Evening star., 1934-12-21
BILL
WITH TEETH BEING
DRAF TED FOR CITY
Committee Plans Measure
for Congress as Many
Sign Petition.
HEALTH OFFICIALS GET
DELUGE OF COMPLAINTS
Bill Being Written Would Shift
Inspection Powers to Dis.
trict Engineers.

Enactment Of new smoke nuisance
law for the District with teeth"
strong enough to authorize inspection
Of all heating and fuel burning equip
ment, used by private homes, apart
ment houses, hotels, office buildings
and railroad locomotives, will be
sought by the Commissioners, 1t was
disclosed today at the District Build
ing.
A committee of District officials and
citizens, at the direction Of the Com
missioners. is drafting the new meas
ure, which will be taken up for ac-
ton soon.
Private residences and railroad 10
buildings, will be covered by the pro-
visions of tentative draft Of new
act, now being considered. Only COM
mercial buildings are subject to the
terms Of the present law.
Petition Asks Enforcement.
Meanwhile, a campaign for more
strict enforcement of the present law
has been started by Mrs. Mahlon Pit
ney, representative of the Dupont Cir
Gle Citizens Association, who is ask
ing that all interested sign a petit
ton to Congress to consider the prob
lem of smoke nuisance.
At the same time, the annual deluge
- I'll tx,%r s,,cf aLn {e hanir,
ming to food into the office Of the Dis
trict Health Department, which is
charged with enforcement OF the
present law.
An important part of the new law
now contemplated by the Smoke Law
Committee would be requirement
that plans and specifications for all
heating and fuel burning equipment
would have to be approved by the
District, and that the plants them
selves would have to pass inspection.
Fees would be charged for the inspec-
tions to meet, in part at least, the
cost Of the new inspection service.
Would Transfer Authority.
Administration Of the new law would
be transferred from the Health De-
partment to the District Engineer De-
partment. An adequate STAFF Of in
spectors would be employed. Use of
heating and fuel burning equipment
would not be legal until it had met
with the approval of the Districts
agents. Actually, it is argued, proper
equipment would save money for
householders and others, since ennis
sion of heavy smoke Is regarded by
engineers as an indication Of waste
of fuel.
Drafting of the new law was placed
by the Commissioners in the hands of
a committee consisting of Capt.
Howard F. Clark, Assistant Engineer
Commissioner: Capt Hugh p. Dram,
District director of inspection; James
E. Collifower, president of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Association;
c. A. Bennett, heating and ventilating
engineer of the municipal architects
office; DR.. Edward Schwartz, acting
District health oficer; M. X VIII
berding, member of the Washington
Board of Trade; p. C. Bowie, repre-
senting the Washington Real Estate
Board, and James H. Ferry, vice presi-
dent of the Potomac Electric Power Co.
The present law, applying only to
commercial buildings, merely states in
general terms that emission Of heavy
smoke is regarded as a nuisance. The
health office has two inspectors reg
ularly assigned to the task of obtain
ing enforcement Of the law. Action
is taken In cases where there is re-
fuSal to make necessary corrections in
heating plants or their operation, or
in the more fragrant instances Of vio-
lation.
Many Violations Found.
During the past fiscal year. inspec-
tors of the health ONCE made 23.943
observations Of smoke in commercial
buildings and found 1,062 violations.
Out of this number 146 cases were
turned over to the corporation counsel
for prosecution. There were fines in
90 cases. Fines and forfeitures during
the past year totaled 81 ,290.
Capt Dram holds railroad locomo-
tives to be among the worst offenders
as causes of the smoke nuisance. The
Brookland Citizens Association and
other groups and many individuals
have protested for years against the
smoke coming from railroad engines
passing through the northeast Sec
ton of the District.
Mrs. Pitney, as a means Of organic
ing drive against smoke nuisances,
suggests that all interested submit
their names to her, to be transmitted
to Congress In the form of petition.
Representative Hamilton Fish, jr.,
Of New York will present the petition.
Before the war, soft coal could
not be used In the District" said Mrs.
Pitney. Since then millions of dol
lars have been expended on Federal
buildings, and there is greater reason
than ever before for protecting them.
At this very time our Government Is
paying thousands Of dollars for clean
ing the Washington Monument"
Mrs. Pitney maintains that present
smoke regulations are not strictly en-
forced, and that they are not sum-
cient to cure the nuisance. She asks
that V1erxnnS WIN wish their nornas