Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-20

there Is no wind 10 blow II AWAY
Naturally this state ot affairs has been
a rrcat WORRY to such M cnterprlslng town
as this. SO last fall II called upon the
government for scientific assistance he
government sent Oahorn Nonnett fuel
er,,recr 81 the nlted States Bureau Of
Mines. 10 make an investigation by CO.
npcrativr Arrangement amorg TINT body.
me University of Utah ard the mum-
rrpalltv Mr. Nnnnctt spent seNernl
months IN Salt Lake City, mkuR ell
sorts of tcsts nud oXpcrlwcrts, sometimes
on tho ground sometimes " M aeIoplate
and often on the threshold oi local heating
plants
WINpLtss CIrf
The results of the investigation, willc
peculiar Ia the special problem ot Sai
lake CITY namely. lta lack ~ wihd
should also be Of great Interest 10 All other
cities irritated by smoke problems t"r
they prove curclus,vcly as has been eaid,
that snoke Is largely duo 70 car'lrsFh'7r
and faulty equipment ~ the operation -
individual heating plants
Mr. Monnett's first act WINS 20 test inc
local fuel supply. wh,ch many ianhora -
the CITY indignantly asserted waF astonlsh-
inoly inefficient lie vas therefore sur
prised "a find II of higher quality than
that used h> most Western cities, and
certainly not to blame for the smoke
The next step was 10 anslvre the smoke
self and discover ,ts various ir gredierts
The most harmful ingredient OF smoke
polmuou declared Mr. Monuett. y
soot winch results from the burning of
coal N large Industrial plants, doncFtc
stoves and furnaces II Is y mixture 81
carbon tarIy products 81 coai dstIliatloh. .
sulphu. acids and ash Taken IN with tho
AIR W. breathe II lodges - tho throat ~ 8
nasal passages and the hrer particles gei
into the III Is The presence Of tar anu
sulphur ncld~ makes II an active tTThaht
and predisposr~ the hreather to throat
trouble and pneumonia II Is this so"t
which also soils the clothll and nlurcs
vegetation.
G'ur,o,,slv enough Nj Monrett found
that the most hn,mful klFd II smoke was
caused not by the large IndusirlA "r high
pressure plants, tut hy the smaller house
hold stoves ard furnaces
Smoke from hlgh-pressurc plants. nc
saws. tends to be high IN ash aud ortaihs
little tarrv matter Smoke from low pres
surr plants aud domestic stoves Is the harm
ful kind. heiag higher II tarry acids aad
ollv products Of combustion.
THE study OF the effect of smoke on
health is still in the experimental stag,
no adds, ''hut it Is agreed that the lor z
continued breathing Of sInoke-polluied
air lowers physical vitality.
..It has also been proved that vegetation
Is injured bv smoke especially smoke
foqs In the West considerable ltlgatiaa
has taken place between farmers and
s,nelters as a result Of dsmagc done e
crops and livestock by sulphur dioNdc.
DANGER or SMOKE.
With the beginning Of the heating sea
ar, in Salt Lake CITY Mr. Monuctt We.
on 10 explain. the amount OF coal smoke
begins TO increase until IN December oi
January the city Is often hidden III pail oi
foy and smoke so dense that II IS unpoN-
sihle 70 distinguish objects at 100 yards
distance. Some Of this smoke Is undoubt-
edlv of harmful nature.
But il was not until the fuel erglneel
came to an investigation OF individual
heating plants, that real light was shed
m the rrohIem Here II WAS az once ap-
nsrent that a great deal of the smoke was
due TO carelcssness In o surprising rum-
her Of instances the heating plaats were
dllapidated ard faulty, the frcmea ignor-
ant and inefficient
Large power and heating plants have
II The past been installed In Salt Lake
City." Sir. Monnett explained, without
necessary supervision on the part OF thC
city Some OF these plants are III run
down. not TO say dangerous condition
and should be rebuilt or abandoned at
once.
.The supervision OF operating plants OF
the part Of the city Is absolutely essential
70 the elimination Of smoke. Smoke-pr''-
yention apparatus alone ls not sufficient
MANY Of the plants investigated were al
ready equipped with such apparatus. but
through faulty operation were causing 4
great deal Of smoke The following cases
are illustrative:
One plant investigated was equlppco
/ with one ideal sectional heater he boiler
however, was found apparently full q
SCOT. and the check daInper was out Of al
iustnent, so that II could not be properly
oDerated These defects were adjusted
and the fireman was gwen some much
needed advice as 10 how 10 start ard car,
| for his fire. after which the smoke from
| this particular plant ceased. There was IL
need for il TO return, according to the fue
expert, if the instructions were properly
| followed.
Another plant, causing a great deal D
smoke, was found to contain much broker
| equipment and was attended only III
| differently by fireman who also workee
il garage some distance away.
INEFFICIENT FIREMEN.
"In another plant, said Mr.. Monnett
we found that the fireman, who also at
tended several other plaIts piled til,
| coal up to the fire door, so that it was i'm
possible 70 get air through the fire-bed
| The fire lay there and smouldered foI
| hours. The plant Was ineif ciert and it wa,
almost impossible to keep the office warm
If this fire had been fired properly il
would have given ample heat and nc
smoke at the same time
In his recommendations for curing til,
| smoke nuisance in Salt Lake CITY. MIR
| Monnett advocated the creation Of .
| municipal smoke commission copSistini