Urban Change--Pollution

This photo is a great representation of the pollution back during Industrial Revolution. In the mid 1800s, Pittsburgh's smoke filled skies were a symbol of its thriving business. By the early 1900s, the smoke pollution from the steel mills and other industrial plants darkened the skies. People didn't realize the many dangers associated with the smoky skies. Finally,  in 1955 the Clean Air act was passed to control the air pollution.

Air Pollution Control Act of 1955

"An Act to provide research and technical assistance relating to air pollution control"

This was the first federal legislative attempt to control air pollution at its source. It granted $5 million annually for five years for research by the Public Health Service. The act did little to prevent air pollution, but it made the government aware that this problem existed on the national level. It recognized the dangers facing public health and welfare, agriculture, livestock, and deterioration of property, and reserved for Congress the right to control this growing problem.

Railroads

Before 1906, the railways had no competition, so they could set prices as high as they wanted. Prices kept increasing over the years. Finally, on February 8th,  1906, the Hepburn Act was passed with the help of Teddy Roosevelt to regulate the railroad rates.

Hepburn Act
(1906) law that authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to set maximum railroad rates and gave it the power to regulate other companies engaged in interstate commerce.

This act made sure that people were not getting ripped off with the high prices.