The Washington herald., 1914-04-12

cubic yard: night soil, 1885 barrels. at
s. cents per barrel; dead animals. 2l.2S7.
at 1874 cents per animal. This work is
done under contract. but the Distr; t
Commissioners believe that a more ef-
fcient and more economical service
could be rendered If it were done by the
municipal government itself.
But clean as the city of Washington is
underfoot. its cleanliness overhead.
through complete suppression of the
smoke nuisance is more remarkable. The
great smokestacks that rise in the city
seldom emit more than a faint wreath OF
steam or fumes. This has been long a
source of comment and of wonder with
those who visit the Capital for the first
time. 1t is explained by those who OBJ
ject to smoke suppression as being pos
sible only in a city that has no factories.
But that is not the testimony of the men
in charge OF the breweries, the power
plants. and the factories here. who COM
ply conscientiously with the smoke
ordinance. Efficiency and watchfulness
on the part Of the stokers and the intro
duction of mechanical stokers by the
larger plants. all of which makes for
greater economy in the use of fuel, ex-
plains the absence of smoke in Washing
ton.
Enforcement of the Law.
Appreciation of this economic fact,
together with an enforcement of the
law without fear or favoritism, is all
there is to making a city smokeless.
Once the economy of a smokeless fiue
is realized. the owner of a plant cheer
fully co-operates with the authorities
in seeing to IL that the ordinance is
observed by the men in the boiler
room. In the beginning the enforce
ment of the law was frequently
fought, even to the Court OF Appeals,
but in the last few years the viola
tors paid their fines in the Police
Court and remedied the truble.
Last year 5O7 smokestacks and fues
were under constant observation. Vio-
lations were reported in 1,29S in
stances, but the trouble usually was
abated upon receipt of the first notice
and only ninety-five cases were re-
ported to the Police Court for prosecu-
ton. The fines imposed aggregated ST.
525. which is about 500 more than il
costs the District of Columbia a year to
keep the city free from smoke. In only
two Of the cases were the defendants ac-
quilted. In five years only FIVE men out
of Al tried for violation of the smoke
act were acquitted.
The enforcement OF the smoke law is
in the hands of the Health Department,
which assigns one inspector to the work.
The law applies to all buildings not used
for private residences and de-
clares a nuisance the emission of dense
or thick. black, or gray smoke or cinders
from any smokestack or chimney used in
connection with any stationary engine,
steam boiler, or furnace Of any descrip-
ton within the District Of Columbia"
What Inspector Does.
Realizing the readiness of the manager
and thus avoid smoke emit
of the first violation. Usually the trou-
arrest and conviction follow invariably.
Then the trouble stops. The smoke in
spector. however, does more than merely
He frequently visits the furnace rooms
in the establishment under observation
and endeavors by advice and instruction
to teach the firemen how best to handle
the apparatus and fuel intrusted to their
care The law does not require this duty.
but il is in line with the policy Of CO.
operation in its enforcement that has
made the smoke ordinance of Washing
Health Department, methods of enforc-
portance as the law itself. As q result
and its enforcement, which was strong
during the early days, has almost entire
ly died out since so many big establish