Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-13
DEVICES NOT EFFECTUAL
NOTHING YET INVENTED TO PRE-
VENT ESCAPE OF SMOKE.
Views of Mr.. T. F. Schneider Respect
ing Phase of the Smoke
Law.

Mr.. T. F. Schneider, the owner Of the
Cairo flats, recently received from the
health officer one of the circular letters
addressed by that official, by direction of
the District Commissioners, to number of
citizens, who We're charged with violating
the smoke law. In reply. Mr.. Schneider
wrote that. in his opinion, there is no device
yet designed which will effectually prevent
the emission of dense gray or black smoke,
things prohibited by the law.
Before the smoke law was made, Mr..
Schneider stated, he became very much in
terested in the matter. and Investigated and
experimental with different devices. only,
he says, to be convinced that devices for
the purpose are not effective. Many are
being experimental with at the present
time, he states, and he claims that hun
dreds of them in New York city and Pitts
burg have been abandoned. Therefore. Mr..
Schneider challenges the municipal authori-
ties to find one here that will comply with
the law.
Those having the steam jet" contended
Mr. Schneider, land now in use on some
plants, will soon be abandoned. especially
on large boilers, on account of the injury
to the friedrich walls. as well as to the
bottom of the boiler. They are also very
seriously Objectionable In buildings such as
apartment houses or hotels, on account of
the terrific noise made by the escaping
steam at each firing. This cannot possibly
be overcome, and in connection with the
destruction to my boilers. was the reason
l was obliged to abandon 1t at the Cairo,
besides fine cinders were emitted from the
stack. which caused more annoyance than
the smoke.
"Such devices, when used on small boil
ers, do not show all these objections as
clearly as when used on large boilers as a
very much smaller quantity Of steam Is
used and the damage to boilers and the
noise are proportionately less. The 'stokers'
10 NOT ont
be seen by observing the different stacks
which have them in this city. During fir
ing more or less smoke will be emitted,
and there Is no device known at this time
which will prevent it for the first two min
utes after coaling firing.
But few of us could use hard coal in our
boilers on account of draft necessary. and
besides. in the case of large plants, such as
I have, even if it were possible to use it.
the expense would be enormous"
Suggests u Hearing.
Mr.. Schneider thinks the Commissioners
would do well to give hearing to the BUSH
ness men interested in this matter and give
them chance to fully explain their differ
emit experiences and efforts in this direction
as early IN the fall as they return to the
city. and then fully weigh the whole ques-
ton. Then. if it be decided that the parties
involved must do what he claims they can
not do, he thinks an understanding as to
just how closely they will be held account
able should be- had.
For says Mr.. Schneider, under the
present status. although We do the best We
can with all the sacrifices that accompany
our efforts. are just as liable to be
pulled in for making smoke for half a
minute every thirty minutes, as was testi-
fled to in court last winter in the case of
Mr.. w. H. Moses. Within few days /
will begin entirely rebuilding the brickwork
Of my three boilers and otherwise over
hauling them, a work which will take
abOut eight weeks cOn1pletp Then If
1t is decided that l must adopt a smoke
consuming device Of some kind, will make
another attempt.
Il wish it understood that 1 am as heart
lily in favor of doing away with smoke as
anybody, and am perfectly willing to do
what it is possible to do to that end: but
as l have already wasted a good deal of
money experimenting, l would prefer not
doing more at this time but wait some
further developments in the line of such
inventions, which are likely to come sooner
later; and. as Washington is not man.
ufacturing place, but little annoyance is
now being felt. or is likely to be, for a very
long while, from smoke.
The LOudest GrOwlers.
Many of the loudest GROWERS about
smoke those who can only see 1t from
a distance, and who in fact, never expert
ence the least annoyance. They want B.
cent car fare. and, in fact, everything that
the other fellow has, and stand ready at
all times to throw obstacles in the way of
the progressive man. L trust you will give
the latter due consideration in this case
1t is understood that the Commissioners
will as heretofore explained by them, give
the citizens complained of a reasonable
time in which to equip their boilers and
furnaces. and that at the end of such
period they will. in the event of nothing
being done by the parties involved to rem
edy the evil complained of, cause them to
be prosecuted.
NJ fsf