The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-28

pipes Is largely ,reconverted into steam in
the cellar OF each house before heat distrl-
button begins throughout the building, IN
this wise: A high pressure OF from fifty TO
sixty pounds being carried in the boiler and
mains, the water OF condensation is at the
degree OF beat due to that pressure when 1t
reaches the "regulator :" valve inside the
cellar walls. At that point it Is wiredrawn,
| and by reduction OF pressure the recon-
version takes place. The steam then passes
on. TO the radiators, hereafter to be de-
scrbed, where it is again converted into
Lwater.,
The cellar-regulaiors invariably reduce
the pressure OF The steam as it enters each
ibuildiDgto from two to four pounds per
| square inch, and in this method OF regula-
tion consists In a great degree the economy
| OF the system. Through tue comparatively
small and inexpensive pipes used as street.
mains an immense quantity OF steam can be
forced at high pressure, whereas at low
pressure very much larger and more costly
mains would be required; and by the re-
duction Of pressure the moment the steam
enters building all the advantages OF the
loW.pressure system are secured. WITH a
pressure OF two to four pounds OF steam IN
house costly iron-hcaters may be done
away With. AN .seXplosion - at Such 4
/ pressure is Of course impossible; leak
would not be likely to result in serious DAM
age, and many OF the heaters are therefore
made OF sheet-copper, galvanized iron, ana
| tin. Their forms and coiorS, OF course, may
Re as original and handsome US any ones
skill and taste can devise.
Thus the old belief that steam could not
be carried long distance effectively ly on ac-
count of lis too rapid condensation has been
demolished, and at the same time what
ever condensation there may be Is util'zed.
Some special and accurate experiments
through mile and third OF continuous
small pipe, protected as described, have re-
suited in showing the small loss by conden-
sation, and to what extent the loss can be
turned into gain. The hot water, with
portion OF steam from the heaters or ra-
diators in any building, having performed
It's office OF direct heating, passes to steam
trap in the basement, which is part OF the
system, and where the water is separated
and circulated through cells OF pipe within
brick inc'osure. Through this inclosure
or box air is passed from the outside OF the
building, which, heated by the coil, passes
upward through registers. In this mar
ner there is no waste Of heat at all, for tue
hot water which enters the house or which
is condensed after it arrives there is made
to perform the duty OF Il furnace below;
and thus, by an indirect as well as direct
process of radiation, every ray of heat
which enters is made to do service until 1t
expires.
Moreover. after hot water he's done this
last service in the coil it flows into tank
in the cellar, the overflow OF which runs
into the sewer. From this tank, hlied con-
stantly with water which is cbcmlcally
pure, q supply Of water is carried 10 all
parts Of the dwelling, either by atmospheric
pre-. sure or by the application o. steam. BY
means OF this contrivance, operated by the
ordinary steam.pressure in each house,
without extra pump or engine, water can
be drawn for bathing and toilet purposes IN
every apartment or fed to tank in the attic
above. And this water can be hot or drawn
cool at pleasure. Steam is discharged d.
rcctly, vet without noise, into waller III
bath-tubs or elsewhere, raising it IN very
few minutes to the boiling point, and thus
doing away with the old system Of hot-Water
circulation in houses.
But the new system is adapted not to
house warming purposes alone. II IS claiin-
ed that steam can be served under it to DO
cooking. laundry work, and to aid in many
other household and business operations,
besides running machinery. In many large
| hotels the cooking is now done by steam,
and it will be melancholy to many people to
hear that the present expensive apparatus
for that purpose may be superseded by
| steam-stoves, which will bring the custom
into general use. Cooking, it is claimed, can
be done cheaper and better than by wood
or coal-stove, and without danger OF burn
ing, and with the avoidance OF extreme heat
in the room during warm weather.
Laundries, greenhouses and conservato-
ries, bathing establishments, etc., can De
served by the system by means OF OLD or I'M
proved local appliances. Machinery Tor q
great variety of light mechanical and Dlanu'
featuring purposes, such rs exist IN all cltlcs,
can he operated and the exhaust used for
heating in the same building, so that tue
two purposes will be accomplished at one
cost. Steam fire-engincs, it Is claimed, VIII
be greatly simpltied in constructor ana the
cost reduced one half or more, as the local
boiler and furnace will be entirely dispensed
with, On the streets Of cities and villages
having u reservoir system steam will be
taken from the main to the curbstone, where
pipe will come to the surface beside the
street hydrant. The engine will be com.
paratively cheap and portable, and, after the
alarm, will arrive on the ground without
the frighlful noise and confusion al.
tending the ordinary steam fre-en
gine. 1t will at once take power from the
steam.p pipe and suction from the hydrant
Tie power will he always ready
. and by having the steam-pipe impingt
against the base of the hydrant freezing
will be prevented in the coolest weather
While this arrangement will not, perhaps
reduce the number Of tiremen, it will in
crease their efficiency and greatly diminish
the cost and current expenses OF the tirt
departments. The effectiveness OF steam
itself as an agent applied directly TO the eX
: tinguishmcnt of fires is well known in tht
oil regions. In burning buildings the fir
often RACES under the floors between tn,
joists, where 1t cannot be reached by water
Steam, being lighter than air, when poured
!. into such building in sufficient quantity
rises and sutfuses these spaces, thus pre-
venting combustion. A two-inch pipe, a
sixty pounds pressure, will deliver 800
cubic feet OF steam per minute, which
would make body Of steam two feet deeI
below the ceiling in room 25x100 feet.
THE CoMMIssARIAT.-Squire Ito new but
Ier): II have three or four cIergymen t
. dine with me tomorrow, Rrodgers. and
, Prodgers: "Igh or low, sirS" Squire
"Well-l hardly-but why do you ask
Prodgers 20 Prodgers: "Well, you see
sir, the 'igh drinks most wine, and the lov
eats most yittles, and I must provide &C
cordin' "-Punch's almanac.
A lady who is no longer in the first blus
oF youtb is summoned as witness in son
suit. The Judge: "How old are you
madame9" She lhesitating]y): "Thlrty
fnine." The Judge lin the most benevolen