61ST CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( DOCUMENT 2d Session. No. 517. APPROPRIATION, MACHINERY FOR HEATING PLANT, OLD POST-OFFICE BUILDING. LETTER FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TRANSMITTING A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR MACHINERY FOR HEATING PLANT. JANUARY 12, 1910.—Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, of the 10th instant, submitting an estimate of appropriation in the sum of $5,000 for the purchase and installation of a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo in the central heating plant of the department in the old Post-Office building. Respectfullly, CHARLES D. NORTON, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I have the honor to submit, with my approval, an estimate in the sum of $5,000 for the purchase and installation of a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo in the central heating plant of this department in the old Post-Office building. The communication from the chief clerk and superintendent of buildings of this department, attached to the estimate, explains in detail the necessity for, and the economy which will result from, the appropriation, which should be immediately available, and is herewith transmitted through your department for appropriate action by Congress. R. A. BALLINGER, Very respectfully, The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: The chief engineer of the department has called my attention to the advisability of submitting an estimate to Congress to purchase and install a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo, the same to be used in case of a breakdown of the present steam plant and for use during the nights, Sundays, and holidays in the summer months. After a careful estimate we have arrived at the conclusion that an engine and dynamo of 50-kilowatt capacity will not exceed in cost $5,000 and will be productive of a net saving of at least $1,500 to $2,000 per annum. There is now pending before Congress (H. Doc. 443) an estimate in the sum of $20,000 to connect the Pension Office heating plant with the central heating plant in the old Post-Office building, and estimates have been submitted to adopt electric motive power for the elevators, thus doing away with the steam plant in the Pension Office building, and lighting the Civil Service Commission and heating and lighting the Patent Office building, the Pension Office building, and the old Post-Office building from the central plant in the old Post-Office building. This plant consists of the following: Three boilers of 220 horsepower each and two boilers of 250 horsepower each. The engine and dynamos consist of 4 units, as follows: Two 100 kilowatts each, one 75 kilowatts, and one 50 kilowatts. At least two of the 220-horsepower boilers are required to be kept in constant use during nights, Sundays, and holidays in the summer months for the purpose of operating the dynamo. This, of course, entails a large consumption of fuel. Our idea is to install a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo of sufficient capacity to carry the decreased load, thereby saving the consumption of fuel incident to firing the two boilers, wear and tear on machinery, etc., and avoiding, in case of a breakdown, the leaving of the buildings without light, which was the case at one time last summer, when it was necessary to shut down the boilers and engines for the purpose of repairs. I have, therefore, to earnestly recommend that you transmit to Congress an estimate in the sum of $5,000, to be immediately available, for the purchase and installation of a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo in the central heating plant of this department in the old Post-Office building. Very respectfully, The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. CLEMENT S. UCKER, Estimates of appropriations required for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910, by the Secretary of the Interior. INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. OLD POST-OFFICE BUILDING. Engine for central heating plant, old Post-Office Department building, Department of the Interior For the purchase and installation of a gas or gasoline engine and dynamo in the central heating plant of the department in the old Post-Office building, to be immediately available (submitted).... $5,000 CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( ELEVATOR, PATENT OFFICE. LETTER FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TRANSMITTING A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR ELEVATOR IN THE PATENT OFFICE BUILDING. JANUARY 12, 1910.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, of the 10th instant, submitting an estimate of appropriation in the sum of $7,500 for the installation of an electric elevator in the east wing of the Patent Office building, occupied by the Department of the Interior. Respectfully, CHARLES D. NORTON, Acting Secretary. