New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-03-17
EXHAUST STEAM is SUFFICIENT
TO HEAT FOUR BUSINESS
BLOCKS.
PAVING ON MINNESOTA STREET
WILL PRESENT GREATEST
DIFFICULTY.

the business men OF the city nelQ at the
Turner Hall Club Rooms last Friday
evening, Mr.. H. C. Kmnhrough, repre-
senting the American District Heating
Company OF New York, gave a very
Interesting and Instructive talk upon
the Municipal Heating question which
is before the citizens of New Ulm at the
present time. While no definite action
was taken at this meeting, its purpose
was realized in getting a definite express
sion OF approval from the business men
upon this question, and promise from
members of the city council to consider
any proposition which is founded on
business basis. The committee of the
Commercial Club, consisting OF F. w.
Johnson, E. G.. Hage and Albert Stein
hauser, which has been investigating
this question for some time, was instruct
ed to formulate some definite plan OF
action and then bring the whole propo-
sition up to the city council for action.
= Mr. Kimbrough, who came to New
Ulm at the invitation of the Commercial
Club is without question of one the
greatest authorities on the subject of
Municipal Heating in the United States.
His address was practical and to the
point. After giving short history OF
the development of the central heating
plant, he took up the problem as
applied to New Ulm. From the figures
and statistics which he gave, there stood
out most prominently the fact that at
the present time there is dead loss OF
$1,000 for every heating season of seven
months, going up through the chimney
of the city plant in the shape of exhaust
steam. Every pound of this steam
can be utilized in furnishing heat, he
said
Mr. Kimbrough mapped out district
which would include the main business
section along Minnesota Street, from
First South to Third North, which
could be easily heated from this central
heating plant without the use of scarcely
any live steam. He pr omised absolute
success to the undertaking as long as
this was used only as by-product of the
municipal plant, and was not extended
beyond its normal capacity. The pave
ment on Minnesota Street presents
very serious difficulty in the laying
of the mains which will necessitate a
duplicating of expense. The present
plan is to use the alleys between Mime
sofa and German Streets, and between
Minnesota and Broadway. The pros
spects for rapid growth of the main
business section along Broadway are
excellent so that even with pipeline
in the alley, the enterprise is sure to
pay for itself.
The cost of putting in mile of mains
was estimated by Mr., Kimbrough
at maximum OF $4,000. The district
mapped out by him was included with
in this mile limit.
Several plans were presented for
financing the enterprise. The one which
probably received the most favorable
consideration was to form corporation
which would advance money for build
ing and then receive their investment
from the city in the form of steam.
Another plan that was suggested, which
has been tried with success in many
other cities, was to have the city put
in the main artery or the Spinal column"
of ho horo lott hn ofo
enterprise pay for the branch lines. To
get around the difficulty brought on
by the pavement on Minnesota Street,
it was suggested that the lines be run
through the basement of the buildings
but Mr.. Kimbrough showed that such
plan would entail endless trouble
with the individual property owners,
especially when the property was sold
or leased.
During the discussion that followed
Mr.. Kimbrough's report, it was suggested
that committee be appointed to visit
neighboring towns and investigate the
success of heating plants there, and
report on it to the city council. Both
TFMr. Kimbrough and Mr.. Johnson,
chairman of the committee, objected
to this on the ground that it was need
less waste of time. The committee
had sufficient data to work on already,
and Mr.. Kimbrough, from his ex-
perience insisted that failure of
heating plant of this kind was always