St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-26
He CHANGED THE SYSTEM.
ENGINEER AT FAULT FOR THE COLD
COURT HOUSE,
SO SAYS THE CONTRACTORS.

50 SAHS HE CUN hAC9OH.
Nepil, Who Put the Steam Plant
in the Court House. Says that
the Engineer Has Radically
Changed the System, and
Weakened the floating Power
of the Plant.
The numerous complaints made by
occupants of offices in the court house
about the failure to properly heat the
building caused the mayor to write to
A. o. Nepil, who put in the plant, oil
recting him to make all examination.
From what the mayor did not rather
than what he did say it was understood
that the failure to heat the building was
due to some defect in the plant. This.
however, is not the case; the trouble is
III the management of the plant and the
desire to ecouomIze in fuel.
The report of Mr.. Nepil made to the
mayor. summary of which is given
below. states plainly the reasons for the
failure to keep the building warm. MIR.
Nepil says:
The complaints made by the officials
are that it is always cold III the morn
ings, especially on cold days, which
would indicate that the fire on such days
should be started earlier. or, better still.
that the building should not be allowed
TO cool down. In the county and city
treaSurer'S offices, one radiator in each
room was not in use; one had been dis
connected, and the other removed from
the room. In the office of the comp
troller and also in other offices the valve
seats of the radiators were worn out,
and as these are inexpensive and also
interchangeable it is suggested that the
engineer keep supply on hand, and
replace them when the occasion requires.
The same suggestion is also applied to
the automatic air valves on the radiat-
ors. They should be attended to fire.
Quently. and any rooms where the
radiators do not work properly should
be reported to the engineer, whose duty
it is to keep the openings clean, ana
also properly set Should room not
be properly heated, or anything be
yond the power of the engineer go
wrong, he should report to me. as l re-
queSted him to do so. guaranteed tile
plant for term of two years, and il was
my greatest ambition to have the plant
the most perfect and satisfactory in
every way. and up to date of your letter
nothing had been reported unSatiSfac-
tory to me although have been in the
building great many times.
The system in use IN the building is
indorsed by all the best authorities, and
for four years has heated and warmed
all parts of the building with from one
halt TO five pounds of steam, and will
still do SO in the coolest winter, as | can
prove to you if you will authorize or
empower me SO to do. without any eX-
pense to the city or county. The Sys-
TEN, its construction and operation were
as follows: Steam was to be taken at
low pressure through fOurteen-inch
pipe through the court house, and its
condensation returned by its own gray
ity TO the boilers. 1t was intended to use
flom the exhaust steam to heat the coun-
ty Jail building, and both have worked
satisfactorily, and they will always do
so if run as stated above. To my great
surprise | found both systems altered
by the engineer, with the evident good
Intention of saving fuel, which it may
have done with the result that it did not
deliver sufficient heat to the building.
The system in use at the present time
is as follows: High pressure steam is
generated in three boilers and sent
!, I, noi,n Toff
10 supply the fourteen-inch main steam
pipe, which, IN turn, supplies from
81, 900 to 10000 square feet of radiation.
The condensation from this is returned
to one of the boilers, which is used for
the purpose of receiving tank, and
from there pumped to the high-pressure
boilers. If there was a system of eX-
haust steam then this system might
answer, but in this case, where
only one pump is working, of which
the exhaust is utilized in the Jail
| building, the above system is not prac-
| ticable nor preferable. and by its uneven
| pressure, heating and cooling, CONTRACTS
ing and expansion, is liable to create
| leaks, etc. In my opinion, storm win
dows would economic fuel Gt was the
| original intention to use them), as well
as to have all other openings closed
where cold comes in and heat goes out,
but the supply of heat in the building
should not be throttled. | have thus
explained all conditions, so far as posi-
BILE, and am willing to assist in all and
any improvements that can be made to
economic in fuel to save the city and
county as much expense as is justifia-
bic, and still have all satisfied. without
rejecting upon the capabilities OF those
connected with it.
The other experts appointed by the
mayor have not as yet submitted their
report, but will probably do SO in time
for the next meeting of the court house
and city hall commission, of which the
| mayor is chairman.