Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-11-02
MUNICIPAL HEATING.
AN INNOVATION IN THE LINE OF PUB
Lie ECONOMY.
How tie CITY of Goshen Has ProHtcd
by Ownership of Its Water and
Lighting PIRnts-Scrvicc Excellent
md Taxation Low.

md Taxation Low.
Wide interest Is being manifested in
the proposal of the city council of Co
shCn. Ind. to furnish heat to its citl-
ZCnS from n central plant. 1t is n de-
CidCd innovation in this country. al
though ShorCditch, a London suburb.
furnishes light and heat from the heat
generated in the burning of its gar
hagc II the undertaking proves sue
ccSSful, of which thee is little doubt.
1t will give 4 decided impetus to mu-
nicipal ownership of all public utilities.
Goshen is typical municipal own
crShIp city already. 1t is nearly -
years since she took her first steps in
this direction.
It's first venture In this direction took
place p years ago when watcrworks
system was established. The system
nt that time was crude, but amply dem
onStratcd its worth. the water only b"-
in" conveyed to various points in the
city as Il protection AGAINST fire.
From this BEGINNING later developed
the installing of steam power so as to
allow the supply of water for private
consumption. Next came the addition
of artCSian wells, and in 1881 n power
house with n complete plant was erect
ed. Today the system includes nearly
2l miles of street mains, 100 fire hv-
drantS and II public watering trOughs.
The power station equipment com
priscs Il Standpipr of ?65,O 900 gaIlo"S'
capacity, one pump with a capacity of
100000 gallons for every 2l hours
ard two pumps Of 100000 gallons
capacity each and four boilers of 400
horsepower. From the plant there is
an annual income of nearly $500 from
private consumers
In 1887 n private company put in an
electric street lighting system. Two
years later the city of Goshen pur-
chased til" entire equipment of this
company for $1,000 and began nj once
to crt down operating expenses by
CncratinG the dynamo from the mu-
nicipal waterworks plant. This is an
example of combining and central
iZin% Industries by the people and in
the interests of the people. Goshen
continued to develop her street lighting
system by extending the lines and en-
lar"ing tie plant. Then an incandcs-
cent lighting plant was started. In
this manner $4,000 was expended
after the original plant had been pur-
chased. Now the city is talking of
buving ont 2nOthCr incandcSccnt plant
now operating here and combining it
with the others. GOShcn'S lighting
plant now includes 80 horsepower
+ engine, a l25 are light dynamo, 40
are light dynamo and an incandcsccnt
light dynamo, with capacity of 1000
lights.
The following figures Illustrate that
the plants are being operated at
profit, to say nothing of the free use
of water and light to the city:
Total receipts for the year ending May
30, 1901 $lj, ,529 G3
Total expenditures for same period. ..... li709 :"
Net profit to the city from operating
expenses Observation-Disclosures. $I2J 81
The item of public water and light
which Goshen secures free besides the
Ect profit from operation of the plant
is no small feature. There are many
cities of the size of this one that are
paying $4,000 year in water hydrant
rental to private companies. The
capitalization of the municipal plants
here is about $}33, 900. The tax rate
IS as low as that of any city in the
state of Indiana per cent
The installing of n municipal hot
water plant is now In the hands of the
water and lighting committee. which
is so successfully managing the mu-
nicipal plants already in operation. In
their first report to the city council
they stated that they had information
to the effect that the exhaust from the
city power station would supply, with
ont cost, all the heat required for heat
Ing the water for from 10000 to $4,000
square feet of radiation. one estimate
is that it will heat from 10000 to
$4,000 feet. In order TO be safely con
servativc they 20 on to assume that
the exhaust will supply heat for only
25OOO square feet
The cost Of furnishing the heat for
1200OO square feet would be annually
$500 for heat ana $5TG for power To
Wv hi'I' tht water. II Is lSUItu tllHt
80 pounds of coal will supply heat for
one square foot Of radiation surface
for the year. Computing coal at 50 a
ton, this amounts to ~ cents per
square foot of radiation per year. The
figures $1,000 per annum represent
this amount as applied to 100000
square feet. the other $1,000 feet. il will
be remembered, coming from the cx-
haust pipe of the plant which the city
now owns. Thus a waste product is
made a source Of profit For circu-
latin% the water for 10000 square fcct
20 horsepower Is required. which Will
consume five pounds of coal per hour,
which, for 100 days, which is the aver
Dge number of days that heat is re
quired in year, makes the cost in this
regard SJI6. The total cost, therefore,
of operating this system for year in
Goshen would be SS,OTG. At the rate
of 10 cents per square foot to con
feet would be $lS.IJO. This, it will he
seen, Is SlO,GIl in excess of the Opcrat-
ing expenses. 1t is assumed that the
full 10000 feet would be taken by
consumers annually after the fifth year
at least. Forty thousand feet shoulG
be taken the first year. the committee
estimates.
The cost Of putting in system