The morning call., 1891-04-18
THE SMOKE NUISANCE.
Why Not Enforce the Ordinance and Con-
su1ne

Why Not Enforce the Ordinance and Con-
sumo 1t Fuel?
Editor Morning Call The solution OF the
iroblem. What to do with the smoke that hangs
like pail over the city. coming from the smoke
stacks connected with the manufacturing estab-
liShments and from the thousands Of chimneys
connected with furnaces and stoves in houses
where biiuminOus coal Is used VIII, sooner or
later, have to be met in practical manner, as
has already been the case In other large eli les,
and the evil aba,ed. The consumrton of smoke
is not experimental lit Is matter OF practical
demonstration and use. Ii is not Il mailer of in
creased expense 10 fhe consumer. On the con-
trafy. it is a matter of economy, the smoke being
fuel itself. On June 81. 1887, the Board OF Su-
DeryisOrs passed an ordinance, NO. 1917, unani-
mouSly aud II was approved by Mayor Pond,
with reference to this very matter. Section 81
OF tile ordinance provides. In substance, that all
furnaces shall be so constructed as to prevent
smoke from being a nuisance. II this Is not
complied with the permit to erect the furnace
shall be null and void and In addition the party
or parties Offending shall be deemed guilty OF
misdemeanOr, and may be punished by a line not
10 exceed $500. or by Imprisonment not 10 ex-
coed thirty days.
Section 81 provides that the Board or Fire War
dens complaint OF any citizen shall cause the
nuisance to be abated in any manner they may
dem suitable
Section 81 provides for the enforcement OF the
ordinance
Section 90 provides that one-haH OF all fines
shall be paid TO The San Francisco Paid Fire De-
partment Charitable Fund.
The smoke nuisance IS becoming greater and
greater each day. The Goals used this coast
are nearly all bitumn0us or ignite, and very
smoky, and from all sections OF The town huge
volumes Sech forth from the smoke acks OF the
various factories III our midst. Ii is most I'M
portant that such industries should be enc0ur-
aged that nothing that VIII hamper them be
thrown across their path, unless the damage from
them Is greater than the benefit gained Yet they
should seek for some method Qf possible 10 find
III that might tend TO The relief of long suffering
people. Many manufacturers have expended large
sums of money in the vain effort to consume. de-
DTeVent SnlDke Dul & NitnDuL avail
and The effort and outlay has been futile, not en-
tirely because smoke cannot be avoided, but be-
cause the cost has been too great, great, In
fact, as 10 make 1t commercially mptacticable.
In talking on this subject to some OF the most
prominent producers of smoke it is admitted that
1t should be abated. and that It's abatement
should be enforced but that 1t is not enforced
because OF the hardship that would follow in
added cost OF running the works. Householders
will say that it should not be allowed but that 1t
cannot be helped. "What can't be cured must
be endured"
Chicago has suffered in the same way, and the
nuisance had become so annoying that an
economical remedy was eagerly looked for, aud
at last with success Ii is there no longer an
open question. IL is solved smoke Is there pre-
vented ri proht to owners, not at a loss. The
cevice now In use there can be seen In this city
at the CITY Ice Works, Nineteenth street, near
Valencia. Visitors interested in this question
Will be kindly received, and shown its operation
and It's economy. 1t appears to be and is "un
fat accompli"
at the Ice works a passer-by would not know
that fire was In the furnace, no smoke being
seen. Inquiry from The engineer will be met by
the remark: "NOw that we have done II and
can do II. all should do IT," IL asked, is 1t
more or less expeGsye?" the answer will be,
"We save coal"
From this 1t would appear to be to the interest
OF consumers TO adopt the device for their own
profit aud TO the comfort of residents OF this fair
city We would counsel steam works TO ex-
anime TINS question, and IL il be found true as
herein stated, ana we believe 1t Is. and think we
are we'll advised, there should be no delay In It's
adoption. We understand the cost is not large.
ApTit ", 1891 S. N.