El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-21


Pittsburg has undertaken an inves-
LEGATION into the hundred-and-one
phases of the smoke nuisance. For
care and determination to bring out
the whole truth about smoke this in
quiry promises to eclipse all that have
gone before and to settle many un-
solved problems to the satisfaction Of
those who captain the worlds fight for
smoke abatement
With the funds for the investigation
provided by one of those rare souls
who finds a sufficient reward in fol-
lowing the scriptural Injunction Of not
letting one hand know what the other
gives, the work has had an auspiciOus
beginning. These funds are furnished
without the blare OF trumpet or the far
sent story Of publicity man. by one
who believes that the greatest single
problem that cOnfrOnts the Pittsburg
district is that of abating the pail of
gas and SCOT that made Pittsburg
famous as the smoky city" He gave
this fund year ago, and placed It IN
the hands of professor Robert kennedy
Duncan, director Of the department OF
industrial research. in the belief that
a thorough investigation would re-
veal not only the nature, extent and
precise causes OF the smoke nuisance,
but also the remedies that would make
its abolition both possible and prac-
ticaole.
staff OF Specialists
As soon as it could be done professor
Duncan created a staff of p specialists
to carry forward the work, six OF
whom are devoting their entire time
to it, while the other IS have been en-
trusted with the preparation CT speclai
reports concerning particular phases
of the work. Dr. Raymond c. Benner
was made chief fellow and chemist OF
the investigation, and he entered upon
his duties with determination 10
q naraI1-
lem and to analyZe and diagnose the
situation and then find a reliable. de-
pendable and applable remedy Tor the
trouble. The Investigators want TO get
accurate measurements OF the erect OF
smoke on the weather, on plant me,
on physical conditions generally, on
health on architecture, and on eco
nOmic conditions. Then they want 10
take up the engineering problems or
smoke abatement and the matter OF
legal administration. with a view TO
making effective the lessons OF the
undertaking
In starting into the work the inves-
tigatOrs were not unminCful or the
fact thar others have contributed much
to the information on the subject, ana
that many facts have been SuIIlclenLly
developed so as not to require 1urIhef
Investigation 1t therefore has col
lected all the literature extant upon the
problem, and has made the most eA-
haustive photography Of the suDJecL
ever undertaken In addition to this II
is preparing a complete history OF the
smoke nuisance and the tight Ior It's
abatement in Europe and America
Effect Of Smoke on Weather.
The first problem to demand atten-
ton was that Of the relation OF smoke
and weather. Many Investigations
along this line have been made. but
they seem to fall snort of what the
exacting mind Of the scientist de-
mands. and so Dr. H. H klmoall. or the
United states weather bureau vas
asked to measure the effect of smoke
and SCOT upon fOgs, winds, temperature
sunlight and weather conditions gene
rally Inasmuch as similar 1nvestiga-
tions. both official and unoItlclaI, nave
been made in a number or EURO ea-n
countries this investigation. for pur-
poses of comparison and checking up
is based upon similar methods where
ever those methods have been sc1en-
tificaIly satisfactory. Dr. klmbaII s
studies include the problems of atmOs-
pheric gases suspended particles IN
the air the dust layer of the eartn
surface. the quantity or SCOT IN CITY arr
the limit of visibility, fOss and los
dissipation. the effects Of smoke CLOUDS
upon temperature, etc
In these investigations data mas
been gathered from the weather sta
tions at Pittsburg, HARRISBURG Pnila-
delphia and WilhamspOrt- Using
chemical and photometrical methods IN
the clear country air as well as IN the
smoky city air, the measurements
will be scientifically exact and VIII
furnish q basis Of caIculating the IN
creased cost OF artificial llumlnauon
in Pittsburg due to smoke IN the at
mOsphere, and for the physicians OF
the staff in their study of the eye
strain due to smoke. For instance,
Photographic plate Of certain sensitive
ness is exposed in a smoky atmosphere
and another. of identical Sens1tlVeness
in the adjacent clear country arr lhe
results are bound TO tell the difference
in the amount of light me pnOlo-
meter works on this general principle
and measures light as accurately as
the finest scales weigh priceless gems
Plant Life Damaged
The Question of the effect of smoke
and SCOT on vegetation has been de-
termined somewhat by English expert
ments but they left much TO be de-
sired. The PittsburE investigat tors
have entrusted this problem to J. f.
Clevenger. botanist Of the Pennsyl-
vania state college. He is making a
long series of laboratory experiments
so arranged as to determine the eNacL
effect Of given quantities or SCOT. OF
varying composition. upon the seed
lings of plants. The measurement OF
these forms OF defolitaiOn and ruin
Of gardens, trees, flower beds and
pleasure grounds as problem worth
In beginning the whole investigation
the staff Immediately felt the need or
some exact definitions EVERYBODY
knows in a general way what SCOT IS,
but when someone attempts to define
it he finds the Job as bis as the one
the president tackled when he under
took to answer in exact terms the
question. what is whisky" Some eN-
perimenters have found SCOT composed
of certain ingredients of certain pro-
portions. while others have obtained
different result.
chemist of the investigation, is making
a long series of laboratory invesdga-
lions whose end it is to give a true
definition of SCOT. DR.. W. w. Strong,
with the use Of the ultra microscope,
the phOtOmeter. and by electrical
methods, is trying to determine the
physical properties Of smoke in fur
naces and flues. on the ground and in
the air.
Deterforutes Mortar.
The exact measurement of the de-
terforation of mortar. masonry, wood
work. metal work. paints. etc. used in
building construction. caused by the
action of smoke acids, is being made
bv members of the staff Eight ply
siciaus are engaged in determining as
accurately as possible, the effect OF
the smoke nuisance on health Its re-
lation to tuberculosis, pneumonia and
other respiratory diseases are being
studied at length; an effort is being
made to determine whether II causes