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I have the honor to submit, with my approval, an estimate in the sum of $7,500 for installation of an electric elevator in the east wing of the Patent Office building. The communication from the chief clerk and superintendent of buildings of this department and the copy of report of the chief engineer of this department, dated December 20, 1909, attached to the estimate, explain in detail the necessity for the appropriation, which should be made immediately available, and is herewith transmitted through your department for appropriate action by Congresss. Very respectfully, The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. R. A. BALLINGER, Secretary. Estimates of appropriations required for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910, by the Secretary of the Interior. INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. PATENT OFFICE BUILDING. Elevator, Patent Office building, Department of the Interior For the installation of an electric elevator in the east wing of the Patent Office building, occupied by the Interior Department, to be immediately available (submitted). $7,500 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I attach hereto a copy of a report submitted on December 20, 1909, from the chief engineer of this department concerning the elevator in the east wing of the Patent Office building. It is a hydraulic elevator of the Otis Elevator Company manufacture, now considered obselete in every respect, having been installed about thirty years ago. It has required during the past five years approximately $300 to $500 per year to keep it in repair. The cylinders and valve gear will probably have to be replaced within the next two years, which will involve at least one-half the expense of a new elevator. It is dangerous to life and limb, as will be noted from the chief engineer's report, owing to its construction and present condition. It is now necessary to maintain a steam main and special hydraulic pump to operate this elevator, but if an electric elevator is substituted there will be no expense of this character necessary, making an additional saving of probably $200 per year. It is located immediately outside the rooms occupied by the Secretary, First Assistant Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, Assistant Attorney-General, and principal officials of this department. It is consequently in considerable use by visitors and continually in use by employees of the Patent Office passing from the ground floor to the top floor of the building, as there is no stairway in the east wing leading from the second to the third floors. I have therefore to earnestly recommend that you transmit to Congress an estimate for an appropriation in the sum of $7,500 for the installation of an electric elevator in the east wing of the Patent Office building, to be immediately available. Very respectfully, CLEMENT S. UCKER, The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: Pursuant to your request I have the honor to submit the following regarding the four passenger hydraulic elevators situated in the old Post-Office, Patent Office and Pension Office buildings, respectively. The elevators in both Patent Office and old Post-Office buildings were installed about thirty years ago and are of the Otis Elevator manufacture and now considered obsolete in every respect. In consequence of their ancient design and the constant wear and tear of thirty years of service, these elevators require constant repair and renewal of many parts, and it is but a question of a few years before the cylinders and other parts will have to be renewed, which would in value be at least one-half of the expense of an entire new and up-to-date electric elevator. The two hydraulic passenger elevators located in the Pension Office building are also of an antiquated and obsolete type, and are much in the same condition as those in the other buildings, as set forth in the report from C. S. Jones, inclosed herewith. I have examined into the cost of repairs on these four elevators for the past five years and find that, without taking into consideration the cost of pump repairs, packing, and work done by our own forces, at least $5,000 has been spent during this time, or an average of $1,000 each year. I consider the general condition of these elevators to be dangerous to life and limb, both from the condition of the safety devices and the fact that the inclosures of the elevators in the Patent and old Post-Office buildings do not extend to the ceiling and passengers are liable to be caught between the ceiling and car. The chance of accident may be considered remote in this respect, but many persons have been killed and maimed in this manner, and no point of safety should be neglected where an elevator is used for passenger service. I would respectfully recommend that an appropriation be asked for to install an electric elevator in place of each of the hydraulic elevators mentioned, and if the same type of those now installed in the Ninth street wing of the Patent Office and the F street wing of the old Post-Office building be purchased the cost of repairs to elevators of this department would be reduced to a minimum. The estimated cost of the new elevators would be about $7,500 each, which would include necessary electric cables, skylights to accommodate overhead machinery, new cars, etc. The installation of electric elevators in the Pension Office building would effect the saving of from 150 to 200 tons of coal in summer, when the heating plant in the building is shut down, which would be over $1,000 per annum, besides eliminating the attendant now necessary for pumps and boilers. Trusting the above will meet with your approval, I am, Very respectfully, Mr. CLEMENT S. UCKER, Chief Clerk Department of the Interior. J. S. HILL, Chief Engineer. |