Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-12
A VITAL REFORM.

| The question of smoke is rapidly resum-
ing the vital Importance which it once had in
Pittsburg, with the additional burden given
by the experience of many years as to what
it means to be free from it. This generation
knows what strides in public Improvements,
and what an immense gain in the value OF
life are possible when the city is freed from
the darkness and dirt, that was once the rule
| here, and threatens to become so once more.
| The most striking additions to our architect
ure, the greateststeps in the direction of beau
tifying the city and the largest progress in
adding to the enjoyments of life in the city
all date from the abolition of the smoke.
Since this generation has learned by actual
knowledge the great value of light and
cleanliness. to lapse back into the old dark
and grimy condition without united strug-
gle to minimize the evil would simply prove
it so inert and apathetic as to be worthy OF
no better fate.
Under these circumstances the report of
! the smoke inspector of Chicago has de-
cided pertinence to Pittsburg. The smoke
question has been agitsted there for many
years; but vigorous work has only been done
of late. The inspector reports decided sue
cess in abating the smoke nuisance from
factories, hotels and Office buildings; and
the Tribune, in commenting on the report,
says that ''the clearer skies with which we
have been favored during the past few
weeks show that this is not an idle boast"
The task of getting the smoke of railway
engines abolished has been slower. The
railroad corporations at Chicago, as else
where, are slow to comprehend the import
ance of conforming themselves to regula-
tions for the public interest, and while some
have abated the smoke from all engines
running within the city limits. others have
done little or nothing in that line. For
such cases the report promises an era of
vigorous prosecutions and the imp ositIon OF
fines that will convince the corporations of
the superior economy of abolishing the
smoke.
These facts from the history of the anti
smoke effort in Chicago show the nature of
the work that must be done here in order 10
prevent the return of the smoke from be-
coming permanent They also show that
persistent and determined work will event.
ually win success in getting rid os the evil.
As to the practicability of complete combus-
ton of smoke that has not only been proved
in Chicago, but, as was pointed out in The
DISPATCH the other day, is daily demon
strated by experience in this very commu-
nifty. An immense saving in the cost of
fuel alone can be made by the use of i'm
proved appliances which will insure perfect
combustion of coal instead of sending q
large percentage up the fues to darken the
skies and sully the surrounding community.
What is necessary is to convince the COM
munitv >of the waste and stupidity of the
practices which maintain this nuisance, and
then to hasten the universal adoption of
smoke-consuming appliances by judicious
municipal acts. With the prscticability of
perfect combustion where coal must be used,
and the facilities which Pittsburg possesses
for the distribution of gas fuel, the task of
abolishing smoke ought to be comparatively
easy.
1t is difficult to exactly estimate the value
of this issue to Pittsburg; but it is not diff
cult to show that it is an immense sum.
The saving in fuel alone involving not less
than 25 per cent of the coal used, is large
item. The damage by smoke to millions of
dollars worth of fine buildings forms an
other heavy consideration. The injury to
drygoods, clothing. books, pictures and fur
niture in the stores, and the damage to the
same articles in the possession of purchasers
is to be reckoned by hundreds of thousands
of dollars annually. The extra cost of illu-
mination on account of our darkened skies
and smoky windows is no slight item; but 1t
is far less than the injury to eyesight from
the same cause. Finally the inestimable |
pleasure to each individually from the light |
and cleanliness to be gained by abolishing |
the smoke, places the aggregate beyond all |
computation, and invests the issue with the |
highest importance to the whole community. |
With these considerations at stake, and
the reform so easily attainable as it is, 1t |
will be criminal apathy for Pittsburg to su-
pinely permit the permanent revival of the |
smoke nuisance.