The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-23
The Commissioners Make
Some Adverse Reports
on Senate Bill.
AMENDMENTS ARE OPPOSED
Believe Changes Would Shift Response
bilities for Any Violations That Might
Occur - Hold That Present Method
Best Fits Conditions.

The District Commissioners yesterday
forwarded to the House Committee on the
District of Columbia an adverse report
upon II. r. 11lS49. providing for certain
amendments to the present smoke law.
Would Shield Guilty One.
In the judgment of the Commissioners
the present statute on the subject, which
has fer its object the prevention OF NUS
ances from smoke solely by the prosecu-
tion of the persons responsible for its
emission in violation of the law affords
much more simple, reasonable and
practicable remedy than that offered by
the proposed amendment
Under the proposed amendment, they
say, the approval by the Commissioners
of the installation of n smoke preventing
device would acquit the owner of all
penal responsibility Cor any nuisance re-
sulting from the smoke emitted from the
plant, regardless CT the incompctency of
the attendants when he might employ
in its management the use of improper
fuel or the extent tc which firing might
be forced. and. in the event of the failure
of the appliance, leave all the responsible
fly upon the Commissioners.
The only recourse that would be left to
the Commissioners, in their opinion,
would be an etioft to maintain an I'M
possible surN eilIanCe over each plant to
avoid the emission of such smoke or if
the requirement for such approval might
be construed as implying also the power
to recall their sanction of an inefficient
six months notice, of new plant in each
case of the failure of one they shall have
approved.
Statement by Health Officer.
Accompanying the report of the Com
missioners is a statement by the District
Health officer, in which he takes the
ground that the present law is sufficient
for all the requirements of preventing
nuisance by smoke. Among other things
he says:
The law now in force for the proven
tion of smoke in the District of Column
bia is simple, direct statement of the
end to be accomplished, and leaves the
choice of the means by which it shall be
accomplished TO the individual The pend
ing bin, If enacted, will require merely the
adoption after six months notice of some
method for preventing black or dense
gray smoke, which can be made to accom-
plish its purpose for sufficient length
of time to win the approval OF the Com
missioners
In the preparation of this bill no no.
tice has been taken of any of the factors
entering into the prevention OF smoke, ex-
cept certain mechanical devices, denomi-
mated smoke preventing or smoke-con-
Stunning appliances, and ii seems to have
having been once installed and adjusted
soeyer
Conditions Required.
"As a matter of fact, every smoke pre-
venting. or understanding appliance
requires for its successful operation GER
tain more or less definite conditions The
appliance which accomplishes its pur-
pose at one place fails when tried else
where, because it does rot act in har-
mony with the rest Of the plant. The de- |
vice which succeeds at one time fails at |
another, because of changes in other ele- |
ments of the plant; because the smoke !
preventig device itself has rot been kept (
in repair; because of changes in the grade
of coal used; or possibly because of 4
changes in the engineers or firemen
Under such circumstances it is mani
testify useless 10 undertake TO secure the
6hafement and to prevent the recurrence
of the smoke nuisance which is the object