The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-08
How to Abate conf Smoke.

CoalIT7de Journal.
Everyone that has observed u soft Goa
fire, says q Cincinnati paper, knows tina
the greater part OF the black smoke that Il
sent of Is because Of the careless and ig
norant way Of feeding the fire. II is thu
same In steam boiler furnaces, in heating
} furnaces, in kitchen stoves, and parlol
ffe-places. Also everyone that has tried
II has found that to make workmen OF
workwomen feed the fire intelligently %
as to burn this smoke, exceeds the power
Of the employer and housekeeper, even u
the employer Is not too careless 10 do II
when he or she tends the fire.
In the case OF steam boiler furnaces, a.
we have before times shown, the excuse
for shoveling the fireplace full Of Goals Is
that the volume Of cold air let In under
the boilers, by Opening the furnace doors
to feed little and often, would defeat the
economy. This Is but partly true. The
ease Of feeding in the bulk way Is the
principal reason, and the average work.
man regards any increase Of his care In
order to save expense to his employer as
imposition on the workingman. II wo-
men think 1t any easier with their help,
let them try with their Biddies and
Gretchens, and see II they do not soon
End that this is too great q disturbance TO
bear tot what they can do in the smoke Of
reform.
They will find the same in feeding their
open fires under their own noses In the
parlor, and that even themselves, their
husbands, boys, and relations will rather
put on a lot Of Goals at once, and let them
send off q black smoke for a quarter or
half an hour before getting we'll ignited,
than take tho trouble OF putting on a little
at shorter intervals. But this easy con.
clusion on the part Of all is what makes
the bulk Of our smoke.
In the case OF steam boiler furnaces, this
inability to get any care oil intelligence or
stoktng has not even attempted TO make
such a feeding place by which the Goals
could be placed on the fire without letting
in the cold blast Yet any mechanic will
say this Is practicable.
Our information isthat most Of the burn.
ing oil the smoke which has been accom-
pIished in London is by the manner Of
feeding the fire. All know that il q small
amount OF coali is placed on a bright fire,
the smoke Is mostly burned. Onthe other
hand, they know that IL large quantity Is
put on a considerable part is sent of in
thick smoke before the fire RECEIVERS
enough TO burn 1t. All cans see that fan
apparatus were contriyed at the mouth Of
the furnace, 10 place the Goals regularly
according to the rate OF consumption on
the bright fire, most Of the smoke would
be burned. And any mechanic will say
that such an apparatus can be made to do
this without letting in a cold air blast.
But It Is requisite that this should be
made to work with machine regularity, il
notautomatically 80 that neglect and indif-
ference and laziness shall not findit easier
to stoke in bulk. All will agree that Il Is
entirely practicableto make such a feeding
apparatus at no greatexpense. And there
can be no doubt that the saving thereby
would make it profitable. The expecta-
ton Of some chemical mixture, or o fsOme
machine by which smoke shall be made
imtiammable as to burn itself, will pro.
badly be disappointed, but at any rate the
reduction Of the smoke nuisance by a sub
division Of the coal in feeding the fire is
entirely practicable, and 1t appeals oevery
ones common sense.