New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-13
THE DOOM or DARKNESS.

Not often here or elsewhere. are finer at
mosphcric conditions to be perceived than were
perceived and vastly enjoyed In this city on
Sunday last Clear and cold" expresses them
accurately, though not-nor can any words de-
scribe them-fully The brilliant azure Of the
SKY. the purencss and celebrating buOyancy
of the air. and the genially tonic qualities OF
the very freshness itself formed such com
bination for pleasure and for health rs few
places can rival. and none. we believe. sur
pass 1t was absolutely an ideal winter day.
But standing upon the splendid emincncc at
the main entrance to Prospect Park. with hun
drcds of square miles of city and country, land
and water lying clear-cut as a cameo beneath
the eye, there was something other than the
lustrous dome of the sky to observe overhead.
There was long black cloud necessarily
streaming eastward on the wind like river
of darkness flowing over the city. Hour after
hour II flowed on. unbroken. II was there nj
daybreak. 1t was there at full noon. 1t was
there in the dusk of the evening. 1t was so
dense Mt that point, full mile from Its source,
that In looking through II the blaze OF the
MONDAY sun was pcrceptibly dimmed. 1t was
so dense too, that its OdOr was perceptible ana
on more than one facade Of marble or granite
Its grimy precipitation could be seen.
That was cloud Of soft-coal smoke. or black
smoke Of some such or GIN emitted from tall
chimney not far from the corner Of Thlrd-ave.
and Frst-st.. Brooklyn. 1t has been pouring
forth from that chimney day and night for
many weeks 1t there yesterday. thanked
by similar cloud; from two adjacent chmneys.
II Is doubtless there to-day. visible for miles.
and dcfling air and buildings for miles. There
are n dozen or more similar offenders in that
part Of the city. Their aggregate output mas
transformed the whole aspect OF the landscape.
Looking westward from the Prospect Park
slope one now sees At all times the sky obscured
with dun clouds. Ike those which hang over
Chicago and Pitsburg. In many streets OF
BROOKLYN the housefronts. whether OF brick or
hrownstone or white marble are rapidly AS
sumng n uniform sooty hue. II n window be
left open everything in the room Is soon dotted
with tiny flakes Of black, greasy SCOT walk
through such n street leaves ones face In
urgent need Of soap and water The curse OF
smoke and SCOT Is no longer threatened. 1t has
already fallen upon the city. and Is day by
day growing worse and worse
1t is n monstrous thing that 1t should he so.
For II IS so not through necessity. but through
wantopncss II IS SO in violation not only of
the laws of Nature. hut Of the laws OF man.
We have ordinances which ought TO have pre-
vented the evil and which would speedily
abolish it II they were now enforced. The
trouble u.s. to speak plainly, that the public ON
GERS charged with the duty Of enforcing those
ordinances and Of protecting the health ana
comfort of the people are neplecting their duty.
1t is sheer twaddle TO say the offenders can
not be detected Any man with eyes In MS
head can detect them in five minutes 1t Is
worse than twaddlc to say the offence Is not
being committed. A million people have seen
1t committed. The proprictors Of the chimneyS
and furnaces know they are breaking the law
The Health Board knows the law Is being
broken. Yet no action is taken, and the city
is apparently doomed to be henceforth sub
merged in sea Of black smoke and floating
SCOT and choking sulphur fumes 1t is spec
taclc Of folly and Of w.ckedress wcllnigh with
out parallel in history.