The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-23
WILL EMB0DY new IDEAS
DESCRIPTION OF NEW MERCHANTS
HEAT AND LIGHT PLANT.
Engineer Schott, in Charge of install
Iation, Says Ii VIII Be In
ferior to None.

It will require a train one and one-quarter
miles in length to carry all the bricks to
the power-house of the Merchants Heat
and Light Company on South New Jersey
street. II the smokestack was omitted ii
would still take train half a mile long,
because the smokestack is to be a monster.
Its external diameter will be twenty-seven
feet at the base, and IL will have an in
ternal diameter of eight feet. II will be
175 feet in height and will require one
million bricks TO construct it. Besides this,
it is to be constructed so that though old
Boreas blows his hardest, it will be the
last thing in the city to yield to his
strength, for it will resist a wind pressure
equal to 40 miles an hour. This wind
would blow indianapolis to pieces. This
big smokestack alone will cost about $20,
coo and will be built with view to in
creasing its height if found necessary. The
power-house. itself, will require almost
as many bricks as the big stack. 1t will
take about three-quarters of a million.
Engineer w. H. Schott, of Chicago, who
has charge of the installation of the Mer-
chants plant. has opened offices for the
company in the Majestic building and is
conducting the work with unusual rapiully.
/
ing plants in the process of construction.
His assistants are surveying the field for
the Merchants plant, and in a few days
! the forces of workmen will begin to open
| Washington street to set the big twenty
inch main that will be the leading source
| of supply. This main will be laid in New
/ Jersey street to Washington street and
thence west in Washington street in the
| south side to the first alley east of Illinois
| street. At Delaware street a branch of
| this main, to be fifteen inches in diameter,
/ will cross TO the north side and thence west
/ 10 the alley west of Delaware, and from
| that point t. Capitol avenue it will be
/ twelve inches. From these lines, north and
! south In the alleys, eight ten and twelve
/ inch mains will give service. The twenty
| lnch main Will continue from the alley east
/ of Illinois street to Capitol avenue, where
| the North Side main will connect with it.
twelve-inch main will be laid in the alley
! east OF Illinois street to the Union Station.
The construction of this system of mains
| will introduce a new scheme of Engineer
| SchOtts. This scheme will make the plant
| the first Steam-heating system in the coun-
try to have the advantage of being regu-
| lated by compressed air, which is carried
| in a pipe three inches in diameter along all
| the mains. This air operates a da-
phragm and thermOstadt and regulates the
| radiation of heat in the interior of build
ingS according to the temperature. The
| gauges may be set between 90 and 50 de-
| grees Fahrenheit but they will automatic
| degrees The underground work requires
| electrOlysis-p mains. specially-made
| patented insulation will be used. 1t is eX-
| pensive, but insures the success of the sys-
| tenn. There is an air space of one and a
| half inches between the steam pipe and the
insulation. Then comes layer of tin and
| in an inch of wood, made imperviOus by
treatment with asphaltum, and milled to-
gether. The space outside of this wood is
| filled with corrugated paper, one-fourth of
an inch thick. The outside shell is made
| Of asphalt and shavings. Mr.. Schott S
| tests on this character of work has shown
| variation of not more than three degrees
when the steam is carried through at a
| temperature of 265 degrees.
BIG CENTRAL STATION.
The powerhouse will be built for a ca
pacity of 100000 feet of radiation and will
be the biggest central station heating plant
outside of New York city. The one in New
York has an approximate capacity of l.
100000 feet, but much of it's service is high
pressure for power purposes. The engines
will be of special design to work under the
conditions the plan imposes. Being away
from water, the water will all be passed
through cooling tower and used over,
with an approximate loss of only Is per
cent. The boilers will be vertical, and with
the engines, will be capable of developing
1000 horse power. The furnaces will be
equipped with automatic stokers to mini
ize the smoke, and the coal bunkers will
have a capacity of 5000 tons. The plant
has been so provided that it may be in
creased until it's horsepower will reach
5000 The electric light department will be
equipped for 10000 sixteen-candle-poweT
lights, with a loading capacity of 10000 on
account of the irregular of about one
third of those that may be used.
The system the company is establishing Is
intended to be a continuous connection OF
mains when completed. Most of the con-
sumers OF the company will be at little
expense to rearrange for the service, as
their buildings are piped for steam heat
In some. however, there will be a prac-
teal reconstruction of the steam-heatine
appurtenances, as they are installed ac-
cording to obsolete methods. For instance
Mr.. Schott, in estimating radiation, figures
out the exposure of a given room and then
places his radiation so that ii will in
tercept this exposure. Many of the old style
steam systems place the radiators away
from the exposure, and in such cases
changes will be necessary. Mr.. Schott says
the company has now all the consumers II
can attend to this year. He says the season
will be largely one of education to the
business public for there are some skepti-
cal yet as to its success In two years
time Mr.. Schott predicts the company will
with its system complete, have people beg
ging for service.
| The cost of the plant will be $500 900, anC
Mr.. Schott says the directors have required
the of the best material for all work
and will undoubtedly secure the most per
feet plant in the country.