The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-03
TFrom the Boston Glcoe.I
Heating Cities by Steam.

Mr. Holly. OF Lockport. n. /, Is the pro-
jector OF plan for furnishing whole CITIES
and towns with heat, very much as they are
now supplied with gas. A company has
been formed under the name OF the HOLY
Steam Combination Company, Limited"
and an experiment is to be made with Sec
ton OF the city OF Lockport half mile
square. This is about the area shat it Is
considered practicable to heat by single
set OF boilers. According to the estimates
made, the first cost OF all buildings and
fixtures will be little more than one third
OF a single years cost OF heating the same
are established the expense Of furnishing
steam heat will be greatly less than
that Of warming in detail. 1t is considered
entirely feasible to carry this plan out so as
to furnish steam in large cities for heating
all dwellings, stores, offices, and public
buildings, and also for power to operate
machinery. 1t would be necessary to have
n set of boilers for each district half mile
square, located near its centre, with pipes
lending out in four directions. The main
pipes that leave the boilers would be four
inches in diameter, and then, as the sub
division and distribution proceeds. they
would diminish gradually to one inch in the
service-pipes. The iron mains would be
laid under ground, covered with asbestos
and enclosed in wooden pipes; and it is the
opinion OF Mr.. Holly that the steam would
be conveyed over the half-mile area and tho
roughly distributed for all purposes with
out losing its heat or power.
This experiment is one calculated to IT,
terest people who live in cities. When we
consider the saving in labor and expense
and the gain in convenience OF having
water and gas furnished, as they are, either
by our municipal corporations or by prl-
vate companies, we can appreciate what
revolution might be wrought IN household
economy by this method OF furnishing
heat. II it proves entirely successful we
NAV get rid of all the trouble and annoy
ance that comes from furnaces and stoves,
and all difficulties about fires. Our houses
NAV be kept steadily at any desired tenn
perature, and nearly, il not quite, all the
heat for kitchen purposes could be derived
from the same source. A simple matter OF
opening and closing the valves and STOP
cocks would regulate our household heat
as easily as our light is now regulated by
gas-tixtures. Not only would vast deal
Of trouble he saved, but the result would
be obtained at a much smaller cost than is
now incurred in appliances and fuel for
heating. ..
When the principle of the division OF la
Dor is carried to its utmost extent, as ap-
piled to the economy of living, our homes
will be places Of comfort and repose in
stead OF distraction and annoyance, as they
too frequently are. Now we can have
water-pipes in every room, and the old
| fashioned nuisance OF pumping or bring
| ing water is done away with. We have
gas-pipes. and by the turn Of q key we
perform all the labor requisite to lighting
our houses. Lamps and candles, with
| their grease and dirt and the labor OF
keeping them in order, are banished. Soon
we may drive out the furnace and the
stove, and have our heat as easily and con-
venienty as we now have water and light.
The next step will be to have all the labor
OF preparing and serving food throughout
the dwellings OF given locality performed
| by single concern organized and carried
on for the purpose. Then we shall be rid
of butchers, and bakers, and grocers, and
can reduce the servant-girl trouble to a
minimum. We can have all our wants sup
piled to order, and merely have the monthly
bills to pay. These will be sufficiently bur-
densome, but II the system is brought near
the point Of perfection the entire cost Of
living will be less than at present, while we
shall be relieved Of vast amount Of trou-
BILE. 1t is the TRUE theory to have class Of
workmen deToted to every kind OF labor
that is to be done, instead Of each person
endeavoring to do q great variety OF things
for himself. This is recognized in every
department of business except that for
which all others eNist-the business Of liy-
ing.