The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-06-30
Che qntelIigsueer,
or,ee, No.. rs anu n Fourteenth street.
The Con.umplIon of smoke.

The Cincinnati people are beginning 70
interest themselves earnestly In the ques.
ton Of consuming their coal smoke, and
thus puttinga stop, il possible, not only to
the waste Of fuel hut also to the terrible
nuisance Of SCOT and dirt, which there as
in Wheeling, and all coal consuming cities,
Is the bane Of housekeeping.
1t has been proved by the successful
experiment at the Price Hill elevator in
Cincinnati that fuel can be saved and
cleanliness promoted, and the Commercial
points out the way in which the reform
can be made general throughout the city.
The ladies' propose, in the first place, to
make special appeal to the several ele-
ya,Ors and to the water works as means
Of starting the reform. Next is to follow
the adoption OF the method in all manu-
featuring establishments where coal Is
used, and lastly the same method, as far
as possible, is to be used in private houses.
It does not seem that there is any
special modus operandi to be followed in
the proposed reform. On this point the
Commercial makes the following remarks:
"lf effective ke.consumers-or, in
more exact terms, arrangements for the
complete consumption OF fuel could be
made wherever steam Is raised in Cincin- |
natl, there would be wonderful improve.
ment in our atmosphere, and then, II the
people, impressed with the importance OF
the reformation, could each do something
Tor the good cause-if the waste OF fuel
could be stopped in each house-why.
the city would be changed, and
the benefit Of the cleanliness would be
equal in cash value, to say nothing OF COM
f,rt, to many millions OF hard dollars. It
should be understood in the course Of the
discussion OF this matter that there is no
mechanical apparatus that OF itself causes
the perfect consumption OF smoke. The |
dark vapor that rises from burning Goals
and precipitates upon Us the tiny flakes OF
blaCkness with which we are so familiar,
is the evidence OF imperfect combustion.
AL have noticed that the smoke rises most
voluminously when the coal is first
thrown upon the fire; and 1t follows that
the stOking is OF the highest Importance.
Tie first thing to do Is to provide for feed
ing the fire with regularity, so that there
shall not be explosions OF coal, throwing
of unkindled gases and particles Of fuel.
Any machine or Contrivance that feeds
the fire with precision reduces the volume
Of smoke. In the absence OF arrange
ments for the steady delivery OF fuel,
the intelligence and faithiulness OF the
stoker must he given the first place; and
we can 60 no further, except with the
process Of burning the smoke by the
introduction OF Il jet OF air before
it escapes from the furnace, and thus OBJ
tain the advantage Of double flame.
In addition to these hints as to how fuel
may be saved and SCOT prevented, we may
add that an ingenious mechanic Of this
vicinity brought to our attention some
yesrs ago plan for the consumption Of
smoke that seemed feasible at the time
and that We have always hoped to see de-
veloped by some one possessing the re-
Iuisite mechanical skill. 1t was, in brief,
plan to cause the smoke to pass and re.
pass through the flames until perfectly con-
sumed. Itwould seem as iisuch process
ought not to be very difficult Of attain
mcnt in this age OF the world, when meth.
oAs Of economy are SO rapidly follow
ing each other. There are millions in
it" to the public, II not to the inventor,
counting alone the saving in fuel aud the
saving from dirt. Dirt is one of the great
expenses of housekeeping, saying nothing
of 1t as a tax on the physical energies Of
housewives. In city like Wheeling
thousands and tens Of thousands Of dol
lars 60 up in smoke every year from i'm.
perfect combustion, Just as much as If so
many greenbacks were thrown 10 the fire.
Thousands more are wasted in extra
cleaning, extra carpets, extra clothes, and
extras Of all Sorts This loss and waste
aud annoyance could all be stopped by
the perfect combustion of our coal smoke.
lsthcre no one equal to the task Of invent
ing such contrivance?