Evening star., 1901-07-20
SMOKE CONSUMPTION.
Serious Problem of City Life Has
Been Solved in Cleveland.

Serious Problem of City Life Has
Been Solved in Cleveland.
From Cassen's Magazine.
1t is not necessary to demonstrate today
that smoke can be prevented to a large ex-
tent. Scores of large business blocks and
manufact uring est 1olishments in Cleveland
show this to the eye that he who runs
may read" 1t does become necessary. how
ever. to prove that a man can be a good
citizen, reduce the smoke from his chimney
and at the same time benefit his own pock-
etbook.
: In Cleveland even the business portion OF
the city, with its tall office buildings, dry
goods shops and others of various kinds.
is comparatively free from smoke. Out Of
forty modern business blocks within radi-
US of a-quarter of mile from the business
center three fourths are already provided
with furnaces which are practically smoke
less. And 1t Is safe to say that no company
erects a modern office building in that city
without seriously considering the smoke
problem and adopting what Is considered
the best means Of solving 1t. AS the older
buildings are gradually torn down to make
room for modern structures the conditions
will steadily improve, and probably ten
years from now this part OF the city will
be practically free from the nuisance.
The last reports show nearly 600 smoke
less furnaces of various descriptions each
Of which, in its particular locality. Is re-
ducing the smoke average from perhaps 80
per cent down to 10 per cent. What the
difference really means only one who has
studied both sets Of conditions can realize.
Even in the heart Of the manufacturing
district there are Chimneys showing scarce
ly a trace Of soot standing over boilers
just as large and furnaces just as hot as
those under their smoky neighbors. They
are not only shining examples of what
should be and what might be at the same
time, but are source OF profit to their
owners.
The method Of making observations which
has been adopted In Cleveland. and which.
so far, has been found reliable and satisfac-
tory, Is to first select some point Of view
which shall give a command Of twenty-five
or thirty chimneys easily visible. this point
usually being the top Of some comparative
ly high building. Then beginning, We will
say. at o'clock m the morning, in turn Is
noted on q scale Of four. four meaning
dense black smoke. and zero practical free
dom from smoke. These observations are
repeated every Ave minutes, the judgment
of the observer being depended upon to
determine the relative amount in each case.
A little practice will enable one to do this
with considerable accuracy. This Is done at
five-minute intervals for two hours. CIV
ing in all twenty-five observations Of each
stack.
These notes being entered upon a sheet
especially ruled for the purpose, a simple
adding of twenty-fi observations gives
the average scale Of 100. as, for in
stance If all the readings had been four,
the sum would have been 100; If two. the
reading would have been fifty, and so on.
The next time that observations are made
some different time Of day is chosen. these
two-hour sets being repeated for or five
times and the average made. The net re-
suit thus covers a period Of eight or ten
hours. or the ordinary working day. AL
though this method Of grading may give
slightly different totals from different OBJ
servers the difference Is not found to be
serious. and the relative standings are not
thereby affected
Reports Of these averages sent to
every owner. showing him his own standing
and that of his reighbors. and in the case
Of more serious offenders this Is followed
up by personal visit. In some cases the
appeal is made to the civic pride Of the
proprietor and this may be productive of
good results. but in the majority of in
stances the economic argument Is the only
one which prevails-reference to the ex-
perience Of others and claims OF economy
backed up by figures.