Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
No Voluntary Smoke Reform.

1t Is decidedly disappointing to find the
Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road companies absolutely unresponsive to
the suggestions and requests of the District
Commissioners in the matter of abating the
railroad smoke nuisance in this city. as set
forth in the news article printed today.
There was a hope that the corporations
would recognize the propriety Of voluntarily
agreeing to adopt smokeiess power in the
District and the necessity of doing SO in
order to make the local terminal in this
particular a model for the country. as in
other respects 1t will probably be. This
hope. however, proves now to have been
futile. and the case reverts to the original
status, with Congress as the sole medium
of relief from the smoke nuisance. Com
missioner Mcfarland has already indicated
his purpose to urge upon his colleagues
the presentation of a recommendation to
Congress that the smoke law be definitely
extended to the railroad locomotives. In this
movement the Commissioners viii be Joined
by the entire community. and will probably
meet with response in the houses, which
now have a direct stake In the matter
through the close proximity to the Capitol
OF the railroad terminal.
In his letter to the Commissioners Presi-
says:
I'VE think the Commissioners and the
public should give US credit for providing
this magnificent station for the capital of
the nation at cost far greater than we
would have been justified in mourning if we
had dealt with the matter from a purely
business standpoint, and that they will not
seek to impose any further burdens than
have already been voluntarily assumed for
the credit of the city by the railroads them
selves
There is no evidence in the demand for
a smokeless terminal of a lack of public
or official appreciation of what the railroads
have done for the Improvement of the capt.
tai. Indeed. in urging that the station and
its approaches be rendered smokeless the
community is merely seeking to complete
this great work in proper style, and to
prevent the anomaly of monumental sta
ton structure beset with fouling smoke.
The community is not satisfied that smoke
less power is impossible. 1t does not re-
gard the request to put the railroads on
such basis as unreasonable. The railroads
have in the past enjoyed immense advan-
tages in this District, for which they have
paid nothing, and judged from a business
basis their bargains with the government
and the District In the abolition of grade
their point of view, nor were they altogether
Improbable. But apart from monetary con-
siderations. on which subject much has been
and might still be said, the fact remains
that this union station will not be a credit
to the railroads themselves If 1t is coupled
with system of air-fouling power of an
obsolescent style.
The public believes that electric loco
motives are practicable. The railroad COM
panies now declare that they are not. The
companies practically adopt the position
that they never will be, and hold out no
hope of relief from the smoke nuisance
other than that which may possibly be af-
forded by the use of "semi-bituminous''
coal, a chance so slender that 1t Is not at
present to be considered. Thus the issue is
joined The best way to settle the matter is
to refer it squarely to Congress, submit the
question to inquiry, and secure If possible
through an expert showing of the exact
state of the art a demonstration that the
railroads can make this terminal smokeIess
IL they are willing to spend the money. For
after all the whole case doubtless reyerts to
the cash consideration.