Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-07
CSnhibuuOns may be left at the business
Dfaes Of Every Evening.
The Smoke NuIsnnoa.

Weare pleased TO note that the grow
ing nuisance Of smoke from soft coal in
this city, 20 which Every Evening alluded
several weeks ago, is attracting atten-
tion. Tho old Board Of Health put itself,
very commercially, on record against
a continuance and an enlargement Of the
nuisance, and In the course OF smoke
symposium printed IN the Sunday Star Of
yesterday, DR.. p. W. Tomlinson, presi-
dent Of the late board, makes a very prac-
tical and forceful argument against the
soft coal smoke nuisance, on the solid
grounds Of cleanliness to person and
property, sanitation and safeguarding the
health Of the people. For soft coal
smoke is not only nuisance, but is
menace to the health Of those who are
compelled to take Il In With the air they
breathe.
In the Star article the other side also is
given a hearing. and William V. Bond
speaking as a manufacturer, and William
Lawton, speaking as business man, not
only approve Of soft coal smoke, but are
insistent that the great need Of the city
is more Of it-that il, in the form Of more
industrial establishments 10 send great
columns Of thick. black smoke belching
into the air and scattering sooty deposits
all over the city.
II is with the arguments Of these gentle
men that il viii be necessary TO deal, as
Dr. Tomlnson's contention that this
smoke is a nuisance detrimental 10 health
as well as to comfort, stands unchallonged.
The contention on the other side is that
It is a nuisance inseparably connected
with the industrial prosperity Of VIII
mington.
Now, II this contention were sound.
every community in which manufacturing
Is carried on to any extent would have
TO make up It's mind 10 endure the smoke
nuisance for the sake Of lis material we'll
being. IL is from this point Of view, we
take il, that Mr.. Bond declares: at is
not practicable to stop the smoke coming
from our industrial plants" and that "the
manufacturers cannot afford TO substi-
tute hard coal for soft coal for several
reasons, although he does not enumerate
the reasons. And from the same point
of view Mr.. Lawton argues: "stop the
smoke and you stop the mills" "what
I'VE want in Wilmington is more factories
and more smoke"
Now, while it is fact that we want
more factories in Wilmington It is not
true that we 'want more smoke" Nor
can it be successfully maintained, in view
of the experience Of recent conditions in
other places, that "it is not practicable
10 stop the smoke coming from our indus
trial plants" Nor would our manufac-
turers be compelled, in effecting reform
Of the smoke nuisance, TO abandon the use
of soft coal and substitute the oostlier
hard coal. They may eliminate the
smoke nuisance absolutely and at the
same time continue using soft coal, leaving
the hard coal to be used for domestic pur-
poses, as it should be.
OF course 10 bring about this result,
changes in the mechanical appliances for
coal combustion are necessary. But
what Of that They are an improve
ment, and in the end an economy. Our
prosperous and up-to-date manufacturing
establishments are constantly improving
their plants by the Introduction Of modern
and more effective machinery. Why
should they draw the line at the introduc-
ton Of modern appliances for securing
the best results from coal combustion.
particularly when by 50 doing an annoy
ing and menacing nuisance will be COM
pletely abolished
The thing to do, and practical expert
ence in Wilmington and other places has
shown thAtit can be done. is TO introduce