St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-04
SAVING FUEL IS AN OBJECT
Opinions Concerning Proposed hot
Water Ordinance.
MONOPOLY DISCOURAGED.
Interests Of the City to Be Carefully
Guarded by the Council Before
Decision Is Reached.

At meeting of the committee on
streets last Friday evening a favorable
recommendation to the council was
made of all ordinance granting permls-
sion to an Eastern corporation to Oper-
ate line of pipe for the conveyance OF
superheated water and steam to such
public and private buildings as might
require the same for heating and other
purposes. The proposition will come
before the council this evening, and the
views of number of representative
citizens on the subject are submitted
herewith.
Postmaster Lee-It's all right as far
as the scheme is concerned. and think
it will probably prove good one. do
not believe in granting an exclusive
franchise to such a corporation. Its
bad business, think.
t,Capt. George Hayes-I do not think
TREY can heat the city as promised. L
don't see how they can heat more than
four blocks from their power, house. II
itghaS proven success elsewhere 1t
ought to be good thing. l think very
fayorably Of it if it can be applied here
with any degree of success.
8iCapt. O'Connor-lf practical, it will
no doubt be great improvement to the
city.
r, r. O'Connor-I should think that it
would be very good scheme. The
next question is, how does it work and
will it prove a success?
M. J. Bell do not know enough
about the matter to speak intelligently
about its merits. II the council passes
the ordinance for franchise it must
be for the interests Of the public,
should judge.
Marshal Campbell have been so
busy that have not had time to study
the matter. l guess it's very good
thing.
Adam Decker-I don't have much
faith in it, but of course Pm in the
stove business and am naturally OPP
posed to it. It might be successfully
operated in Southern cities, but not in
this climate.
r. G. Munger-I consider the idea of
heating buildings by steam, hot air or
hot water from a general fountainhead
feasible one, but am not prepared to
express an opinion as to this particular
process. If this method of heating has
reached that state of perfection, how
ever, that its success is assured, be-
lieve it would be very desirable &C
QUESTION TO the city.
James A. Dyer-Steam plants for gen.
eral heating purposes have been sue
cessfully operated in several large
cities, but am not prepared to express
an opinion on the hot water system.
One thing is assured; there is no city in
the country better located for hot
water plant than st. Paul. We have a
natural gradual slope in the business
section, which would greatly aid in its
operation.
George r. Monfort-I have not exam
ined the plans of this proposed system
of heating, but if the success of the
scheme is not assured | do not consider
st. Paul good city to experiment upon.
1t would be very unpleasant to live
without heat or live in indjifefently
heated rooms when the thermometer
Indicated 40 deg. below zero.
William Pitt Murray don't know
much about the plans or the workings
of this proposed system of heating. The
men introducing it bring a large num-
Der of testimonials from Boston. where
it appears to be working all right. and
if if works there it probably will here.
The ordinance granting the privilege
will likely pass.
Josiah Fairchild-I am not in favor of
that franchise at all. The city is too
loose about this matter. Giving such
franchises as the city has given is alto
gether wrong.
E. E. HughSon-I do not know hardly
how to answer that question. as do
not know the condition upon which the
franchise will be given. Ii it is given
as an exclusive franchise, such as the
one our street railway has been given,
| should most emphatically say NO
We don't want to give any more such
grips as that 10 any one. l will admit
that the matter of disposing of franchises
of this character is a difficult one to
handle, and that no one desires to come
here and put in plant costing several
hundred thousand dollars without being
satisfied that he will be well remuner-
ated for the outlay. We have been too
careless in granting franchises. and too
free. The Interests of the city have not
been sufficiently guarded The city
council cannot be too careful. :.
G. Elfelt-If franchise is given 1t
should be well guarded. and the inter-
ests of the city should be fully pro
tected.
ST, III, WhitmOreI don't know much
about it. and don't know as 1 have any
ei,inion. They have it working in New
York and I believe it is regarded as a
very good thing. am stronglyin favor
of anything that will furnish cheap
heat here. :,
j. May-I believe that if we could
have a plant, put in here under proper
conditions and restrictions, that 1t would
be good thing. 1t could, undoubtedly,
furnish heat at a cheaper rate than we
can produce it with coal and wood. In
this respect it would be very desirable
indeed. But no franchise OF any kind
ought to granted that will be perpetual
and out of the control Of the city.
Gen. Mark D. Flower am in favor
of letting everybody come in and put IN
their plants. In that way we will get
cheap fuel. Let the steam man put. In
his plant. He viii reduce the price
some. Then if the natural gas man
comes along and proposes to heat the
hot water, give. him chance. Let US
have free competition and lots of it.
don't believe in giving anybody mon
opoly of the matter. Nor do | belieye
in giving anyone a franchise that will
make the person receiving it independ-
emf of the city,