Evening star., 1912-11-16
brought ou
st. Louis Makes has been is
Inquiry Into Subject. saeu ~ us,.tss

st. Louis Makes has been is
Inquiry Into Subject. : e'9u % N M mittee.
In its investigation one big merchant said
that he loses from rs to f2is per cent on
the cost of his dry goods as result OF
damages from smoke. Another merchant
declared that 1t cost twice as much to
keep his store and stock clean in st.
Louis as it costs an eastern merchant
with approximately the same stock and
floor space. The public librarian declared
that the damage to the books in the pub
lie library amounts to $4,000 year, and
book and stationery store placed its
loss at the same figure.
One Of the arguments used against
smoke prevention efforts in st. Louis was
that it would yield no important results
to the public at large because East St.
Louis, situated across the Mississippi.
was not planning any similar crusade.
But investigation showed that less than
10 per cent of st. Louis smoke came
from across the river. The city now has
anti-smoke ordinances that have been
declared constitutional. and boasts or
more than a thousand plants equipped
with smoke-preventing devices.
Chicago is laying the foundations for
great smoke abatement crusade. which
smoke-spouting railroad locomotive in
that city, If the plans go not awry. 1t
is proposed to electrify all of the railroad
terminals Of the city. An average OF
at work in the 1O5 railroad yards of the
Windy city. and with it's characteristic
determination to do well whatever 1t un-
dertakes. the city proposes to abolish
chimney. The committee having the stu
alton in charge now has a smoke labora
tory rigged up on motor truck. and the
chemist In charge is going about the city
gathering samples of air and analyzing
them.
Cleveland has abated more than 50 per
cent of its smoke in the last few years.
and Milwau-
Progress Made in kee is wit
Eliminating Smoke. s sta,,at;on o,
smoke-consuming plants in about hun
dred establishments each year. Wash
ington is making gratifying progress in
the elimination of smoke While the ef-
fort OF the District Commissioners to in
duce Congress to require the eiectrifica-
ton of the railroad terminals failed be-
cause Of the representation of the rail-
road companies that electrifcation was
impracticable-a representation thorough
ly disproved by the Pennsylvania and
New York Central experience in New
York-careful firing with hard coal has
helped the situation a great deal. The
District Commissioners showed that
smoke prevention, like charity, may be-
gin at home. by installing In the new
municipal building a smoke-consuming
plant that has given perfect satisfaction.
One of the most interesting Instances
of what a big factory may do in the way
of prev n ting
Example offered smoke is afford
by Chicago Plant. electric plant in
Chicago, having furnaces for 10000 horse
power boilers. 1t uses mechanical stok-
ers, and its chimneys have been so free
from smoke that men owning establish
ments in the neighborhood stoutly
maintained that it had not been in opera
ton for six months. They based their
opinion upon the fact that no smoke had
issued from the chimneys In that time.
Cincinnati has met with much success