New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-10
------------
ABOUT A BIG CHIMNEY.
MAMMOTH FLUE IN GREENwIcH-sT. AND THE
USES TO WHICH IT WILL BE PUT.

A MAMMOTH FLUE IN GREENWfCH-ST. AND THE
USES TO WHICH 1T WILL BE PUT.
What might be another Tower of Babel. for all
that many people know, is now being erected near
the lower end OF he city, 1t Is not yet finished but
it has already attained height of over 200 feet
1t has become of the most prominent landmarks
as seen from the surrounding harbOr ranking in
height with The tribune and Western Union
Telegraph Buildings. The fact that this tower
which is in fact chimney, rises apparently from
the interior of a block. adds to It's mystery. This
block is bounded by Greenwich, Corilandt, Fulton
and Washington SITS. A curious TRIBUNE reporter
ed to inspect this Jumbo Of chimney, and 20
entered "A sOlId-lo0king building IN Greenwich-st.
giving no heed to the sign OF No Adnlttance
dent we are afraid of tidal wave coming along.
1t is. IN fact. the largest chimney in the city by
long odds"
From a number of the officers and employees OF the
COMPANY the reporter obtained the following facts
about the big chimney 1t is being erected b. the
New York Steam Company, to supply drait f0r tho
boiler furnaces which will be placed III the building
beneath 1t. The tower built just 200 feet high
on last Friday. and it will grow at the rate of two
feet day until 1t reaches ~ feet above nlgn
water. 1t at first proposed TO make 1t 216 feet
high but little matter of twentyfour feet was not
thought of much consequence. The Hue IS u by
7lo feet, and the walls are ia feet thick at the
base. An elevator Is run up the inside OF the chin
ney TO carry the bricks to the masOns The latter
scale the chimney by ladders on the outside OF 1T.
The walls OF the chlnner decrease IN thickness TO-
ward the top granite courses being lald at the
shoulders. The laying OF the foundation was an
important part OF the work. making necessary
excavation much deeper than for an ordinary struc
ture. Another chimney OF the same size and height
is to be erected alongside OF the one now being
built. When the arrangements are completed these
will create draft for go boiler furnaces, furnishing
$50 horse power each. For the present, however,
only 6i boilers, representing 10000 horsepower,
will be put into the building. They will occupy the
first second, third and fourth stories being ranged
on each floor side by side, and each connecting with
"A large iron pipe which conveys the steam OF eacn
floor to two vertical pipes or drums 4S and 80
inches in diameter These carry the steam 10 the
pipes laid under the street, which are from Six 10
eleven inches in diameter. Huge valves, drawn by
a screw, enable the steam to be shut oil from any
floor. The coal used for the furnaces Will De stored
OH the upper floor, so that il be sent by chute
TO any lOUr below. 1t will be h0sted by elevators.
Three pounds OF coal necessary Tor each morse
power per hour twenty -four tons an hour Tor the
sixtyfOur boilers. The latter are said To be proof
tubes containing the water, and should one tube
burst it will not affect the others. III Is expected
that about one third of the boilers will lie IDLE most
of the time, allowing them TO be cleaned SIX
inch pipe brings the water condensed from the steam
back to the building from the places where steam
is used, trap being placed III every building using
the steam The building, which is hre-proof, Is
of brick, with large iron supports ana stalicases
and brick floors
The city south of Fifty ninth ST. is divided into
ski districts this station being used to supply
the most important, that lying between W all-st.
and Warren-st., and extending across the city 1t
has beeu found by experiment that steam can be
sent through mile and quarter of pipe with
loss of only 3 per cent. 1t is expected that more
steam will be furnished for power than Tor heating
purposes Pipes are now laid or being laid IN
Broadway, WALL John, Cortlandt, Barclay
Warren and Greenwich-sts The tearing up of the
the merchants along the streets well as delay to
public travel. Where merchants have required 1t,
in narrow streets the company have bridged their
trenches in order not to interfere with trucks.