the
12th of February, from 2.14 to 2.27, which from the
efficient state of the works was the cause of negligence and
carelessness. He stated that he had given them the
regular notice, which was to the following effect :