Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-03-01
when the steam from the unprotected

When Ine SIeam from the unprotected
steam exhaust pipe, combined with the
smoke from the smoke stack and form
cd veritable rain Of coal tar and SCOT.
it was unsafe for any decently dressed
man or woman to pass the corner. But
as if this were not enough to torment
the public the company installed the
notorious gas engine. For three years
we were walked up nightly by the inces-
SAINT cannonade of an enormously in
stalled piece Of machinery, and our
houses rocked constantly as from an
earthquake. It took three years for
the management to find out what the
trouble was. It was happy day for
us all when the gas-engine was pulled
out year ago, but we reckoned with
out our host. In September it was re-
installed and while the cannonading
had ceased, the vibrations were worse
than ever. Up to that time there was
not crack to be discovered in the
plaster of my house. Within month
after this internal machine commenced
operations in the fall of 1911 my walls
were scanned with cracks in every d.
rection. Not room in the house es-
capped the general havoc. Other houses
in the neighborhood have Jared the
same as mine. The destruction of prop
erty, however, is not the worst of the
evil. When the plant carries big
load, say from 600 P. NJ. until mid
night, the whole house vibrates contin,
uously. Before we retire, we are COM
PEELED to see to it that every door and
every window is fastened up tight for
the noise and rattle is unbearable. We
have talked to the management but to
no purpose. The president of the COM
pany told me once last year that it was
really too bad; that he knew it was an
noying; that when he first installed the
gas engine, he allowed the exhaust to
escape to the west, but this ratified the
windows and doors in the Sevilla no.
tel to such an extent that his wife, who
was living there at the time, could not
sleep. So he was compelled to turn
the exhaust pipe out at the east wall.
I told him then that the nuisance must
stop. There is no question but that
this can be remedied. But it would
cost some money, and the management
prefers to ruin my property and annoy
my family because that costs nothing.
In the cities smoke consumers practi-
| cally eliminate the smoke nuisance. The
installation Of smoke consumers, how.
ever, costs money. It is cheaper for the
management to ruin the homes in tne
best residence portion of the city, than
to put in few dollars for smoke con-
sumers. An exhaust hood on the steam
exhaust pipe would put stop to the
rain of coal tar and SCOT. Such hood,
am Informed, can be made for eight
dollars. It is better to save eight dol
lars, thinks the management, than the
wearing apparel Of men and women
passing the plant. Other peoples
clothes do not cost the management
anything. Nearly every one of the
matters complained of is covered by
ordinance. What of that's. he moment
the enforcement Of any of these ordi
nances is mentioned to the management
Of the plant, the authorities are met
with threat that it would be carried
to the supreme court, and straightway
the management begins to holler, "per
secution and politics. We had hoped
that something tangible would have re
suited from the agitation last fall ani
We have been willing to wait results
We have waited and suffered in vain
however, and now patience ceases t
be virtue. The city administration i.
either not willing to do business II
dead earnest, or it is helpless, or in
Inundated by the threats Of the man
agement and it adherents. We, how
ever, whose property is being destroy
ed, were constantly annoyed by tn.
high handed methods Of the manage
ment Of the light plant, and the health
and comfort of whose families are a
stake, refuse to wait any longer. Il
the management of the plant does no
see fit, voluntarily, to remedy the evil:
complained Of, or if the city admins
tration does not see fit to force it 81
to do, we shall appeal to the courts ant
find out for ourselves whether or not {
greedy corporation has the right to de
stroy our homes for the purpose Of lin
ing the pockets Of its stockholders.
am giving this timely public notice 81
that if any action that We might taxi
should result in closing up the plant
both the city administration and tn
management Of the light plant hav'
only themselves to blame. Our hat il
in the ring and we are here to stay tt
the finish
Sincerely yours,
Silver Serumgard.
WILL VISIT THE WEST ON A TRIl
SIMILAR TO THAT OF WEST