During the nineteenth century, which saw a period of spiralling urbanization and industrialization, the city appearead as a pathogenic environment where numerous kinds of nuisance and pollution concentrated and jeopardized the population's welfare as well as the natural milieu. In a context of growing public and private concern linked to the urban environment, Grenoble quickly found itself confronted to the issues of industrial development and improvement of living conditions in urban areas. Throughout the nineteenth century, the prevalent industrial sector in Grenoble remains that of glove-making, hide and leather work. As a traditional and age-old activity, this occupation bore considerable importance in daily life of Grenoble inhabitants and the corresponding industries made up an important source of wealth for a large part of the population. The public and private sensitivities towards these industries were hence varied and numerous. Indeed, along a growing industrialization which took place in a free-trade environment, there corresponds a rise of the role of experts and a sudden awareness on the part of some mayors and local authorities. The latter being a response to the opposition of many Grenoble inhabitants whose protest got increasingly louder.