Meade County news., 1917-10-25
The Largest System in United
States is Located at Camp
Funston.
TWO ARE NOW IN OPERATION
Others VIII Be Completed at Rate
of One Each Week-Some
Startling Figures.

steam nlS60Q through Ine pipes VI
two OF the heating plants at Camp
Funston recently, marking the begin
ming of the end of the construction
of the largest steam heating system
in the United States, If not in the en-
tire world. The two plants completed
will heat two entire infantry units
and the other plants will be completed
at the rate of about one week.
Although there have been slight de-
lays on account of shortages in ma
terials and lack of proper help at
times, some really great work has
been done by the contractors for the
plant, the total cost of which, not
counting some extensions which will
have to be made, will be approximate
ly $1,100,000. 1t was August Is when
the contract was let and three days
later when the first men arrived on
the grounds. At that time there was
not a piece Of material on the job.
To gain an idea of the immensity of
the system which will furnish heat for
nearly $4,000 men this winter, con-
slider the fact that there is 100000
square feet of radiation, or 9,l0G sep
arate radiators. That is more tha
100 carloads, or 100000 pounds.
Ninety eight per cent of the radiators
are now installed.
1t takes seventy miles of pipe, which
would stretch from Kansas City TO To-
peka, to carry the steam to the various
radiators. The steam mains are sup
ported on telephone poles, as was or
dered by Washington.
The mains are covered with two and
one-half inches of hair felt, thick
coating of asbestos, then wrapped with
ru5beroid and finally painted with as
phaltum. In that way there should be
very little loss OF heat, even though
the lines are not underground.
There are seventeen main power
plants, one for each unit of buildings,
thirteen GOO horsepower plants and
four 45O horsepower plants. The great
boilers weigh twelve tons each and in
many cases they had to be rolled dis
tance OF oOV Ieet.
X X x
Old Paper Finances church.-The
United Brethren Church of Scandia
has adopted a unique and novel way
of meeting the church's expenses,
During the past eight months, men,
bers of the congregation have gather
ed carload of paper. which was
shipped out few days ago. On re-
ceipt of the fund from the sale of the
paper, they will pay the pastors sal
airy for two years, build basement,
lay a new carpet and paper the church
building.
Pastor Into Army .Work.-Rev. Guy
l.. Brown, pastor of the First Baptist
Church In Wichita for many years, has
resigned to go into the United States
Army. He will work through the
army Y. NJ. G. A.
X X X
Held Real Bridge Party.-The peo-
pie of Hanover and surrounding coun-
try recently celebrated the dedication
of new concrete bridge across the
Little Blue, just completed and opened
for traffic. All the places of business
closed all day, and the townspeople
Joined the farmers in building a quar-
ter mile of gravel road, part on each
side Of the bridge. More than two
hundred teams were on the job all
| Tha n tey niO In
dinner in the grove near the bridge.
< X X
Allen and White Returning.-Henry
]. Allen, William A. White and others
in the Red Cross party Of which these
men are members, will sail soon for
America, according to a cablegram
from London. They are spending a
few days in London. The date on
which they intend to sail was not
given in the cablegram because of cen.
sorship regulations.
X X X
Find Man Dead In Road.-M. Skid
more, 65 years old, resident of Wilson
county many years, was found dead in
the road east of Neodesha the other
day. Death was probably due to heart
disease.
X X X
Winfield chNren Burns. - Grace
Methodist Episcopal Church at Win
field was "~7pletely destroyed by fire
the other night The congregation
was holding a prayer meeting in the
church at the time, but the fire got
such start in the furnace room and
basement before it was discovered
that the building could not be saved.
Two hundred persons were in the
building and they managed to save all
the church furnishings. The loss is
about $25, ,00v, with $4,000 insurance
X X X
independence Banks Merge@The
First National and Citizens National
banks of independence have consoli-
dated under the name of Citizens
First National with a capital and sur
plus of more than half million dollars
and deposits of more than five mil
lion dollars.
x X 4
Pioneer Merchant Dead.-Ben F.
Sparr, pioneer clothing merchant OF
VUaTIfooton dfad eOddanI1 30 hoort