The morning call., 1893-11-14
HEATERS RUINED.
The New FurnAce Plates
Damaged.
AN EMPLOYEES IGNORANCE.
The Fires Lit Before Water Is
Turned On.
THE WORK OF A GREENHORN.
Heat Cannot Be Supplied City Hall
Departments Until the East Is
Communicated With.
THE WORK OF A GREENHoRN

There was a wild hubbub among tn,
heads Of departments at the City Hall yes
terday, and various were the complaint
made.
The occasion of the roar was the discov
cry that there was NO heat. The fires wer,
lit in the furnace, and the stopcocks turned
on, but the heaters remained as cold al
ice. Caloric was at premium.
"Whats the matter with the heaters
to-day" was asked on every side, but %
body could tell. The large rooms of thu
County Clerk, the Free Libary, the colo
damp basement occupied by the police
failed to get the usual supply OF warmth
and the result was a loud complaint al
around. The department which felt the
deprivation of the heat most was the
Police Department in the basement.
Although the day was warm on the out
side, yet in the County Clerks office the
difference in temperature from other days
was marked when the heaters were no
going.
An investigation was set on foot to dis.
cover what the matter was, and it was
soon found that the cause was due to de-
fects in the basement If the City Hail.
The cause of the defects was due to the
ignorance of City Hall employs, which
resulted in damage that will prevent the
heaters from being used for some time to
come.
When the heaters were first put into
operation during the cold days of the year
an engineer was employed. on the recon-
mendation of the free library trustees,
which was especially benefited, to take
charge of the furnace and fires and the
regulation of the heat.
The Supervisors have recently taken an
economic turn in small matters, and de-
cided to do away with the services of the
engineer and place the duties on the day
Waterman. who was thought not to be
overburdened with work. A resolution
of the board was passed last week direct
ing the day Waterman to take charge of
the heaters.
Day Waterman Coe did not like the job
and interposed mild objection, saying he
knew nothing about furnaces and heaters.
"Oh, 10-year-old boy can regulate those
heaters" be was told.
This was on Friday. Waterman Coe de-
parted with renewed confidence, and in
two days has managed TO temporarily ruin
the heaters and to deprive large section of
the hall of The usual supply of heat.
Watchman Coe believes be is not to
blame, but this is due to his want of uu-
Outstanding of a plain principle of me-
chancs.
He had charge of the heaters. The fire
was started in the furnace. There was
no water in the tubes. The fire progressed
for some time and then the water was
turned on. There was a Sizing sound,
accom- panied by a series of small explo-
sions.
The plates of the furnace had cracked
and many Of the tubes were ruined.
Waterman Coe had done his duty. When
the damage was investigated by Engineer
Morris, who is in another portion of the
basement. he saw that it would take little
time to determine the extent OF the dam
age Two hundred dollars might cover
the amount, but it will probably be more.
The worst of the matter is that the por-
tions of the heating apparatus ruined can.
not be duplicated in San Francisco. and
City Hall officials will be obliged to wait
for heat In their Offices until the East is
communicated with.
When the County Clerk heard of the
cause of his cold Office he said: sit was
the work of a greeDhorn. This is economy
with a vengeance, and is a case of letting
out at the bunghoie and saving at the
spigot"