The times., 1899-08-01

After tomorrow there should be no more
complaints against the smoke nuisance. AS
matter of fact. there will probably be
more of them than ever. The law for the
prevention of smoke goes into effect with
tomorrow's dawn. The act was passed by
the last Congress on February 2, but six
months were allowed before it was TO be-
come effective During that period manu-
facturers, hotel proprietors, mill owners,
and others were expected TO contrive way
in which to prevent the chimneys and
stacks of their plants and establishments
smoking. In the eyes of the law it makes
no difference how this is done or what
contrivances are used, just so the nuisance
is abolished.
At the District Building little has been
done in the way of making preparations to
enforce the law. What little has been done
may be credited to DIR. Woodward. the local
Health officer. who has conferred with the
Commissioners and arranged TO have Health
Department inspectors look out for viola
tions of the law during their daily rounds.
The smoke law provides that inspectors
shall be detailed for this purpose, and the
Health Department is only following the
instructions laid down in the act of Con-
gress. Many persons have failed to Oh
tain an exact understanding of the law. and
it is with considerable trepidation that they
anticipate the arrival Of tomorrow. Were
some kind of regulations and rules promui-
gated by the municipal authorities they
would probably know better what to do.
But the Commissioners are not required
by law TO prepare regulations. and this be-
ing the case, they have not gone out of their
way to make trouble.
The law simply provides that on and
after six months from its passage the
emission OF dense or thick black or grey
smoke or cinders from any smoSestack or
chimney used in connection with any sta
tionary engine steam boiler, or furnace of
any description within the District shall be
deemed public nuisance"
One exception was made. The act is not
to be construed as being applicable to
chimneys on buildings used exclusively as
residences. The law applies to the owner
OF agent, lessee or occupant of the bui ding
from which the smoke issues. The inspec-
tors are expected TO take the initiative.
The offender is to be arrested and taken
into the Police Court for trial Conviction
will result in punishment with a fine of
not less than $40 nor more than 500 for
each and every offence. Each day that the
law is violated will be considered an Of
fence.
The law does not require the use OF
tended to operate against the sLioke nuis-
ance and whether smoke consumer has
or has not been attached to a smoking
stack will not enter into the question The
device may be defective and fail 10 prevent
the emission of smoke. 1t would not then
be preventing smoke, and the law would
sill be violated. On the other hand where
there is perfect combustion in The furnace
no smoke consuming device n ay lie neces-
III. -
preventer will in that case Ee passed by
the Health Department inspectors There
are many types of smoke preventing de-
vices on the market. Congress did not de-
sire 10 do anything which nigh. be con-
strued as showing favor to any smoke
consumer concern and purposelv inserted
a section in he bill reading as follows:
mo discrimination shall be made against
any device which may be used for the
prevention of smoke and which accom-
plishes the purpose of this act.'
1t is the general opinion at the Dis
trict Building, where the subject had been
talked over quite fully for some time that
the law is not intended to operate as
hardship on manufacturers and owners OF
plants. Smoke had simply become such
nuisance in some parts of the city that
something had to be done and a halt call
ed. The only way in which fragrant nuis-
ances could be dealt with was TO pass
law which rendered them such. This was
done, and it is understood that the inspec-
tors of the Health Department will be in
structed to use the widest discretion and
the utmost tact in prosecuting cases. There
are instances in the city where hotel CHM
neys have been source OF constant COM
plant One uptown hotel. particularly,
has been attacked on account of the dense
black clouds of smoke that have issued
from its chimneys passing across an ad-
jacent street and through the windows of
a tall Office building. The occupants of
rooms in the upper stories of that building
have filed complaint after complaint with
the Commissioners and their combined pro-
tests had much to do with the decision to
draft the anti-smoke law.
Enquiries have recently been made re-
garding the probable attitude TO be assumed
toward suburban mills and plants. The
Commissioners have given no public ex-
preston of opinion in this regard, but il
is understood that the Health Department
will not go out of its way in order to prose-
cute owners OF smoking chmneys in re-
gions where there are few residences and
where the smoke does not become a nui-
sance. The law is for the prevention of the
nuisance, and where there is no nuisance.
that is, in thinly settled portions of the
city, it is not believed that energetic action
| will be taken. The hotels have been the
chief source of complaint, and they will
undoubtedly be watched closest.
Persons will be prosecuted" said DR.
| Woodward, the Health Officer, to a Times
reporter, with regard to whether they have
or have not smoke consumers. No regula-
tons have been prepared No notice will
be served, the law having already allowed
| six months notice for the installation of
consumers or the taking of other steps for
the prevention of the nuisance. The first