Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-03
Alleged SociaIistic Features.

AS to the socialistic features of your let
term which the health department seeks
to discuss franchises and quasi-public
functions after a fashion common among
anti-corporate Notwithstanding further
need be said at this time 1t was my hope
however that the health department might
secure counsel which would advise it that
there are mechanical reasons why the
smoke-ameliorating equipping of d large
plant with a variable load is proportions
ately much greater task than the equip
ping OF small plant with constant load.
Reliable information to that effect could be
secured without much difficulty. Non-pos-
session of such knowledge by experts on
smoke is to be regretted, and must surely
detract from the value of any opinion-no
matter how elaborate 1t may be-which
emanates from your department.
Equipment of Plants.
You have laid some stress on the fact
that large plants cannot be equipped for
the same absolute amount of money that
will install them at smaller Establishments
With that conclusion 1 must hasten to
agree. Let me assure you that we have
never imagined that smoke consumers suf-
ficient for our use could be purchased for
the sum which would fit a fifty-horse boiler
Your suggestion that We were so impressed
Is the first of its kind and must, in justice
to both of us, be regarded as humorous.
TO say that we have never pleaded poverty
nor, until you made the unfounded accu-
satlon, have we been accused of nfggardli-
ness. In our efforts to comply with the ar
bitrary enforcement of an arbitrary law we
are now installing our second equipment
Twenty thousand dollars have been thrown
into the scrap pile and more than 20 900
other dollars are also invested in the device
from which we expect immunity from
prosecution. Even your Observation-Disclosures
though 1t be on knocking down the men Of
straw you so carefully set up-cannot as
sail us and have that reputation for fair
ness which you surely desire We have
done more to comply with the law than
has, relatively, been done by any other
corporation or individual in the District Of
Columbia.
Enters a Protest
"Our material interests in this city are
much greater than those of any other ag-
gregation of individuals doing business
here. We are in close accord with every
thing that promises the betterment or
Identification of the national capital In
my last letter I protested against our be-
Ing classified with the wilful breakers Of
the law. Today l file our protest against
baseless and frivolous charges of parsi-
mony.'
DR.. Woodward's Rejoinder.
DR.. Woodward this afternoon made the
following reply to General Harries:
Il have the honor to acknowledge receipt
of your letter of the 31st ultimo. So far as
the health department is able to discover,
1t contains nothing to show that dense
black and gray smoke has not been emitted
from the smoke stacks connected with the
various power plants under your control !;
neither does It show any reason why the
health department should discriminate In
G ut nd y-jdu ND
corporations, most, if not all, of whom have
been quite as dilfgent and proportionately
as liberal as You in their efforts to comply
with the law These are the only points
at issue, and the letter, therefore, seems to
call for no further consideration. Your
comments on the conduct of the health de-
partment are, Of course, immaterial, and
are so manifestly the outpourings of one
emblttered by recent prosecutions for v!o-
iatlons of the smoke law that the health
department is willing to leave the matter
to the judgment of the public without fur
Their argument"