The Washington times., 1906-01-21
CENTRAL HEATING
PLANT PROPOSED
Bill to Incorporate Now
Pending in Congress.
LL-KNoWN MEN BEHIND 1T
Scheme Contemplates Piping Thorough
fares of the City So as to Supply
Steam and Refrigeration.

II is proposed 70 establish in Wash
ington a central heating and refriger-
ating plant which may ultimately sun
ply heat and refrigeration TO the entire
city on a plan similar 70 that under
which the gas and electric light com
panies operate. bill for the incor-
poratiOn OF the company by special act
OF Congress has been introduced by
Senator Gallinger, and those interested
hope to see IT become a law during the
present session,
Senator Gallinger's BILL aithcagh
brief in form, ia broad tn its provis-
ions and. If adopted as 1t now reads.
Will give the promoters a mighty
good thing in the way OF an invest
ment. Congress does not reserve to
Itself or delegate TO any other branch
or the Government the duty or even the
right TO supervise or in any way have
70 do with fixing the cost OF the service
or controlling the financial end OF the
proposed monopoly.
The company is relieved Of the pay
ment of all taxes. and in lieu of taxes
II is stipulated the concern is to pay
sum equivalent 10 1 per cent Of its
gross earnings
Congress specifically reserves the
right to alter, amend or repeal the act.
Scope Of the Enterprise.
1t would be hard TO estimate the pos
sible scope OF such an institution as that
contemplated by the incorporators of
this concern. Certain It IS that such a
scheme, if carried out, would be a ire
mendous step toward many desirable
ends. 1t would reduce TO a minimum
the fire insurance risks. and. in cor
responding degree, would lessen the cost
of insurance.
Immense sums of money could be
saved the community during the winter
months. for it is figured that the COM
pany can make a princely profit by sup
plying heat to the Eouseholders at the
actual cost of the fuel. All other eX
penses. such as handling the fuel, care
OF furnaces, and removal OF ashes, etc,
would be eliminated
Those favoring the project urge that
the very biggest item, the bother of at
tending 40 the heating apparatuses
would be entirely disposed of,
A man who is prominently identified
with the project, stated yesterday that
the charge for the service of the COM
pany would be based on what is called
fiat rate" or fixed amount per month
for the complete service, This charge
would be based on the number OF cubic
feet in the building in which the service
might ne rendered.
Low Steam Pressure.
The service viii be under low steam
pressure through pipes thoroughly in
sulated with some heat-holding mate
rial There are said 10 be at least TWEEN
tv big plants in town whose surplus
steam could be secured by the COM
pany and turned into the latter's pipes.
The refrigeration Will. il is contem-
plated. be obtained through coll brine
circulation.
The proposed system was frst sue
cessfuIiy tried In Lockport, n. Y. and
is, II Is said. now working admirably IL
Baltimore ST. Lous, Denver Buffalo.
and after a fashion in New York city
Some people In those towns say ''it Is
cheaper to omen window when a room
gets too warm than it would be TO turn
of the heat"
The bill now pending IN Congress rro~
vldes that $. L. Shober. jr. George
Truesdell. George w. Young. \, T. ".
Duke r.. II. W. Fuller. and George II.
Harries be created a body corporate
under the name Of the Economic Heat
ing and Refrigerating COMPANY.
Capitalized at a Million.
The capital stock of the concern is
fixed at sl.000.O00. and is TO consist OF
10000 shares OF 500 par value each BY
the terms of the bill the company is to
have power to issue bonds and secure