The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-13
FRANCHISE FOR STEAM HEAT.
Proposition Lnid Before tho Board
of Public Works.

AT / o'clock yesterday afternoon the
Board of Public Works met to receive a
proposition for a franchise to conduct a
steam-heating and misunderstanding plant
III Indianapolis The name of the proposed
company is the Indianapolis Heating COM
oany. Representing the company at the
meeting were Charles A. Dale. John l..
Grifiths, Aquilla Q. Jones. of Indianapolis;
c. r. Bishop, of Lockport, n. Y; II. c.
Eddy, Of Chicago, and h. A. Bishop, of
Hannibal, Mo. The object of the gentlemen
is to incorporate company to furnish
steam heat in indianapolis if granted
franchise by the Board of Works.
The company submitted to the board
contract that it desires to make with the
city. 1t is practically the same as the one
made with the Home Heating and Lighting
Company, which was recently granted a
franchise to operate a hot-water heating
system in this city.
Mr.. Eddy detailed to the board the sys-
tenn and plans of the company to furnish
steam heat in the city. The contract as
submitted to the board contains provisions
for furnishing electric lighting. but the rep
resentatives of the company said ii was not
the intention of the company to furnish
lights at the outset. The contract submitted
to the board provides for stations for gen.
Grating heat. power and light for distri-
button, and they may be established by the
company at suitable points in the city.
The plans and maps for the construction
of the plants, poles, appliances and con-
duits will be furnished the Board of Works
for its approval. The company agrees TO
furnish all plants with suitable smoke-con-
Stunning appliances, according to the ordi
nances in vogue in this city.
A CENTRAL STATION
The company desires to establish a CEN
trail station for furnishing the steam heat
and proposed the section bounded by the
Big Four Railroad tracks on the west,
North street on the north, Pennsylvania
street on the east and Washington street
on the south. The representatives of the
company claim that in this section are
many residences, hotels. apartment houses
and business blocks. and fair test of the
plant could be secured from furnishing
the section with heat.
The contract provides for bond of SIS 900
to be deposited with the Board of Works
for the faithful performance of the con-
tract by the company and an additional
$4,000 bond to be made in case of an ex-
tension of the plant. The contract says
the first plant is to be established in one
mile-square section, and the work 60 COM
mence within ninety days after the Board
of Works selects the section for the first
plant. The company agrees to extend the
system where at least so, 900 feet of radia-
ton is contracted for in one-half square
mile.
The annual rate for steam heating is not
TO exceed l. cents per square foot of radiat-
ing surface used by the customer, the basis
of such radiation being not to exceed thir-
ty cubic feet of air space to each square
foot of radiation, the charge to be divided
according to seasons and time of payments
as may be determined by the company; the
radiation to be ascertained by measuring
the surface of the radiators or pipes used by
the customer for heating and the amount of
CUBIC feet of space heated by such radia-
tion The rate for electric lighting is placed
at 10 cents per 1000 watts.
MAXIMUM HEAT
The company agrees to furnish maximum
heat at 20 degrees Fahrenheit and to make
a discount on the charges to the customer
according to the decrease in the heat If.
during the months of October, November.
December. January, February, March and
April. the temperature of the rooms heated
should fall below IS degrees the company
agrees to make no charge for the heat
The company asks for a twenty-fve-year
franchise and agrees to pay the city 5
per cent. of it's gross receipts for furnish
ing heat and light.
Attorney Griffiths explained that the COM
pany desires to be in full operation by next
September. but work may commence this
winter If the franchise is granted. He said
the company desiring to put in a steam
heating system in Indianapolis wants to
use the same system as is being used sue
cessfully in Grand Rapids, Springfield, ILL.,.
Champaign. Ill, Danville, ILL.,, Tiffin, O..
Scranton, Pa, Williamsburg, Pa and
many other cities. The board took the prop
osition under advisement. 1t is probable
that a member of the Board of Works will
visit one of the cities where the system
Is being used to inspect the plant
Representatives of the company claimed
that steam heat will be no higher than 9TH
er heat and lower than some, as it will
compete with all other systems of heat.
and the aggregate cost will be no more.