A GREAT SMOKER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 4459, 28 August 1889, Page 1

A GREAT SMOKER.

The highest chimney stalk in the world Is that of TowDsend's ohemical works, Port Dundas, Glasgow, which ia 454 ft high, 50ft ia diameter at the base, and 12ft at the top. It is a magnificent piece of bricklayers' work, surmounted by an iron crown of ornamental design. Moat citizens of St. Muago give the palm for altitude to the St. Rollox stalk whioh stands on the same ridge, but its apparent superiority is dae to the greater elevation of the ground, while as a structure it is not to bo compared with Towneond's. Strange as it may appear, this stupendous stalk is not now a necessity. Many years ngo "Joe" Townsoud, a hard-beaded Yorkshireman (so designated to distinguish him from his brother In a similar line on the opposite Bide of the street), was engaged in the manufacture of manures, principally from the worn-out lr.orstfloah of the city. The odors whioh a,rose from the process wero too m uch for even the denizens of the Oowcaddens, St. Rollox, and other savory localities in the northern quarter of the city and the authorities compelled Townsend to take such measures as would carry the effluvia " furth of their realm." As t.bo result of ciloulntlons it was decided that a chimney of the dimensions given was required, aud Townaend Bet about its construction at great cost. Ho was a peculiar man, however, and prone to abandon any process of manufacture aa soon as .others entered the field, and so It came about that a few years later he dropped the horse-knackering business altogether and went in far making chemicals, which gave rise to no nuisance. And bo the great stalk now stands with ec&roely a wisp of smoke floating away from Ita top. The tiling that strikes a stranger in looking at it is that thore is little or no visible reason for the existence of the great pile, for the works are small in area and mere sheds, so small that if tha chimney were to fall it would probably cover tho whole; in facl, thero are fat more bricks in the stalk than there are in the works to which it is so striking an adjunct,