The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-03
SMOKE AT COURTHOUSE
MARION COUNTY IS NOT OBEYING
THE NEW ORDINANCE.
Test Case Against Light and Power
Company COntinued-A Consumer
Should BE Designated.

| The case against the Indianapolis Light
and Power Company to test the smoke ordi-
nance was continued in Police Court yester-
! day until next Monday. William L. Taylor
| is the company's attorney. He has been re-
| tained to contest the validity of the ordi-
nance c. C. Perry secretary of the COM
pany, said yesterday that he had no doubt
the ordinance would be held unconstitu-
tional. as similar laws have been so held in
Missouri and other States, The company
will undertake to show that it is impossible
for manufacturers to obey the ordinance,
as no practicable smoke consumers can be
found.
If the Council would designate by ordi-
nance some of the fifteen or twenty
smoke consumers that should be used, there
would be less objection" said Mr.. Perry.
"As a matter of fact none of the consumers
will do what is claimed for them. You can
not get rid of the smoke entirely. 1t is
less noticeable when the fires are light, but
there is always some. If the ordinance re-
Quired certain kind of consumer to be
used, so that when a man had placed it in
his furnace he would know he had complied
with the law. there would be no objection
to it, No one is going to spend $1,000 or
$1,5O0 making experiments and run the risk
of having some one come along and con-
denim the consumer after it has been pro-
cured.
1T is out of the question to suggest hard
coal. If hard coal were used in Indianapolis
it would cost Indianapolis manufacturers
$Z,500,O0O or 100000 q year more. One rea-
son Indianapolis has prospered so well is
that our fuel is cheaper here than anywhere
in the West. We get our coal cheaper than
they do in Chicago, because we are closer
to the mines. / realize that smoke is an
unsightly thing, but how are we to avoid
it? 1t is only a question of time until the
natural gas will give out entirely. Then
everybody will have to burn coal, even in
the residences, as they did before. OF course
the smoke will be more noticeable, as the
city has grown since gas was introduced.
Down town big blocks have been erected.
More coal must be used, especially where
they have their own electric lighting plants.
AS city gets larger you must have some of
the unpleasant things that are associated
with growth. On the street where | live
there are street cars That makes 1t UNI
pleasant. I am frightened when my chill
dren get upon the street. but l cannot ad-
vOcate doing away with the cars simply be-
| cause my children may be killed. The cars
are a necessity. We cannot get along with
| out them"
| Mr.. Perry mentioned the fact that smoke
| was pouring from the chimneys of the court
| mouse yesterday anu stSiASu IL lHS He'S
| a good thing, why it was not enforced there,
| as we'll as against the manufacturers. All
| the city offices are in the basement, includ-
| ing that Of Building Inspector Bunting, who
| is intrusted with the duty of enforcing the
| ordinance. 1t is likely that smoke will be
pouring from the chimneys of Tomlinson
| Hall before long, as it is understood the
natural gas is to be cut off. Tomlinson Hall
| belongs to the city.
Yesterday there was but little smoke from IRON
| the chimney of the English block plant.
| The fireman there has been firing his fur
| naces properly. AT the Stevenson building,
| on the contrary, huge volumes Oh smoke
| frequently poured out