The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-03
SMOKE FROM A GREAT CITY.
Practical Example of How II May Be
Greatly Mitigated.

Prof. Benjamin. in Casters Magazine
i 1t is not necessary to demonstrate to-day
that smoke can be prevented to a large
extent Scores of large business blocks
and manufacturing establishments in Clevo-
land show this to the eye that he who
luns may read" 1t does become neces-
sary, however, TO prove that man can be
good citizen. reduce the smoke from his
chimney and at the same time benefit his
own pocketbook.
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
a radius of a quarter of a mile from the
business center three-fourths are already
provided with furnaces which are practi-
cally smokeless And il is safe TO sa =
that company erects modern Office
building III that city without seriously
considering the smoke problem and ADOPT
ing what is considered the best means of
solving it. As the older buildings are
gradually torn down to make room TO-
modern structures the conditions will stea l.
lily improve, and probably ten years from
now this part of the city will be practically
free from the nuisance.
The last reports show nearly six hundred
smokeless furnaces of various descriptions
each of which, in its particular locality. is
reducing the smoke average from perhaps
so per cent. down to 10 per cent. What this
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
iy trace of SCOT, standing over boilers lust
large and furnaces Just hot as those
under their smoky neighbors. They are not
only shining examples OF what should be,
and what might be. but, at the same time.
are a source of profit TO their owners.
The method of making observations which
has been adopted in Cleveland and which,
so fan. has been found reliable and salts
factory, is to first select some point of
view which shall give a command Of
twenty-five thirty chimneyS easily Visi-
bic. this point usually being the top OF some
comparatively high building. Then, begin
ming. we Will say, at o clock in the morn
ing, in turn is noted on scale OF four,
| four meaning dense black smoke, and zero
| practical freedom from smoke. These OBJ
| servations are repeated every five minutes.
| the judgment of the observer being de-
pended upon TO determine the relative
| amount in each case. y little practice will
| enable one TO do this with considerable ac-
| curacy: this is done at five-minuic inter-
| walls for two hours, giving in all twenty-five
observations of each stack.
These notes beng entered upon a sheet
| especially ruled for the purpose. simple
adding of twenty-five oose ,oS ions gives
| the average OH a scale or 100; as, for in
| stance. if all the readings had been four.
| the sum would have been 100, II two. the
reading would have been nifty and SO on.
| The next time that observations are made,
| some different time of day rs chosen. the SO
| tvo-hour sets being repeated four or five
/ times and the final average made. The not
| result thus covers period or eight ten
| hours. or the ordinary working Gay. Al
though this method OF graa'n s,a may give
| servers the difference Is not found 10 be
| serious. and the relative standings are not
| thereby affected.
Reports of these averages are sent 10