Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-02

for right here IN MS home city of Wash
ineton. with scores of buildings under his
control that ne might readily make models
to the world in the matter of the smoke
hess consumption of coal. he has done
next to nothing toward Graduating that
same nuisance of which he complains SO
loudly when committed by others
Vt last however. Uncle Sam has walked
an to his inconsistency The House COM
mittee on appropriations is now consider
ing the feasibility OF rendering Washing
Ton at least so far as the government is
concerned. a true smokeless city. The
MAN is To take out the separate heating
plants of twenty government buildings.
located or to he put up in the heart OF
the city and to supply them with light,
heat and power produced by one great
central plant.
The building in which it is proposed
to house this plant is to be located al
most a mile from Pennsylvania avenue
ON a half acre of ground bordering the
Potomac river and just east of the rail-
road bridge spanning the river near
18th street southwest This plant is to
be equipped with the latest models OF
boilers. guaranteed to reduce the
smoke To d minimum; but if. after an.
there should be occasional little
puff from the proposed new plants
great stacks the isolated situation OF
the structure viii save WashlnStonlans
any discomfort by reason of the cir
CumStance.
X
The buildings which are 10 be heated
in this way are the old and new bu-
reaus of printing and engraving. the
buildings of the Departments of Agri-
culture. State. War and Navy and
Treasury. the Winder and Mills build
i,,,r ftr he.
Lincoln memorial, Court of Claims,
Washington Monument, Post Office. Dis
trict building, National Museum buildings
old and new: Smithsonian Institution, fish
commission and Army Medical Museum
In addition it will also supply heat, light
and power to the new government
buildings which are to be erected
along Pennsylvania avenue or south of
it. Among these buildings for the
Departments of Agriculture, Justice and
State
When installed. the central heating
plant will. il is estimated cost 81 ,44, 10i.
and its annual cost of operation Will be
Sl.f;.6sJ against S;1100o. the present
cost of operating the existing plants per
year The new plant will thus effect an
annual saving of nearly - per cent
in supplying this group of govern
ment buildings with heat. light and pow
ON the investment. this saving
amounts To nearly ]. per cent and even
VI
for depreciation the money so saved
will represent u dividend of Gla per cent
Il year IL thc government on the money
lat into the scheme. With the three
new buildings NJ. the saving effected an
nually jumps to S1S'i.{l, and the annual
dividends 10 = per cent.
More than this. the new plant Will be
able - sell electricity at 1.u> cents per
kii0watt hour, against :; cents which
II now has l" pay in the open market,
and it also afford to- dispose of steam
at - cents per 1,@p pounds.
But aside from its money saving
FEATURES and its work toward beautify-
ing Washington by reducing the smoke
evil. The advocates of the central plant
point out further advantages for their
product that have both an esthetic and
Il unitarian value. Thus. they say the
building will he located on the water
front. 80 that il can get its coal direct
II ON LarGes and can dispose % the ashes
IN toe river. in this way avoiding the
aecesSliN ot eating coal and ashes
through the streets. From the plant.
likewise. wires can he run TO relay sta
lions with the object OF reinforcing the
"tN lighting - stem in case anything
-o+S wrong WITH the regular supply. This
~tturc il II said. would prove especially
yaluaui" Il the city is light cd a il is now
iricitX be generated from water power
there : occasional danger OF curtaiment
81 the water supply falling below normal.
III addition u * proposed To connect the
new central plant with the Capitol light
neat and power plant for the purpose of
mutual protection. AS matters now
stand. u the operating gear of the Capitol
plant should ever go i'll strike Congress
and tine Supreme Court may have to
AIRY on their deliberations in the dark
while tatesmcn may readily find them
selves stuck log hours in a dead elevator
between one foDy and another.
W Allc the outlay for the new plant is
conceded tU D. large, the engineers in
charge SAY THAT 4 is really smaller than
the hSuTes indicate. by reason of the
fact that in any case the government
would soon have To replace the separate
heat, light and power plants in many
or their old buildings. as well as laying
ont large sums fGr similar apparatus i'll
The holdings !; VII! shortly put up.
The scheme tN which Washington may
i,e enabled 10 take another long step TO-
ward beng Az absolutely smokeless city,
while the ScteraEIent may at the same
time save tine peoples dollars in the
process, originated with Franklin Mac
NcaSn. Secretary of the Treasury. Its
practical details have been worked out