The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-03
TRIED TO CONSUME IT
w. e. STEVENSON TALKS OF THE
SKY-SCRAPER's BLACK SMOKE.
willing to Experiment with Anything
Cant Get Gas-PrOfits in
Modern Buildings.

Since the weather has become cool the
smoke stack of the Stevenson building has
been emitting great volumes of black smoke
This is a nuisance and has caused good
deal of complaint and comment. 1t is d.
rect violation of a city ordinance which de-
clares that such things constitute q
nuisance and provides penalty. The city
administration made no effort to enforce
the ordinance. w. E. Stevenson was asked
yesterday if something was not to be done
to prevent the smoke escaping and cover
ing the city. He said:
I'VE are more anxious than the public to
abate that nuisance. That smoke has been
an eyesore to me and causes me more wor-
ry than it does the people who suffer on ac-
count of it. Anything that can be done to
stop it will be done. We paid $500 for a
smoke consumer and put it in. 1t was com
mended by Henry Ives Cobb, architect, and
we thought we had an end of smoke. The
thing proved to be utterly worthless, and
we were obliged to take it out MIR. Ives
has since informed me that all of this kind
of smoke consumers have proved failures,
and, in fact, he says he has not been able
to find one that is of any account. When
was in Chicago recently l made diligent in
quiry for good smoke consumer. visited
places where various kinds that were
recommended to me were in use and in
every instance they were worthless. Peo-
pie are taking them out
1--WE are now trying a system of sprays
which has been recommended, but you can
see the result We are willing to do any
thing, and il the Journal or any other paper
or person will tell me where there is sue
cessfui smoke consumer to be purchased 1t
will go in at once L recently heard of one
i'm CHI py0i n &c sold 70 elr xyaIl
will be tried,
IF we could get natural gas the problem
would be solved. But the Stevenson build
ing arrived little late, and the gas COM
panies are afraid to let US have gas for fear
OF cutting short the small consumers. 1t
would require an enormous amount of gas
to heat that building. We have Tried the
Manufacturers Company, the Consumers
and the Indianapolis, but have not been sue
cessful. The Indianapolis Company is still
trying to devise some means OF furnishing
gas We are willing to pay double rates,
and have offered to put in meters and pay a
good price. 1t was intended to connect us
with the Washington-stree main, but this
would drain the other consumers, and the
idea was abandoned. Then the Georgia
street main was talked of, and it was found
that it would cost 500 to lay the connec-
lions to the building. We agreed to divide
the cost of this with the company, and Mr..
Pearson told me he would give us an answer
as soon as Mr.. Dieterich came here. Mr..
Dieterich has come and gone and still can
get no answer. do not know how we are
to stop the smoke. We are willing to do it,
but are helpless at present.
"Have you tried burning hard COAL" he
asked
mo, and do not expect to. 1t is too ex-
pensive. To use it we would have to give
a mortgage every month on the building to
pay the coal bills
Mr.. Stevenson was asked If the building
was operating ong aIpaying basis and said
that it was. 1.-The building and ground cost
about ,000" he said. THE rent received
now is on a basis of $4,000 year. and there
are only about two-thirds as many tenants
as can be accommodated. With the build
ing all occupied the income would be about
800 900 year, or more than 10 per cent. /
signed two new leases to-day, and / ex-
pect the building will continue to fill up.
The rent is not high, and few tenants will
be lost"