The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-08


The Seattle Steam Heat and Power Com
pany il an association Of property -holders
and merchants IN the business heart Of Sc
attls Tor the purpose Of supplying to them
selves, chiefly, and to others, steam heat
and steam power. Its pumping machinery,
which il very powerful, Is stationed near
the corner Of West aud Columbia streets.
and from this center its pipes cover the
territory within radius Of Eve or six
blocks. Nearly every important build.
ing within the district named in
the very heart and center of the city is con-
nected directly by pipe line with the pump
ing station. It has been suggested that
this establishment affords special ad-
vantage and could easily be used for IRE
protection. At the present time the
pumping station draws its supply Of water
from the regular city water service, but it
could very easily BE- connected directly
with the bay. from which 1t could draw
IN unlimited supply Of water, to be forced
at instant call to any part Of. or over the
whole Of the district covered BY the piping
service, as described above.
The managers Of the company have
made the following proposition to the city
council, namely, II the city win make the
connection between the pumping works
and the bay. the company will distribute
the water as it may bs required, in case Of
fire. free of charge, thus giving the city
without cost the benefits Of its pumping
and piping facilities. Of course this offer
Is not purely unseliish. It would unques-
tionably be direct advantage to the COM
pany 70 have . connection with the har-
Dor, and the fire protection which the
proposition implies would add very mate
rally TO the value Of the service which it
renders to its patrons.
But while the company would thus be
gaining some benefit, the property -holders
within the district named, and Of the city
atlarge. would be infinitely more benefited.
Within year the direct saving in insur-
ance rates, so We ara informed, would be
upwards Of 60.000-this in addition TO .
protection which would make q general
FIRE within the district named practical
impossibility.
It has been estimated that the cost of
making the proposed connection between
the pumping works and the bay would BE-
between 5000 and 5000, mere trifle
compared with the direct annual saving Of
$4,000 in insurance rates. besides the
manifold benefits of the adequate fire pro-
lection.
prt NJ p>c.~a4t. W;li,.r.. AZ.
gineer of the water-works. comes forward
with an objection to this proposition. In
his judgment it would cost three times the
sum estimated, and would. he argues, be
of little practical service, since the city wa
ter system will "within year" cover the
whole district proposed to be protected by
the work OF the Steam Heat Company.
Mr.. Williams is utterly unmindful OF the
saving in insurance rates during the COM
ing year. or until the water system shall be
completed. and of the permanent advan-
tage of system of fire protection in
addition to, and independent of
the general water system. If his
own estimate of the cost of connecting the
Steam Heat pumping works with the bay
be accepted IS correct, there would still be
q saving in the business heart Of the city of
$4,000 in insurance rates in year, not to
mention the probable saving by prevention
of actual fires. As usual with Mr.. VIII
liams. he utterly disregards the fact that
during the next twelve months, or until
the city water system shall be perfected.
the business heart of the city is almost
wholly unprotected.
In the Judgment OF the Posr-ISrELLr.
eEScER the city should accept the PROPOSE
ton of the Steam Heat Company and put
in the connection which it proposes with
the least possible delay. During the com.
ing year the protection thus afforded will
be invaluable. and even when the water
system is completed, the works of the
Steam Heat Company viii remain a valu.
ahta anxiliarv seryira in rasa If sx~,.;.,