The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-15
DOT ALL OVER.
The City Hall Heating Plant is %
Failure.

Either because of defective con-
struction or because of the settling of
/ the building, it has been found neces-
sary to almost completely remodel the
| heating system of the city hall.
Plumbers are at work taking out and
| resetting every radiator in the build
ing, cutting off and refitting pipes, en-
larging some of the connections, and
getting things in shape for winter.
1t was also found that the boilers
were in bad condition, due to the
asbestos packing which was placed
around the boilers during Mayor Par
ker's administration. The asbestos
packing has caused the boiler plates
to become overheated and some of
essary to replace about 200 fire brick
in each boiler with new brick.
The expense of all these repairs will
be quite heavy. They are being con-
Quoted under the direction of City
Plumbing Inspector E. A CLANCY.
MI Chaney said today: 1.-THE city
had good deal of trouble with its
heating plant last winter, and used
great deal more coal than was neces-r
sary because of the condition of the
pipes. In some cases the expansion
given proper allowance and the result
was that they caused pockets to form
in which the condensed steam collect
ed. In order to overcome this water
airy to keep up a steam pressure of
10 to 15 pounds, where five pounds
should be sufficient to warm the
building. In some cases it seems that
settled, thus throwing the pipes out
of their original positions and leaving
pockets in which the water settled"
Some of these pockets in the pipes
were responsible for the freezing and
breaking of two of the radiators in the
council chamber last winter. and these
radiators have to be repaired. If the
system had been in proper shape there
would have been mo- accumulation of
water in the pipes.
Mayor Bergundthal announced to-
day that Engineer Sharp. who was in
charge of the city heating plant last
winter will again be head engineer
1t is regarded as likely that M. E. !
Younkin will not be reappointed night
engineer. Mayor Bergundthal stated
today that he had not decided what to
somebody who will not only serve as
night engineer but who will also act
as custodian of the Auditorium. En-
gineer Sharp has been working on the
repairs on the boilers for the past
week, and has them in good shape now |
for the winters run.
1t cost the city a good deal of money!
to put the asbestos covering all over
the boilers and it was claimed at the |
time that it would effect a great saw
ing in fuel by preventing the escape of |
heat. 1t did not seem to make much /
difference in heat economy, but it +
seems to have played havoc with the
condition of the boilers.
In some of the city offices last win
ter there was a great deal of difficulty |
with leaking radiators The city at
office had couple of radia-
tors which made it necessary for all I
the people who worked in that Office
to wear rubber boots. A plumber was
engaged to make some repairs which I
he thought would fix the thing all
right, and the only effect was that the
city attorney and his assistants really
needed boats and pontoon bridges in
stead of rubber boots. A similar con-
dition prevailed in some of the other
offices. The present overhauling of
the whole system was impeTatively de-
before the heating plant could
be put into service again
Plumbing Inspector CLANCY says:
when these changes are made, I be-
lieve that the city will in one winter
save enough on it's coal bill to pay for
all the changes which are being made.
When we get the changes made, I
think there will be no more trouble"