The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-15
To Smoke Or Not to Smoke


The ordinance seeking TO abate the
smoke nuisance is generally coihi'ieiioeu
and the agitation that seeks 10 renieos
present conditions along these lines Is
beginning to bear fruit The installation
of smoke consuming devices by the city
in the public schools sets the example
and will doubtless be followed by others
in the installation of this modern metnoo
of getting rid of most Sunaesiraoie
condition. And yet. much as smoke u
undesirable there are worse things that
can happen 10 a community than an over
abundance of smoke
In the busy busting city of Ensley are
some of the greatest and most modern
Industrial plants in the country. The I'M
mensity of the steel works and It's auXii-
iary plants must be seen to be fuily ap-
nreciated. Thousands of workmen are
employed and hundreds of thousands OIL
dollars are distributed in this district
thereby.
The citizenship of Ensley ranks among
the highest. They are largely producers
and contribute to a large extent to the
prosperity of the entire district Among
it's ranks are up to date business men,
others that rank high in the proiessiohs'
skilled mechanics, college trained ensi-
neers, chemists and draughtsmen, ciericai
EXPERTS, steel workers and men trained
i'm other callings. A large force OF Ia
borers are also employed.
The residence section contains many
handsome residences, many of which are
owned hvsthe employees at the plants. 1t
goes vitnout saying that the women OF
E,nsley are the best housekeepers in the
world.
When il comes to noise and smoke
Enslev is there with the goods; volumes
OF smoke beleh daily from its immense
smoke stacks; the Kissing of steam ana
tic sereeching of whistles are heard day
and night, while the throp Oh pohoeioos
machinery fairly shakes the ground for
miles The plants TEEN with life and
the clang and whirr of countless me-
ehanieal devices is heard on every hand.
OF course these numerous noises ana
clouds of steam and smoke causes much
ANNOYANCE to the best housekeepers IN
the world" aforesaid and there We're
many complaints about the difficulty to
Keep the household as spotless as they
would wish.
There came a time when they got their
wish without any warning the steel cor
noration shut down all the plants at
t,nsley. Following the usual custom OF
the steel corporation no reason other
than shortage of orders was assigned
for the shut down. and the worst fea-
trre was that no one had TIVE slightest
idea when the plants would again re-
sumo operations. The smoke ceased 10
belch forth from the many stacks, the
screeching of tho Whistles was no longer
heard, the clang and clamor of whrring
raca1inery gave way to a silence that was
simply oppressive. Paw envelopes stopped
and the merchants with the stock OF new
ly purchased goods began to wish they
had little one horse farm somewhere
where shut downs were never heard OF.
There is absolutely no place on earth
so lonesome looking as a large plant
indefinitely shutdown; it has Goldsmith
deserted village heat forty ways. Inc
workers at the MILL many of them own
ing little home that was not paid for,
dreaded the approach of the first OF the
month with its ever recurring bilis ana
notes at the hank, and an air of depres-
sion prevailed the place that mad been
SO fun of life. There was no smoke.
no noise. no Crime and no pay envelopes.
After "a few anxious weeks of uncer-
'ai,itv rs to the plans of the great steer
corporation, many of the employees re-
membering the fate of South Chicago
and other plants that were shut down
BY the steel corporation and which
STAYED shut down, there came rumor
that the plants would shortly resume
And shor hey did.
Never was more joyous sight seen
ny Tho permanent resident of that little
[ urg than the smoke once again belching
In great volumes from the smoke STACKS.
never had they heard more joyous
sound than the screech of many Whistles
and the clang and Glamour OF machinery
The more smoke that went skyward the
hanniev fro neonla got and the more