Evening star., 1932-07-17
B|GHEAT|NG PLANT
WORK TO OSPEEDU UP
Contracts Let for Two More
! Boilers and Extensive
Tunnel System.

With two new contracts let for the
Governments central heating plant and
steam distribution system throughout
the downtown area, the huge plan for
furnishing heat to more than score
OF Federal structures from a big plant
in the southwest section IS due to make
rapid progress soon, according to the
Treasury Department, supervising the
project.
Contracts have been let for adding
two big boilers. making total OF SIX
boilers. and for constructing the ex-
tensive system OF tunnels which Will
west across the Mail, to the several
buildings in the Federal triangle and
elsewhere.
Contracts for the two additional
boilers went to the same firm which
originally was ordered to construct the
first four boilers-W. r. Wood and 1r-
wing Trust Co., receivers of Combustion
Engineering Corporation of New YORK.
To the original contract OF $426, ,43l 1or
the first four boilers was added S2l3,2l6
for two more. Each of these has a
nominal horsepower of $500, capable
of being operated continuously at 200
per cent above nominal making max
imum capacity of 10000 horsepower.
Conduits and Tunnels.
The steam distribution system, COM
prising extensive concrete tunnels. con-
duits and other structures, with piping
and associated equipment Will be con-
structed by the Northeastern Piping d
Construction Corporation of North Tona-
wanda, N. Y, which has just oeen
awarded the contract in the sum OF
This the lowest OF
IA bids. The work is expected to start
within so days, and to be finished In
$50 calendar days.
From the heating plant IN the square
bounded by C and D streets, Thirteenth
and Fourteenth streets southwest, tne
tunnels will run east, west and nortn.
The various structures to be served are
shown in thes accompanying diagram
Part of an old heating tunnel con-
structed prior to the war will be brought
into use to carry some OF the steam
across the Mall 1t was originally built
to take steam from site proposed 1or
a central heating pant at that time at
the head CT Washington Channel not
far from the foot Of Fourteenth street.
But there was objection to that site for
the plant; the war came on ana the
project was postponed. The tunnel,
however, was built northward along the
line of Fifteenth street, across the Mail.
and up to the Treasury Department. IL
turned on D street and went as far as
the present Post Oflce Department.
But this segment from Fifteenth street
to the Post Once Department had to De
abandoned as new structures OF the
Federal triangle were built on TINS slte.
Both Sides Of Mall.
1t is planned to serve not only the
group Of Federal buildings south OF the
Mall, including the Department OF Agri-
culture. Bureau Of Engraving and Print
ing, new Federal warehouse and Smith
sonian Institution, but also large num-
Der to the north cfthe Mall, including
the Federal triangle structures, the new
municipal center, the group centerlng
about the Court House, and the the west
of the Ellipse the group OF buildings,
which was to have been served by the
projected west central heating plant
abandoned in the interest Of the econ
omy program. Plans for the new tun-
rpls soon to be built show g tunnel
crossing the Ellipse on the line OF c
street and proceeding as far as Nine
teenth street.
Boilers are now being constructed; the
town Washington and then will fellow the
building itself, as it is planned by the
Treasury Department, which is super
vising the construction, to put up the
building last, around the boilers. About
November l bids will be asked for the
building, piping, coal and ash handling
equipment and other facilities. The
foundation and lower steel structure will
be put in, the boilers then will be placed
and the rest of the heating plant con-
structed around this vital working unit.
Congress has authorized the total
limit Of cost at s5,5oo,OoO. The Treas
ury Department designated United
Engineers and Constructors of Phila-
dephia, Pa, as engineers. Paul Cret OF
Philadelphia, designer of the Pan Amer
ican Building and the new French En-
bassy. Is the architect. Plans for the
building have been drawn and approved
by the Fine Arts Commission and the
Treasury Department.
The heating tunnels will be about S
by feet in size