New-York tribune., 1898-09-23

OrCCrSS TO THE BOARD or HEALiH'
I, ,s exceedingly gratifying to receive the an
nouncement Of the Health Board throueh i''
president that a determined crusaue 's''i'' '"o
sof,.cool smoke nuisance is to be conducted ID!
that branch of the municipal governments
only regret Is that il was not begun iii"o" ''o"'
or rather that, a beginning hlNIhs oi'o w.
n,ode energy was relaxed and the Offenders WIZ
suffered TO do about as they picasod' u h"'''''
of wears ago. when first the chlnne!S oi IL '''''''
heating company were seen 10 DC Ill cI"Pi'"
and the vile products of Imperfect co''o"S.,""
+, he difYusing themselves over 'he Guy n'
Tr,hune called attention to that Initial S'"so III
tho process of converting New-lorK mo '''-
c,co and urged the Health Board to act AT once
and with unmstakable resolution. AcUoh WIS
,,,on. md il was measurably successful p"'
,hot oternal vigilance which is the price OF lid
or,v 70 brea the m uncontaminatcd atmosphere
u.os looking and before long there were man!
oTouders where there had been only one tIla'
,,.os consnicuous At frequent intervals since
,hot time we have protested against progress
sve nuisance. and repeatedly during INC n'''
summer have besOught the authorizes 10 in'ei
nose. We rejoice that after what seems I'LL u'i-
necessorv delay they have responded IN dcci-
svc manner.
The Health Board possesses large and vir1u-
ollv autocrntlc powers. which nave sohera"!
been well employed. so far as they haVo peeh
emnloyed Mt all In the service or the pu"hc.
Moreover. II is crcditablc both 10 the Boaru anu
70 the community that In the most stringent cA-
crc,se of It's authority II has had the support vi
tho ncople. 1t may have incurred the tcmporar!
resentment Of those with whose proceedings ].
has interfcred but It has been well sustained
nv +he Intelligent opinion Of New-Iork. IL Is
nlcosant TO remember also that mere warming
has so often been sufficient to accomplish an
,mnortont change Of conduct as 10 create an I'M
nrosson that persons and corporations whose
general attitude toward the law Is somewhat
contemntuous entertain wholesome respect for
,he mandates of the Health Board. This en-
couroees the belief that in the present Instance
restoration of old conditions may be accom-
nushod in spite of the strength which a rank
abuse has acquired through unwise tolerance
II Is assllredly 10 be hoped that such VIII
nrovo N he the case The nuisance OF softcoal
smoke is not ono which the people or New orN
con afford to accept as necessary evil IL Is
not necessary that our crystalline atmosphere
sbor,d no polluted and rendered obnoxious TO
Element and the mutifarious discomforts when
other cities have consented or been compelled 70
endure has been an honorable and profitable
distinction. 1t would be unspcakably foolish 10
| surrender so great a blessing. But 1t Is abso
Iutelv ccrtain that the evil Is growing fast and
hns already reached large proportions. II Is
recognized instantly by every visitor FAMILIAR
with the earlier conditions here. and Is con
stantly forcing itself more and more plainly OF
the attention Of every inhabiant. The process
| OF dcflement has not been too gradual TO arrest
| notice Every observing citizen must he aware
| that there has been marked change within q
year, and convinced that there Is no time TO lose
| If a miserable calamity Is to he averted. We
most heartily commend the action OF the Boarc
| of Health and would encourage ii to persever'
| with all the resources ut It's command. If Il
| makes good fight now II will win.