The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-01-03

feSliSdLionJ ne declares that the
most progress can be made in cities
BY the authorities insisting that in
all new buildings furnaces shah be
installed that are absolutely smoke
less. In his report he quotes a num-
Der OF the different smoke ordi-,
Itaances, explains where they are
good and bad. and builds up a series
of ordinances that might prove OF
value to municipalities Of various
sizes.
Mr. Flagg says: SIT is quite GER
tain that the greatest advances in
smoke abatement in our cities haveE
come IN the past and must come
in the future. through the organized
effort of the city smoke Inspections
departments. supplemented by the
active cooperation Of citizens. al
strong public sentiment in favor of
smoke abatement is almost an abso-,
lutte necessity, If satisfactory re-
suits are to be accomplished. The
time may come when public senti-
ment against permitting the escape
of dense smoke will be so strong
that every plant owner Tor operator
will feel Obliged to prevent such es-
cape of smoke, regardless of the exc
iistence OF an ordinance or of his own
personal feeling or inclinations.
This condition does not prevail to-
day in any city in the United States.
Just as soon as ealh Individual re-
aiizes that it is not only his duty,
but that it will work to his own
benefit to cooperate in that which
will result in the greatest good to
all, just as soon will the necessity
for smoke ordnance disappear. In
the meantime, however, or until the
present methods of burning btu
minous coal are radically changed,
such necessity will exist in those
localities where large quantities of
such coal are consumed.
Under present conditions 1t is too
often the case that. buildings are so
designed as to leave insufficient
room for the proper equipment.
Boilers are so placed that they can
not be properly cleaned or operated;
hence they are forced, or additional
capacity is crowded in, and smoke
producing conditions result. 1t is
therefore important that the situa-l
tion of the boiler plant and the pro-
viding Of adequate space for IT.
should receive Consideration no less
than the proper design Of furnaces
Obviously, to accomplish these ends,
persistent and systematic as well as
scientifically correct methods must
be adopted. In other words, organ
ization is necessary, and the ordi-
nance should specify not only how
the work is to be organized, but also
the necessary qualifications Of those
who are to be appointed to carry 1t
on. Satisfactory progress will sell
dom be made unless the organiza-
ton is such that certain officials or
employees give their entire attention
to the work Of smoke abatement and
are held responsible for the results
produced. If the installation of i'm
properly designed furnaces is pre-
vented, the policing duties OF the in
spectors will eventually be reduced
to minimum The advisability OF
making this sort of provision is
clearly shown in nearly any one of
the cities where this protective work |
is not done, by the fact that some
of the newest plans have been SO
constructed that dense smoke is
emitted large part of the time, /
even though the firing may be done
with fair degree of care and intel
ligence. The smoke ordinance
should therefore require that plans
and specifications for all construc-
ton work on furnaces be submitted
to the smoke Inspector and be ap-
proved by him before work is
started. If this protective feature
is to be included, the smoke in
spector must be an engineer, quail
flied by technical training and ex-
perlence for the duties of the Of
fee, and the ordinance should speci-
fly that these qualifications are re-
luired.
THE most important conclusion
reached is that smoke abatement by
ordinance can moi hope to succeed
unless supported by public senti-
nent and that smoke ordinance
should look to further prevention ,
'ather than an immediate prohibi-
ion. In other words. strict control 7
If furnace construction offers much !,
greater hope for smoke abatement +
han desultory imposition of severe t