The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-13
STEAM HEATING.
How Coal Cellars, Stove Pipes and
Ashes May Be Abolished.
TIE PROJECT IN OPERATION.
Psuniay and Hygsnic Advantages To Be Derived from
Its Introduction in this City.

The Holly combination steam heating scheme.
which has for time past been under discussion
is have practical trial within the city limits
Mayor Ely, after hearing all parties. recommended
that ordinance be passed by the Board of Alder
men giving the Commissioners Of the Sinking Fund
power to grant precinct privileges to certain parties
to convey steam for heating purposes through mains
under the streets of the city. The original and al
most unheard of franchise asked for originally
has been refused and instead of being allowed to dig
mp all the streets in New York small district
where on the river front will afford opportunity
Of demonstrating the truth Of the claims in favor of
the system It has been claimed that the granting of
this magnificent franchise to General Spinola
just for others with less political influence had made
fairer offers to the city for the privilege and
quite as capable of providing heat the Holly COM
bination.
A HERALD reporter called Mayor Ely yesterday
afternoon to ask him what had inclined him to sign
the ordinance giving power to the Sinking Fund Com
mssoners to grant such franchises are sought by
the steam heating companies. Mr.. Ely was quite
communicative the subject and said that many
arguments. pro and con. had been heard, and that
after weighing them all he had concluded
that the Holly system was the only one
that had been practically tested; that its
results had been satisfactory and that the plan
to be tried in New York it should be tried with the
system that gave greatest promise of success He said
further, that his faith in tho practcabiity Of
steam heating through street mains was
not sufficiently strong to warrant him in re-
commencing the granting Of any such sweep
ing powers General Spnola sought The
Holly people. he said, will have to pay for any
privileges they obtain and give bonds for the repac
is proposed on Mr.. Kellys suggestion. to give the
Holly company Of about q quarter of
mile square in which to put down pipes and supply
steam to those who want it. If in this district not
yet decided on the thing proves it is in the
province of the Sinking Fund Commission to enlarge
the privilege 1t did not ranspire during the inter-
view whether the other applicants to be granted
districts in which to experiment It intimated.
however that if system that said to be the most
efficient, was successful the others would have
chance to compete.
GENERAL. spINorA's OPINIONS
General Spinola gave glowing account Of the re-
suits that would be achieved by the new method Of
heating. Having been informed, as will be seen in
the description of the system given below as to the
reporter requested the General to conne himself to
the local results of the adoption of his system Of
heating. He said:-"It costs the city now. 80 am
informed by the police, $225,000 year to carry
away ashes from in front Of residences in this city
Now. this system Of ours is universally adopted.
",
ashes to cart on.
Anything else, General?"
Eyes; it now costs s6oo.0oo year to heat the
courts. police stations engine houses school houses
and other public buildings, and by our system
one-third Of that amount or 100000 year
to the city,
us that alp
mo; will reduce insurance rates one one and
o half per cent"
I'm what way will private parties be benefited by
tho systemr'
"wcll. they will have the advantage Of the reduc-
txNSyr ofrFa all. han VSpi1I
be saved about one-half their present expense in
fuel. SO much for the financial aspect Of
the case. Now the domestic advantages
GREATER household help be reduced for there will
be furnaces fires to attend to, coal to carry
IRnds cam mo be- done stove whch Mr. Hoy las in
vented and which will be provided to for
steam The heating OF the house be regulated by
achid, such is the simplicity OF the system In one
house can send 300 pounds Of steam pressure
while next door we make it two pounds"
"Will the introduction Of the system interfere in
any way with the present method Of generating steam
for power in downtown factories and Offices y
"of course It will, for no man Of common sense
will spend $50 week for generating steam when he
can have steam supplied to him for half that money
to say nothing of the bother and annoyance dirt and
vexation consequent on keeping up fires in boilers
which nc will avoid. Right here might state that
the two interests most affected by this new system
them want to have the system INTRODUCED because il
will affect them injuriously by reducing the con-
sumption of coal and the rates of insurance These
the parties who have been working hardest to
prevent me getting this grant, but their animus Is
quite plain"
In answer to q question to the point the General
said it not contemplated by himself or his
friends to begin work set down mains until next
spring The General said in conclusion, that il was
contemplated TO put up steam MIGRANTS in the Streets
to which, after snow fall hose could be attached
With the use of the steam the streets could be cleared
Of snow in about twenty minutes for one-tcnth the
present cost. which is about 81 % a load.
DESCRIPTION OF THE HOLLY SYSTEM.
II in Juno. 1877 that the first test of the Holly
scheme was made by laying half q mile of pipes I'M
foreground in Walnut street Lockport N. Y. which
enabled company TO learn The capacity OF the
pipes to carry steam and the exact rate of loss by
densation. The test satisfactory and the COM
pany were encouraged to lay longer line. Three
miles laid in all. there being continuous
length of mile and onc-third; and the system
practically applied along the whole distance to all the
purposes for which IL designed. Very little Of
the piping larger than four inches diameter; yet
after the experience of last winter the system is said
during this time have been heating about forty dwell
ngs large school building t105000 cubic feet and
to run two engines, one Of them about half mile
distant from the boiler house, and are supplying
steam for number Of other purposes Houses
mile away are heated rs readily as those near ut
hand
FURTHER PARTICULARS
Three boilers are in position in the steam house,
two of them horizontal. by 16 feet and upright
In the coolest weather last winter two were fred
slowly but much Of the time the steam has been fur
nished by single boiler The fire IL, of course kept
mp constantly. Two frcmen do all the work-one for
the day and one for the night. They do the
attached along the line. Experiments said to
demonstrate that with sufficient boiler capacity and
pipes of proper size of more than four miles
square in any city village be warmed from
set OF boilers. The Lockport building is intended to
contain six boilers; but buildings in larger cities
would be provided with battery" Of ten. IL one
boiler from any cause should be disabled IL would
interfere with the operations of the others. In
the coolest weather, IL necessary the whole number
can be fred. The arrangement of pipes leading from
the boiler building 10 such that II would be impos-
sbe for any district to be deprived of steam at any
ain TN of pf he ate
mains can be closed without interfering with tho
general circuit.
IRREGULARITIES PIPES AND PRESSURE.
The Holly is d system Of high pressure In the
mains and low pressure In the service pipes and thus