Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-23
STUDY TO REDUCE
SMOKE IS PROPOSED
Fine Arts Body Urges Con-
ference Looking To-
ward Abatement.

A conference between officials of the
District Government and the Bureau
of Mines to discuss what steps may he
taken to reduce to minimum the
amount Of smoke issuing from large
heating plants has been proposed by
the Fine Arts Commission.
In letter to Lieut.. Col. II. S.
Grant, Sd. director Of public buildings
and parks, Chairman Charles Moore
Of the fine arts group points out that
the problem of eliminating smoke be-
comes a question of first considera-
ton in view Of the Governments $780,
100000 building program in the Dis
trict.
Grant Heartily Agrees.
Col. Grant said he Is in hearty &C.
cord with the aim of the Fine Arts
Commission and that he would take
up the question with the District
Commissioners soon. The problem
was discussed last year from the
standpoint OF recommending a new
smoke law, Col. Grant said. but since
Congress was meeting then in short
session, there was no definite legisla.
ton formulated.
Health officer Fowler. who is charg-
ed with enforcement of the existing
law against the emission of dense
smoke. recalled today that some time
ago he advocated some method OF eX-
pert inspection of boilers and heating
plants at the time they are being in
stalled as a means of preventing
dense smoke.
There is a boiler inspection service
connected with the building inSpec-
tors office, but 1t was said al the Dis
trict Building today that under exist.
ing regulations its function is to SUI
pervise boilers from the standpoint of
safety.
Smoke Can Be Reduced.
The letter of Mr.. Moore to Col.
Grant reads. in part, as follows:
After consultation with the Blu
reau of Mines. the Commission of
Fine Arts became convinced that the
production of smoke due to burning
soft coal can be greatly reduced by
the formulation and enforcement of
regulations governing the construc-
ton Of furnaces used for producing
heat and power.
washington formerly was a hard.
coal-burning city. The public build
ings and semi-public buildings used
hard coal, but owing to changed con.
ditions the burning of soft coal is now
almost universal. However, the
furnaces have not been changed to
correspond with the change in the
fuel. Nor have new furnaces been so
designed as to minimize the produc.
ton of dense smoke.
This subject is one that deserves
first consideration in the proposed
construction Of new buildings in the
triangle. The Commission OF Fine
Arts suggests that a conference be set
up between the officials charged with
building in the District of Columbia
and the Bureau of Mines, to the end
that in all new construction, whether
for the Government. for the District
Of Columbia. or for corporations, pro.
duction Of smoke may be reduced to
a minimum.
Smokeless Design Approved.
zone has but to look at the deposits
OF SCOT on the Lincoln Memorial, to
consult merchants who are suffering
loss through the effects of smoke on
their stock, Or institutions like the
Freer Gallery of Art, which is sub
jected to deluges Of smoke, to under.
stand how serious this matter really is.
Recently the Commission of Fine
Arts approved a design for a central
heating plant at the Bureau of Stand
ards, which will be smokeless. The
Capitol heating plant rarely produces
dense smoke, nor does the electric
plant at Benning.
THE three elements in smoke re-
duction are, first, a fire-box so con-
structed as to permit the largest pos
sible degree of combustion; second,
proper stocking. and. third. strict atten.
ton on the part Of the firemen. The
last element is the most difficult to Sc.
cure.
THE announcement in the news
papers that the commission was Civ
ing attention to the smoke nuisance
brought visits from the representa-
tives of the soft coal industry. There
are no fundamental differences of
opinion between them and the experts
of the Bureau Of Mines. All are agreed
that the production of dense smoke il
excessive, and that it can be greatly
reduced by intelligent regulations in
teliigently carried out in construction
and operation"