Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-02
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The smoke nuisance haa not yet become q
subject of formal complaint in Memphis,
but it is en- the way to it, for we no longer
burn wood, as We did twenty years ago, but
coal. We are introducing manufactures,
and their lofty chimneys belch out smoke by
oceans; SO we must, ii the end, share in the
nuisance which arouses such bitter anaihs-
mas in many cities. This fate in store for
us gives great interest TO the attempts that
have been made to subdue smoke. Cincin-
natl has given the subject patient and scien-
tife investigation, and after careful expert
mentalizing in special inventions and in va
ried ways of setting fire CRATES, came go
thoroughly to the conclusion that the great
object was attained that the City Council
passed an ordinance ining for chimneys that
continued the abhorrent custom of vomiting
smoke. Very regretiully we record that Gin
cinnati is still a victim to smoke. The
papers there are continually COM
planning of the disgusting nuisance
and the smoke inspector that was
appointed finds himself helpless, al
though it was acknowledged that "he has
done his level best" The city ordinance
requires that every furnace shall consume its
own smoke. Rebellious against the author
ity of mayor and aldermen, the furnaces dis
obey; they cannot help it, for the inspector
says "there is no device in use that will
efsctually consume or burn smoke" That
looks like what the pugilists call Settler"
T..,f e. oN,I,- -.
walton have shown that if smoke cannot be
consumed it can TO a great extent be pre-
vented. Whether prevention is better than
cure in this instance ia now the thing 10 be
demonstrated. The whole matter, it comes
Out, is in the hands Of him who makes and
mends the fres--the striker OF fireman. II
turns out that his duties require much more
experience and skill than had ever bsen an
ticipated. Anybody that can handle shovel
can throw coal on fire, but everybody can
not throw the coal right, any more than
everybody can throw baseball right. The
fireman, says the Cincinnati inspector, makes
all the smoke, and it is the fireman that can
prevent the smoke. The cardinal point in
mending FIRE is "little and often" The fire.
man reverses this, and when he mends the fire
he piles on the coal SO as to bury the burning
embers. The coal nearest the embers is
roasted, the gas is expelled, there is no heat
immediately above to burn each individual
stream of the gas, ii meets together above,
aud then cannot be controlled " be
burned. Let a moderate quantity of coal be
- h.r hat
SIS possible, each piece shall be in contact
with the burning particles, with spaces be-
tween lump and lump, through which spaces
the fire can be seen. In this way, each lump
will quiskly be on fire, for rs the gas escapes
from il the contact of fire causes il to burst
furnace 10 demonstrate this fact; trial
with the kitchen FIRE will show the whole
Eecret. But if the mistress should "knoW
how it is herselF by trying the experiment,
she cannot convince Biddy or make Dinsh
understand, and the domestic smoke nui-
sance must be submitted to. The fireman ia
often as obstinate as Biddy and as stupid as
Dinah, but the inspector at Cincinnati pro-
poses to bring him to reason in a
very irresistible way. The art and
mystery of 6re.making and mending must
be learned, like any other, as it does
not come by nature like reading and writing
in the play. Every fireman, the inspector
proposes, shall be examined to see whether
he knows how 10 perform properly the duty
he undertakes. II he does he is 10 have a
license granted him to exercise his art; if be
cannot maintain FIRE without smoke he
gets nc license. This brings the matter to a
point-if you can keep up fire without
smoke you can get a license, if you cannot |
7ou will have to do as other people do who |
10 not know their own business. 60 without |
york. This brings human ingenuity and hu-
nan skill into play, and those, the smoke
Inspector fiuds, are match for smoke. Per-
ons who employ 6remen, it is proposed,
aust employ only those who have license,
! is the case on q steamboat with engineers
nd pilots. II a fireman, in the course OF
is business, permits the smothering volumes
, roll out of his chimney, he is fined. If
le 6niug does no good, and the chimney
noking goes ON, the fireman is cashiered, |
is license is taken away and his occupation
one. Any city, therefore, that desires 1t,
an keep down the smoke nuisance BIZ re-
luiring the fremen TO be licensed. ii