The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-02-16
TO Get COST OF
CITY HEAT LINES
Estimated Expenditure for
Construction of Mains to
Be Made by Engineer
Mayor w. A. Howe Promises
To Lay Facts Before People
In Investigation

Possibility of providing a city-wide
residential heating service from a
central municipal heating plant will be
investigated in detail by Buttons
city administration, Mayor w. A.
Howe announced this week.
In commenting on the investigation
program, the mayor said all facts that
can be ascertained without going to
undue expense will be presented to the
public
Action of the municipality is the
result of a petition presented last
week by some fifty Bluffton taxpayers
and prospective home owners asking
that heat be made generally available
for residences in all sections of the
town.
Will Estimate Cost
In connection with the investigation,
Mayor Howe and Superintendent j.
w. Swisher, of the Municipal light and
power plant will meet in Lima this
week with am engineer from The Crane
Co., manufacturers of heating and
plumbing equipment to obtain am es-
innate on the cost of heat lines extend
ing thruout the town.
No expense is involved in this phase
of the investigation, the mayor said,
and with approximate figures avail
able it will be possible to determine
what the aggregate cost of the pro-
ject Nigh be.
Although estimates to be furnished
by representatives of the Crane COM
pany will be for construction only of
the heating mains and will not include
operating costs, some light on the
cost of operation has been obtained
from data furnished by representa-
tives of the Central Ohio Light and
Power company who operate a CEN
trail heating system from their Find
lay generating plant.
Assume "Live" Steam Required
Figures from the Central Ohio
Light and Power Findlay heating SER
vice where live steam is used indi-
cate the cost of heating an average
size home is approximately $120 per
year. This is based on rate of 30
cents per foot of radiation. This rate
which was described as being lower
than the average, is said to be neces-
sary because live steam Is required.
Buttons rate of Is cents per foot of
radiation is based on use of waste
steam which otherwise would bring no
return to the municipal plant.
In most cases where centrally dis
tributed heat, produced from live
steam is available, the cost is from IL
to 25 per cent higher than heating by
coal in an individual furnace, it was
pointed out.
Estimate Heat From Municipal Plant
Investigation of the possibility OF
Il
centrally distributed heat is being pur-
sued on the basis that the heat woulc
have to be provided by the municipal
plant.
Spokesman for the Central Ohio
Light and Power Co., last week an
nounced that the utility is not inter
ested in nor prepared to provide hea
from their Bluffton generating plant
In further explanation this week i
was pointed out that hot water dis
charged at present into the large quar-
ry varies from about 80 degrees Il
summer to so degrees in winter AM
could not at all be adapted for heat
ing purposes. 1t is not hot enough Il
its present discharged state to be USE
for heating because the temper atur
would be considerably lowered i
transmission.
Further details will be announced a
the investigation continues Mayo
Howe said Wednesday.