The Washington times., 1902-09-25
ANTI-SMOKE Law
TO BE ENFORCED
Soft Coal Users Cannot
Evade District Statute.
Matter Brought to Attention of Com
missioners Several Times by Owners
of Apartment Houses and Others.

| The anti-smoke law will be enforced
despite the fact that the strike continues
in Pennsylvania. This statute requires
| that at no time shall dense black or gray
smoke or cinders be allowed to emit
from stationary chimneys in the Dis
| trict, other than In private residences.
The matter has been brought to the
attention of the Commissioners several
times Of late by owners of apartment
houses and others, in view of the prob
able necessity of using soft coal, If the
strike in the anthracite regions con-
tinues.
Mr.. Mahlon Groo. of the Roosevelt
Flats recently wrote to the Commission.
ers, desiring information as to the
course he should pursue in heating the
flats which he owns. He told the Com
missioners that from present appear
ances he would be obliged to use soft
coal, and he desired to know what the
authorities would do in reference to the
smoke that might rise from the CHM
neys In consequence.
The letter of Mr.. Groo was referred
to the Health Department and his fur
mace inspected. 1t was found that the
furnace was of the ordinary hard-coal
type. but that soft coal could be used in
1t as fuel.
Possible to Obey Law.
DR.. Woodward, the Health Officer. in
forwarding the report of his inspector
to the Commissioners, recommended that
Mr.. Groo be informed that he will be
expected and required to make the mini
mum amount of smoke possible with
available fuel. DR.. Woodward further
stated that one OF the large apartment
houses burns soft coal continuously and
simply by the employment Of. skillful
firemen and the strict supervision Of
their work has managed to keep en-
tirely within the law regulating the
emission of smoke.
Commissioner Macfarland. who has
supervision over the Health Department,
yesterday authorized the following state
ment embodying the views Of the Com
missioners In reply TO the communication
of Mr.. Groo: -
The act of Congress providing penal
ties for the emission of dense black or
gray smoke or cinders from stationary
chimneys, other than those of private
residences, in the District of Columbia,
is being executed and will continue to be
executed by the Commissioners through
the Health Department.
inspections are being constantly made,
as the act requires, by inspectors of the
Health Department, and prosecutions are
brought whenever 1t is necessary to do
so. While the burning of anthracite
coal seems to insure compliance with
the requirements of the law, they can
also be met with other kinds of fuel,
including bituminous coal. and combin-
ations Of coke and bituminous coal.
Nevertheless observations by the in
spectors of the Health Department show
that bituminous coal can be and is be-
ing used without violation of the law.
1t Is a matter of good firing either by
automatic devices, which, however, must
be accurately adapted and carefully
managed, or by thorough hand firing
THE recent experiments at public
school buildings showed that alternate
layers of coke and coal would burn
satisfactorily without emitting smoke
of the character forbidden by law The
inspectors report that compliance with
the law has become very general now
that owners Of plants affected by tie law
have learned how to meet Its require
ments.
Weekly reports Of conditions as to
large plants under observation are now
made by the Health Department to the
owners. so that. II the effects of care
lessness In firing begin to appear, the
owners can take steps to secure ef-
fciency. before the law is actually
violated"