The Washington times., 1904-12-29
THURSDAY, DECEMBER %, 1901.
Anti Smoke Law Fulfilled,


An account in yesterdays news
columns of the fuIfillment of the anti
smoke law by the operators OF three
furnaces in Washington effectively an
swers the contentious of the engi-
neers-reported day earlier-that
strict compliance with that law is "a
matter of impossibility- 1t answers
also. and with great force, the state
ment published in The Times several
DAYS ago by Gen. George H. Harries,
general manager OF the local electric
lighting companies.
As long as three furnaces are fired
without the issuance of any smoke at
all, or as long as one single furnace
is fired without the issuance of any
smoke at all, it does not suffice to
say that the operators OF other FUR
naces have been experimenting for
years or have spent various vast sums
in the hope of finding some satisfac-
tory smoke-consumer The testimony
of fires burning day and night with
so complete an absence OF smoke that
inspectors from the Health Office did
not even know the furnaces were in
use is overwhelming
Opinions on the feasibility of en-
forcing this law differ widely, OF
course. The same consumer is en-
;pdo,~od and finally
condemned. One man regards the use
of anthracite as Indispensable; an
other says he cannot make steam
without soft coal. Some cities allow
the stoker leeway of three minutes to
the hour while Washington grants
only one minute to the hour. But all
the while these furnaces equipped with
real smoke-consumers and stocked in
the hope of fulfilling the law go on
making steam and never sign OF
dense black or gray smoke is to be
seen.
And if the law is thus cleared OF
the criticism that it is utterly unrea-
sonable and impossible of fulfillment,
it may be that a way viii be found
for its enforcement. The Health Of
ieer has reported that he cannot
spare the inspectors to testify in anti
smoke prosecutions after their
charges are made. This has led to a
suspicion-which The Times thinks
without foundation-tha the Health
Officer is using the anti-smoke law
to increase his force In all Hkeli-
Sood he does need more men. But
whatever the size of his corps of
inspectors there is no reason why he
MOULD not have the help of the police.
A patrolman walking his beat can
note the issuance of smoke from a
chimney and report it without upset
District government, and he can be
spared to testify in that one case
quite as readily as though the offense
were drunk and disorderly.' The
Health Officers answer to this is that
he must have these policemen under
his control The Times does not
think that contention is very impress
siye If the Health Officer is serious
ly DESTROYS of enforcing this law he
can accept the help of the police de-
partment without acting as the major
and superintendent of the force.
Every man anxious to see Washing
ton made beautiful and so eager to
prevent the tisfguration Of the city
by SCOT and CRIME would have the
anti-smoke law enforced with reason
If there is no consumer that works
let the authorities follow the example
of other cities and fix a time limit
for the issuance of smoke # there
is a consumer that works let the au-
thorities enforce the law But let US
have an end to this pretense of Eek
perimenting for years." and hear nc
more of the Health Officers lack Of
inspectors.