The evening times., 1899-05-31
SMOKE CONSUMER MEN
INVADE TIE CAPITAL
Health Department Ready to
Enforce the New Law.
Chimneys Must Cease to Emit Dense
Black VapOr.
Device to BE Used at the District
Pumping StatiOn-COmm missioner
Beach Interviewed.

Since the enactment by Congress Of
law to abate the smoke nuisance. Washing
ton has become a field for the inventors
and disposers Of smoke consumers and al
legged smoke consumers. The new law pro-
vides that no chimney within the city linn
its shall emit dense black or grey smoke,
after August 2, 1899. A penalty Of not less
than $40 nor more than 800, shall be i'm
posed for each day an owner or lessee vio-
lates its provisions. The new requirement
is a matter of keen interest to persons who
possess buildings, foundries, or hotels.
with a chimney emitting sufficient smoke
to violate the new regulation.
When the bill was first passed, the busi-
ness men of the city protested against its
enforcement, claiming that it was practi-
cally impossible to prevent smoke gener-
ating from soft coal, and that no success
ful consumer had as yet been invented. 1t
coal can be used and still make little
smoke and that there are several consum-
ers which do all that is claimed for them
The enforcement Of the law has been plac-
ed in the hands of the Health Department,
under DR.. Woodward, while the offenders
will be tried and punished in the Police
Court.
Preparations have already been made by
the District Commissioners to prevent
black or grey smoke issuing from the chin
ney on buildings under municipal control.
Commissioner Beach in a conversation
with Times reporter today said in refer
ence to the new regulation:
1T is only fair that the District should
take precaution against its chimneys emit
ting an excess of smoke before it takes
action against private concerns. The Only
boilers under municipal regulations which
generate black smoke at all are at the
pumping station ON L Street. There are
four fires there which will require our at
tention, and contracts have been made with
two concerns TO secure consumers which
carry with them guarantee. not only to
consume the smoke, but TO save heat and
augment the steaTing power OF the fire.
We had considerable trouble in securing
the proper article and one which TO our
mind will work satisfactorily.
Since the law was passed. the District
Building has been overrun with inventors
and sellers Of these consumers. The ma
1ority OF them are cranks, but there are
enough reliable affairs 10 warrant a trial Of
the devices. When the Business Mems
Association called on me TO protest AZ ainst
the regulation as unreasonable and almost
impossible TO comply with. they were in
formed that the District would not enforce
law which il could not obey itself!
DIR. Woodward has instructions to bring
the enforcement OF the law within the
bounds of common sense. II smoke cannot
be consumed or done away with we shall
not enforce the penalty. Attention viii be
paid to the endeavor rather than the sue
cess of person trying to obey the law
who are careless. Soft coal can be used
without generating great amount of
smoke if it is put on the fire carefully.
Most fremen throw on enough fuel III Cne
time to last several hours. This naturally
deadens the live Goals and causes the yola-
tile matter to escape, while. if q little
coal is applied at a time the heat from the
furnace will consume the smoke itself.
With an appliance attached to the chin
ney to consume that smoke which does
escape there is no reason why the nuisance
should not be atated.
Il am acquainted with a manager of a
Western road that uses soft coal on its
engines. with practically no smoke being
emitted from the stack. His theory Is the
proper one. When he sees fireman care
lessly applying great quantities of fuel
and making that Objectionable black smoke
the man is cautioned and taught how to
fire correctly. II, after this. he is detected
making dense smoke he loses his posi-
ton. Western manufacturer was the
first to apply a smoke consumer 10 the
chimneys of his foundries, and it has work
ed with the greatest success. At one time
the smoke from the factory was so dense
that it darkened the city for blocks around
his place of business. Now there is prac-
,icaIly no smoke from his chimneys.
1T is claimed by the makers of smoke
consumers that they economic coal, and.
while they are rather expensive at first. 1t
is calculated that they will save their cost
within a year. The new law applies to
grey smoke as well as black, in order to
prevent the introduction of steam into the
darker smoke 10 give it light appear
ance.
''The regulation does not apply to pri-
vate offenders. The greatest offenders are
the larger hotels and factories. 1t is ratb-
er early TO predict just what measures will
be taken to enforce the law. The provis-
ion for imposing fine for each days Of
fence will doubtless cause the owners OF
keep within the regulation. Still. the Gov
ernment will rot close a mans business
down If he cannot prevent a smoky CHM
ney after conscientious endeavor. The
Health Department will not wait for COM
plants to be filed against a chimney to
notify its owner that the law must b.
obeyed."