Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
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The fumes of coal gas were in evidence
everywhere.
Gas Coal on Passenger Locomotives.
A railroad official informed the reporter
that the Baltimore and Ohio company uses
gas coal on it's passenger locomotives and
soft coal on the freight and yard or
drilling" engines. He explained that the
dense black smoke was more generally pro-
duced by the gas coal, but when the
engine was shut off" the black variety was
succeeded by the light gray smoke. He
also said that about forty-five locomotives
a day are received and treated at the
Trinidad roundhouse.
A visit was next paid to lexington on the
Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, whence come complaints about
the smoke of passing trains, and from the
drilling locomotives about the lexington
freight house. The rapid jingling of the
alarm bells at the grade crossing gates
gave warning of the approach of a train
soon after the reporter had reached the
place. In the distance coming from the
city was passenger train moving at
lively rate At first there was but little
sign of smoke coming from the funnel Of
the engine, but as it reached the upgrade
in front of the freight station the engi-
neer opened her up and great puffs of the
blacklist of smoke We're emitted from the
funnel The dense dark masses roled
through Eckingto like angry storm clouds
and seemed to search out the daintily
painted suburban residences with it's black
touch. In the wake of the clouds of black
smoke was the aftermath of gas.
In that locality there was a continuous
smoky condition not unlike the pictured
the railroad from lexington wherever an
upgrade was reached the locomotives pull
ing freight and passenger trains alike
puffed vigorously and filled the surround
ing neighborhood with gloomy pail of
dark smoke. An engine pulling several
coal cars approached. The locomotive was
completely enveloped in smoke of the
blacklist kind. And so it went-locomo-
tives and smoke; smoke and locomotives.
In some instances the sun was temporarily
obscured and semi-darkness overspread the
scene.
Volume of Black Smoke.
AS a Star reporter stood the railroad
platform at Langdon yesterday one of the
forty -five-minute trains of the Baltimore
and Ohio rushed past. The great passenger
locomotive had just entered the pictur-
esque precincts of Winthrop Heights just
south of Langdon. when Its sTnokestack be-
gan emitting volumes of black smoke. In
an instant the contrary winds had carried
the smoke hither and thither in hurrieS,
and the pretty picture of cottages dale
and woodland of few moments before be-
came a big, black blur while in the wake
of the disappearing flyer was a series
of inky clouds and train OF almost suf-
locating gas.
do we object to the smoke of the pass
ing trains?" a good-natured resident Of the
Heights said. in reply to an interrogatory.
We'll. l reckon we do, but what's the use.
The smoke law as applied to citizens Of
the District Is one thing. AS applied to the
railroad corporations it is another thing.
There's difference with a distinction.
The speaker added that much annoyance
is caused those who live near the railroad
tracks by the smoke, cinders and gas from
the freight and passenger trains that pass
by there frequently day and night, espe-
cially when the dwellings are to the wind
ward of the passing locomotives.
Crime Blown Into Homes.
Pointing to the big building just beyond
Langdon which was formerly used as a
butterine factory, with it's high stacks ne
continued:
NO matter how much black or dark gray
smoke might be emitted from those stacks
it would have no apprecable effect on the
surrounding neighborhood, owing to the
height from the ground of the point Of
emission. But. just the same let the man
ayers of that place permit such conditions
to exist and they would be promptly hailed
into the Police Court and fined. Then look
at the other picture-dozens of trains pass
ing here every day and night with masses
of black smoke streaming from the smoke
stacks of their locomotives so close to terra
firma that the dark and grmy masses are
blown into cur homes and our very faces,
and still no prosecutions under the so-called
smoke law"
Along the streets in South Washington
which are traversed by trains of the Penn
sylvania railroad and those running to the
south similar conditions prevailed to some
extent. At the bridge which spans 9Th
street just south of the 9th street railroad
station several passing locomotives emit
ted many puffs of black or dark gray smoke
IN combination with the Sitting coal gas
as they passed under the structure The
condition of the ironwork and woodwork of
the bridge gives mute evidence of the guam
tity quality and color of the smoke that Is
emitted by the passing locomotives
At the corner of 9Th street and Maryland
avenue an incoming train filled the neigh
borhood with dark smoke clouds from
It's locomotive, and citizens of that locality
told of the grimy masses suffusing their
homes and business places. In Southeast
Washington similar conditions were found
Coke Used by Yard Engines.
Railroad officials informed the reporter
that coke is used by many of the ward
engines, and that such use has overcome
the nuisance caused by the employment of
| the soft variety
A veteran engineer said the Philadelphia
and Reading railroad has solved the smoke
| nuisance by successfully using hard coal
on its engines. That coal, he added, does
not produce the Objectionable black or dark
gray smoke
The engineer added, however, that If GER
| tain other railroads should be forced to
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