New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-29
STEAM IN GREAT CITIES.
WHAT IT MAY BE MADE TO ACCOMPLISH
A GLOWING PICTURE OF NEw-YoRK WHEN
STEAM Is EVERYWHERE.


Banker Belamy had been in the city only few
weeks He came from the West where he had maze
few millions and rented a fine old mansion In tith
ave. on New Years Day. 1900. Mrs. Bellamy IN
formed him that the coal-bn empty. IL was
terrible day. snow had been falling for week an'
was ten feet deep In the The news ticker II
the dining room brought message from the Mcteoro
logical Bureau announcing the approach OF bhzlain
and all persons were warned TO prepare for the on
saught. Mr.. Belainy felt alarm. IL seemed u
him that the house was already growing cold
Calling up the coal Office through the telephone
the wires under the ground and consequently
intact-he ordered ten tons OF Lehigh anthracite.
"Whcn DO you want it," back the voice OF
the manager the telephone.
"Now. Immediately said Mr.. Bellamy there
isn't hodful in the house,
"Impossiblc TO deliver to-day. Can't move a
truck" said the manager.
send me five tOns.n
impossible. I tell YOU
"send me ton. / must have IL. Name your
own price. Hello Hello, therel 1 say, send me
one ton at your price"
Il tell you-cant send any. Streets blockaded-
trucks can't move"
"will $40 induce you to send ton 7"
"Ncn
@Fifyl Hellol VIII hftyi"
Make 1t 500. Hire to bring It mp in sacks
on elevated road. What say"
Sorry, can't do 1t. only man in Office. Very
sorry. Goodby."
"Hellor pause. "Hello!" Another pause.
"TIello, hello, hello!"
No answer. The banker was much distressed. 1t
the first time in his life that his money had
failed 10 talk" He called up the central Office.
3" Hello, central. Connect with coal
dealer. Pm freezing"
The connection was made, and voice in the
telephone said:
Hello; who is til wha Ter WANT"
81 want some coal, immediately said Mr.. Bethany,
giving his name and address.
VIVA jer want with it,
CONCENTRATED EXTRACT OF COAL AND WATER.
The banker found it almost impossible to swallow
inclination to swear. If the coal had not been a
matter Of life and death, his wrath would certainly
have caused a terrific explosion.
"Will you deliver some coal at my house at any
price ~ he asked. sharply.
Yes, If you'll take it through a pipe at eighty
pounds pressure
What do you mean7n
"COacarts buried under snow. No trucking. Have
to send you concentrated extract Of coal and water
No dust, ashes. Wha' jcr say1"
Anything anything; don't understand you, but
send me something that will burn. Name your own
price"
Nr. Bellamy beginning to feel better.
lellO!" said the telephone again; got any range
in htchenl"
"Yes.s
one of Blanks boilersi'
Yes.n
Radiators or registers in your houses
Radiators
Good. Have coal delivered before night. Good
by
In two honrs armed arrived in front of the
house. Most Of their were shovcls. Some
carried hose made of rubber wrapped with fine
steel wire, had tones and wrenches, some short
pieces Of pipe and assorted couplings gap was
dug in the snow and wideLed till it exposed what
seemed to be a fire plug. TO this one end of the
hose was screwed The other was carried through the
basement window TO the Kitchen and attached to the
feed pipe of the system which extended through the
house to the radiators in the several rooms. few
turns of a wrench then opened valve in the plug
The hose swced and stretched and got hot, the pipes
creaSed and thumped and got hot the radiators sang
little ditties staccatO, and likewise got hot. And
the rays Of heat filed all the house with comfortable
warmth.
"TeIl Mr. Beamy the coal is delivered" said the
foreman TO the butler When he heard the news the
banker came downstairs and asked snndry questions
It's Just our way of doing business the foreman
explained. "Instead of burning the coal yourself
we burn it for you and keep all the ashes and dust
and other discomforts out Of your house All you
want is heat We have supplied that through pipes,
as | informed you we should do. You don't need
any more matches. Your fires arc always lighted
down at our works-and your heat is always on tap
inst like your Croton water and your electric light
What more you ask, sirl'
"Nothing, nothing. But how do you do it all
what's that plug doing there at the curhstoncl
thought It was fire plug"
$50 il *. SIR
(" But there's no water coming from it,
"Certalny not. We don't attempt to put out fires
with water nowadays"
PUTTING OUT FIRES WITH STEAM.
"You asonish me. How, then. do you put them
out -
with steam. A sort Of homeopathic treatment,
confess but very successful. That old plug which
uscd 10 be connected with the water main is now
connected with the steam main. If fire should break
ont in your house we attach the hose-iust as wo
have done 10 supply you heat-and pour hot steam
into the rooms precisely they used to pour water
"Eut will that put out fire l should think it
vould create draugh and increase the spread of the
Names
..You admit that fire can't burn without oxygen :"
81 believe that fact has been demonstrated by
science
.WcIl sir a two-inch steam nozzle at a pressure
NJ eighty pounds TO the square inch, stuck in your
uarlor window will drive out every cubic foot of
oxygen in two and quarter minutes. The oxygen
opt the fire smothers. What could be simpler Dol
rou know where Triper's great wholesale dry goods
tore i! OF course. Well, sir, smOtlered a |
fire in the basement of that enormous building that
the old time Fire Department could have reached
in time 70 save the dry goods district with its 81 OOO
600 900 Of property
aThat i, interesting. How did YOU do it
@rhrec years ago we raised six-inch pipe YER
tcay on the outside Of the building. from cellar to
roof with a branch extending through the wall at !
each floor. Each branch provided with valve |
which was operated by chain running along the /
nine to the sidewalk, where it was in easy REACH OF
the Waterman or policeman. In case Of fire. 1t was
only necessary first To determine which floor il |
,yas then 10 open the right valve and fill the apart
mont with steam. 1t happened that the fire in |
oue,ton broke out in the basement. Now. You