Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
How to Establish Manufactures.

To the Editor OF The Star:
The Chamber Of Commerce has done
and is doing much for the benefit OF the
National Capital for which it should and
does receive the thanks OF the citizens.
Among other things it is active in efforts
to secure the establishment of manufac-
lures, which has heretofore been opposed
by many, both in and out of Congress.
principally on the ground that the gem
eral establishment of factories would
create smoke, which would not only
render the atmosphere impure and un-
healthy, but in time disfigure the public
as well as private buildings and in5ure
vegetation. as experience everywhere
shows that it does. I was greatly sur
prised at the statement that the Chamber
of Commerce, Gen. Harries of the Board
of Trade and the citizens Of Georgetown
and Anacostia favored the repeal OF the
smoke law in those sections. The en-
forcement of the smoke law has accom-
plished great good, as it has wonderfully
decreased the amount Of smoke from ex-
listing establishments. This has been ac-
complished by two means: First, greater
care in the management of the furnaces.
and, second. in the adoption Of devices
for preventing the formation Of smoke.
which latter at the same time reduces
the cost Of fuel. It IL now seldom that
auy one is fined for the emission Of
smoke, whereas a short time ago many
were so fined.
There is no reason why Washington,
like Paris, Berlin and other capitals,
should not have numerous factories, es-
pecially for the manufacture Of small ar
ticles. but there are better ways Of ac-
complishing it than by repeating the
1 beg to suggest that instead of favor
ing the repeal of the law the Chamber of
Commerce should appoint committee to
investigate the matter, because 1t Is obvi-
<1o% ooto he $A1 mill h.
out creating smoke 1t would be far better
for all concerned to have it done. In this
connection I may add that even In the
coal regions Of Pennsylvania manufAc-
turers are now adopting similar means in
their furnaces A company at Scranton
purpose, and the Iron and Nail Company
at Wiliamsport has recently adopted
still different device for the same purpose.
In England this matter of saving fuel and
preventing smoke has been under investi-
cation for many years, and book was
published in London, describing and Illus
trating some twenty or more OF the de-
vices designed for the purpose. and show
ing how and why they should be con-
structed and arranged. SO. too. in this
country the effort to prevent the emission
of smoke is becoming general, especially
in the larger cities, and great progress
is being made in that line, as shown by
the recently published statement that 30
eliminated in Chicago by the intelligent
work of firemen who were given course
of instruction on right methods OF stok-
ing
Boston is free from smoke and is a
large manufacturing city. In another
year every railroad entering New York
will have electrified its motive power and
locomotive smoke will be thing OF the
past. So it should be at the National
Capital, and doubtless Will be in time.
INN 1ar,fc IN, ~
the purpose have been patented in this
country. one Of which has been used in
Chicago, Denver, San Francisco and other
places in the west with great success, IL
being guaranteed to prevent 80 per cent
Of all visible smoke and reduce the cost
of the fuel from 10 to - per cent, which
would be great advantage to any manu-
facturer as well as blessing to the COM
nlunity. The patent on this has expired,
so it is free for any one to use. In view
of these facts it is surprising that the
Chamber OF Commerce or any one should
favor q repeal or modification OF the
smoke law. There is not the slightest
necessity for It, for manufactures can be
emission Of smoke and with saving Of
fuel.
There IL another and still better way to
establish manufactures. which - to use
the water power Of the Potomac. Ac-
cording to the report of Prof. G. F..
Swain, in the census report Of 1850. the
drainage area Of the Potomac above
Great Falls is more than three times
that Of the Merrimac at Lowell, and near
ly 20 per cent greater than that OF
Holyoke. In 1894 ]. p. Frizxell. civil
engineer, made an examination and report
on the water power at Great Falls and
plans for it's utilization, In which he esti-
mates the power at Great Falls as high as
$4,000 horsepower for $50 days of the
year. or an average Of 10000 horsepower
the entire year. The same year. in an
swer to a resolution of the Senate, Col.
Elliott estimated the average horsepower
at $685. to S.64S. In 1908 a bill was intro
duced in Congress to purchase or con-
denim the Great Falls water power. to be
used for lighting the public buildings,
grounds and streets Of the District. but it
did not pass the House. In addition.
there is q large amount OF power to be
had from the river between Great Falls
and Georgetown. Had this water power
existed at the north or the west, 1t would
long since have been utilized. as are those
OF the south in the past few years.
One great advantage OF using water
power is that after the plant 10 once prop
erly constructed there is little or no addi-
tional expense, no cost for fuel and no
smoke to poison the atmosphere, deface
the buildings and destroy vegetation.
w. C. DODGE
New Anae0stia Star Branch Once.