Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-04-12
PUBLIC STEAM SUPPLY
A Proposition 10 furnish Steam al
Waters,ad Gas is now Furnished.

The Committee on Manufactures OF
the Massachusetts, Legislature heard the
petitioners for the incorporation OF the
Public Steam Supply Company. Inc
great cost Of running boilers in individual
buildings, and supporting an engineer
for each, certainly warrants some at
tempt at cooperation. There is no reason
why steam should not be supplied
through pipes to order, as gas Is sup
piled or as water is supplied. The ex-
pertinent has been tried aud found to
work satisfactorily in at least one IN
stance. On Thomas street, in New York,
sixteen stores derive their heat and the
power 10 run their elevators from one
boiler. The salaries of fifteen engineers
are thus saved, not to speak of the gain
in fuel, in inconvenience, In space, and
in reduced danger of fire.
Mr.. Coleman proposes to extend ms
principle still further. He proposes that
one hundred buildings unite for this pur-
pose. One hundred engineers, at 81 900
wear each, would be 100000. By
combination and allowing the ample sum
of $4,000 for the hire of three first class
engineers, the saving per annum would
be $94, 600. The proportionate redu "tlon
in cost of fuel, the infinitely better dis
position of what is an Inconvenience In
any store or warehouse, and the gain iI
rates of Insurance make the advantages
of the scheme so obvious that the only
wonder is that IL was not adopted years
ago. In rebuilding the burnt district ol
Boston some underground locality might
be set aside for a huge boiler cellar
Pipes In archCd subways, where also th'
water and gas pipes and telegraph wires
would find excellent place. would radl
ate to every building which should de
sire to take advantage of the corpora
tion's facilities. The mil system o
sprinklers would be arranged in th'
blocks. In case Of fire, steam woul'
first be turned into the burning room
The efficacy of steam TO smother Incl
pient connagraiions Is no longer a mai
ter of doubt. In the kerosene works
, South Boston, locality where, QUO
lguited, fire has almost absolute sway
the shutters were closed, the steam turne
= in and a most disastrous confagratlo
g averted. When the windows are broke
D out the steam cannot he confined, watt
may be sent, dripping on every squal
=. inch of surface in the building, tricklin
l. down the outside walls, flooding the pal
/, ike roof, and rendering thebulldlng
! nearly ire-proof as structure can D
I The objection naturally arising to th
= idea would he that steam cannot be ca
y ried to a sufficient distance to make al
: extended application 10 the theory pra
= .icable. This is not the case, howeve
! In England il is carried $500 feet fro
the boiler and utilized. The loss is on
about five pounds Of pressure in sxty-iv
L In this country it has been demonstrate
that the thing is possible. A distance
a 200 feet, greatly inside the possibiliti'
l. would cover a territory sufficiently lar
81 for wholesale trial of the plan. L
le idea must and will ultimately be CARR
f. out. Its adoption is only a matter
ot time, said Mr.. Coleman to the Commit
Is on Manufactures.