Evening star., 1900-08-18
ABATiNG SMOKE NUISANCE
EFFORTS OF A CITIZEN TO CONFORM
TO LAW.
Resort to Hard Coal Proves to BE I'm
satisfac actory-DiscussfOn
of Devices.

In reply to a circular letter Of the health
officer of the District inquiring what steps
have been taken to comply with the re-
quirements of the smoke law, Mr.. E. B.
Moore, proprietor of the Savoy Apartment
House, today furnished a statement of the
efforts he had made to abate the smoke
nuisance and of the further course he has
in view to that end. He expresses the hope
that it may result in the enlightenment of
those who earnestly desire to comply with
the law as to the means available for put
ting premises in condition to prevent or
correct involuntary infractions and at the
same time not impose expensive burdens
that in some instances would require pro-
prietors to go out of business to perform
that which. Mr.. Moore says, so far as his
knowledge goes, is up to the present time
an impossibilty-to burn soft coal with
any known smoke consumer and not have
at the time of firing an emission of dark
gray or back smoke.
Mr.. Moore explains that his efforts have
been varied. patient and expensive. AS
agent of a downtown apartment house, he
says he had placed on its boilers two of
the best smokeconsuming devices then In
the market. He also placed on the savoy
boilers smoke preventive devices of another
pattern and make. intending thus to test
the relative merits of the two systems
Those in the Savoy, after patient trial ana
experiments, says Mr.. Moore. proved inef-
fective and unsatisfactory and were aban-
doned.
Tried Hard Coal.
Continuing Mr.. Moore sets forth that
after the decision in the recent test cases
he had hard coal CRATES put in the furnaces
of the Savoy. and for two months or more
burned hard coal. at an increased cost for
fuel of 100 per cent.
Finding this increased cost of fuel to be
almost prohibitive." he adds. land also that
1t was difficult to keep up the requisite
amount of steam at all times on account of
the slower combustion l returned to the
use of soft coal. believing that some regula-
tiOns would soon be issued t,.at would en-
able me to adopt and place in my furnaces
some device that would SO far consume or
prevent the smoke to allow reason
able compliance with the law and at the
same time not make an impossible require
ment or entail an unreasonable burden.
The law prohibits the emission of dense
black or gray smoke without regard to the
duration of the same. No smoke-consum-
ing device. to my Knowledge, has yet
been made which is entirely effective in
preventing the issuance of
mace is open and the fire box Is being
charged with fresh coal, which operation re-
qures ordinarily from one to two minutes,
nor for brief interval probably fifty or
~SNOA'N''
closed
Reasonably Satisfactory
THE devices l had placed in the fur
naces Of the Astoria have given reasonable :
satisfaction to myself and, l trust to the
health department, as l have had no COM
plant of the smoke there and understand
that the smoke inspectors have made tests
of the duration of the smoke after firing
the furnaces, and have reported that they
found satisfactory compliance with the
law then interpreted by the health de-
partment.
Mr.. Moore desires to be informed by the
Commissioners whether, if ne places de-
vices in the Savoy that will cut off the
smoke within one minute after closing the
fire box of the furnace. or allowing two
minutes for firing. would not allow the es-
cape of dense black or gray smoke at any
time exceeding three minutes the law would
be complied with in a manner reasonable
and just.
Il am exceedingly anxious to give
hearty compliance to this law" concludes
Mr.. Moore, but know of no way within
my reach to do the. same, unless by the use
of smoke consuming device that will con-
sumo and destroy the smoke within about
the time named after the beginning of each
firing
Fine Was Fifty Dollars.
Charles Duvall was before Judge Mills
today charged with indecent conduct on
respect slrttt- Inc prisoner auHlltted lhat
he had been drinking and denied remember
inganything about having violated the law
Was the prisoner very drunk?' the court
asked Policeman Farquhar.
He was not 50 drunk but that he could
try to beg OF
Keep sober was the courts advice to
the young man.
He was fined $50. with the alternative of
spending six months on the farm.
Cool Of Mt "Chevy Chase Inn."
Delightful on verandas in evening. Music.
Fine table d'hote dinner, 81: 6 to S:3O-Advt.