, 1880-05-09

tended to Include tha steam-tugs plying ol
the river, as we'll as stationary boilers.
There is one po Int in this matter which th'
Committee touched altogether too brief,
and failed to include in the ordinance theJ
recommended Yet this very point is thf
most important and essential in any effort tt
suppress the nuisance. We refer to the
practice Of "stoking," as the English call it.
or "t1ring," rs the operation is known amona
us. In all the communications which the
Committee received from England great
stress was laid upon the influence which the
engineer and fireman can always exercise
upon the volume Of smoke. In all expert
ments that have eyer been made In this coun-
| try and Europe it has been found that fire.
! quent and light additions Of fresh coal to the
fire produce the minimum Of smoke, while
fewer and heavier contributions Of fuel
| create the maximum Of smoke. When
ever thick volume Of black smoke
| Is seen pouring out Of a chimney, 1t Is sure
| sign that the fireman has piled In three or
! four times rs much coal as was necessary.
This Is universal practice among the en-
gineers and firelnen, for the simple reason
that it saves them trouble, time, and labor,
and gives them more opportunities for "lay-
ing off," or for tinkcring at their engines, or
for dodging into saloons for drinks. II 1t
were a sworn rule OF the craft that no man
running IN engine should !" "sto&e'' OF Sire"
more frequently than is absolutely necessary,
and that every one so engaged should pile In
as much fuel as is possible without ex-
tingufshing the fire, this lazy habit could ;Apt
be more faithfully observed than 1t is NOW.
But it Is this very practice which accounts in
the main for the actual waste Of one-third Of
the fuel used, which is expended in smoke
that is helping to make city life almost in
tolerable,
Smoke Is simply the result of incomplete
combustion. The theory is very we'll ex-
planned by Dr.. Henry NJ. Pierce, who has
patented an Improvement for the construc-
ton Of steam-boiler furnaces, in the follow
ing language;
II lump Of coal is laid upon clear fire. the
first result is distilladon or reduction of the
fuel from q solid to yapor; second, ignition
optical disappearance OF all the clements Of the
lump Of coal except the intombustibie matters
remaining In the form Of ash. Il piece OF cold
Iron be placed quite near the burning lump OF
conl, the combustion OF tho vapors touching the
cold iron will be arrested, and the carbon con-
1ned '1 d such yapor ostead Of ne'ng t 6urned burn
SCOT, or will pass up from the iron unconsumed
in the form of Il black smoke. Hence the vapors
mon boiler furnace, either burn or be cooled
and tAke the form Of soot which greatly inl-
pairs the efficiency Of the boiler, or pass of in
usual heat Of ire Is about 1000 dee..-the hent
necessary for ignition being about 800 deg. At |
a lower temperature combustion ceases. Steam |
ut sixty pounds pressure has temperature OF !
about EOS deg: at 100 pounds. 3E deg. Hence |
the temperature Of the water-surfaces of or |
least below that necessary for ignition; c9nse;
Queut2y smoke Is formed, and either deposited |
In the form OF SCOT or carried out Of the Chin
ney.
This description will enable the Intelligent
reader to understand why it is that the sud-
den addition Of large amount Of fresh,
cold fuel retards combustion and, in proper
ton thereto, adds to the amount of smoke
generated; and hence the necessity for piac-
ing some constraint upon the engineers and
tiremen to make them do their work as they
ought to do 1t in justice to their employers
and the public. We presume all the devices
for consuming smoke are Of assistance, and
the experience The TRIBUNE has had with
the Orvis appliance has been highly satisfac-
tory. But none that have yet been invented,
and probably none that ever will be Invented,
can prevail against the practice of shovellng !
III great. heaps Of fresh coal any more than
against the excessive application Of any other
cold substance to incandescent Goals.
There is no doubt that the City Council
should pass an ordinance compelling the
owners Of engines to use smoke-consumers,
and that inspectors should be employed to
aid in the enforcement thereof. But such an
ordinance should also include fine for de-
liberate violation Of the scientific and intelli-
gent rule Of stoking or firing. It should bea
part OF every inspectors duty to visit an en-
yine-room in any building from which he
discovers large volume of black smoke is
suing, and ascertain not merely whether a
is used, but also whether the
fireman has not shoveled In four or five
lines as much coal as was necessary to keep | ,
lp the required amount of steam. II owners {
# engines understood their own interests ]
thoroughly, they would exercise personal t
supervision over the running Of their boiler
furnaces, and thereby save largely in the ..
consumption of fuel; but the public interests :
lemand an interference rs protection /
lgainst the smoke nuisance, and the fining t
# careless or lazy firemen would soon lead I
O change in their usual practice Of raising :
moke rather than combustion. :
D1BRAELI, =
"Therc goes old Dizzy said q workingman as :
scaconsaeld ehuftled along q London street. | r
'es, there ho goes, out Of office. and he is IS =
ears old. But 1t is stated TINT before ParIA- | !,