Evening star., 1901-03-18
ELECTRiC-LIGHT PLANT
4 "a
NEW SYSTEM PROPOSED FOR THE
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Present Method of Heating and Light
ing Antiquated and Inefficient
Extent OF New Service.

+
e. NJ. Dawson, chief clerk of the De-
partment of the Interior, is preparing to in
| vite proposals for, the establishment of the
| electric lighting plant for which appro-
| priation Of $4,000 was made by the Fifty
! sixth Congress at its last session. This
| item was carried in the sundry civil bill.
| The plant to be installed will light the
| patent office building, the old Post Office
Department building, at present occupied
| by the general land office and the bureau
| of Indian affairs, and the pension building.
| An improvement in the heating OF the pat
| ent Office building is also contemplated.
| These improvements, it is said by officials
| Of the Department of the Interior, are
much needed
! The present mechanical plant Of the pat
| ent office building includes an indirect sys-
| tenn of heating, with natural ventilation,
| operated mainly by low pressure steam
| one ty-fve-horse-power high pressure
| steam boiler for the operation of the hy-
| draulic passenger elevator, two sixty
| horsepower water-tube boilers for operat-
ing the electric light plant, two twenty-five
| horsepower and two five-horse-power low
| pressure boilers, in all, seven boilers all
| of which are in operation during the heat
| Ing season and each of which, except the
| two water-tube boilers. is in separate
| fire room in an isolated part of the base
ment. In addition to the indirect heating,
| forty stoves are required in offices formed
| by the reconstruction of the model rooms.
inefficient and WastefuI.
The present method of heating by the op-
| Grafton Of seven furnaces under boilers in
the basement, and forty stoves Is, it is con-
tended, inefficient and wasteful compared
with the economy of a central boiler and
| hea ting plant. 1t is also claimed that the
| cost Of repairs and maintenance of the
scattered and antiquated equipment Is eX-
| pensive.
| The electric light plant, consisting of two
| Armington and Sims automatic engines
belted to two brush dynomos of about 81
and ~ kilowatts capacity each, was in
stalled twelve years ago, and is, 1t is said.
practically worn out, and the constant re-
| pairs required to keep the inefficient dyna-
mos In operation, and the cost of the neceS-
sary special fittings, lamps. etc. are great
ly In excess of those required by modern
machinery of that class. The wiring system
is reported to be in fair condition for the
| present voltage and plant, but it would re-
quire either extensive alterations or entire
ly new work to operate it satisfactorily in
connection with an extension Of the electric
light wiring to the entire building.
The gaslighting service in this building,
1t Is said, is wasteful and hazardous in file
vaults and rooms An equivalent number
of electric lights properly installed will, it
is believed. render more service and reduce
the fire risk.
The principal power equipment of this
building consists of pump for the opera
ton of the passenger elevator and ten
horsepower Westinghouse engine to drive
the printing presses.
Old Post Office Building.
The mechanical equipment Of the old
Post Office Department building includes
an efficient hot water indirect heating sys-
tenn combined with mechanical ventilation,
with four hot water boilers and two forty
horse power steam boilers for the opera
tiOn of house
tor pump, and one ventilating fan engine.
The elevator pump operates one hydraulic
passenger elevator and one ash lift
The gas piping. it is said, is in bad con-
dltlon, and In some cases the pipes are
so clogged with naphthaline and other de-
posits that the fow is seriously interrupted.
while the general service is reported to be
poor and rendered inefficient and waste
full by the incerrect distribution of light
The use of gas In the files room in the
basement OF the building, with the gas
burners: In many instances. from II to IS
inches fror1Athe closely packed papers, the
valuable records aTid@claims of the eeu-
eral land office. is, it is said, especially
hazardous. In some instances swinging gas
brackets are so placed that they may be
swung directly against the dry and un-
painted woodwork and Shelving Of the files
vaults.
The mechanical plant Of the pension
building includes one Babcocls and Wilcox
ffty-horse power steam boiler and four
horizontal fire-tube steam boilers, used for
low pressure steam heating and the opera
ton of an hydraulic passenger elevator
one house pump and one boiler feed pumu
This part of the equipment is reported to
be in good condition. There is practicalI,y
no electric wiring in the building. TIE
gas lighting service In the building is said
TO be wasteful and unsatisfactory because
Of the employment of plain burners, and
the size of the rooms Is such that a proper
distribution of gas light is said to be i'm
possible.
The cost of laying a conduit and sto,,n
pipe between the pension Office and the Old
Post Office Department building is esti-
mated at $1,000. The cost Of labor and
fuel required for the operation of the nlant
in the pension building will be saved The
amount now paid annually for labor at the
Old Post Office Department building and
the Interior Department buildings. in con-
nectlon With the heating, hoisting anna
ratus and lighting, is s2S, ,42O. The cost for
the same service under the new order of
things will. 1t is estimated, be So 275. or a
saving of Sc. 145.
Chief Clerk Dawson estimates that the
cost of generation of the electric current
Tor lighting and power service for the three
buildings of the Department of the Interior
by the proposed plant will not exceed four
cents per kilowatt hour and that the an
nual saving In the lighting Of the pension
office building will be about $1,000.
Advantages of Proposed System,
The Installation of the combined heating
lighting and power plant, with the intro
duction of non-eondensing engines and ap-
paratus for the utilization Of exhaust steam
for heating and smokeless furnaces for the
| combustion of bituminous coal, included In
| the detailed estimates, presents, according
to Mr.. Dawson. the following economic and
operative advantages:
First. Ninety per cent Of the heat of the
| coal burned for the production Of electric
| current for the heating season, at which
period 81 per cent OF the total lighting load
| of the three buildings occurs. NAV he utI-
| ized directly for heating purposes, and con-
| sequently the cost of fuel for the genera
| tion of electric current during this period