History of District Heating in the United States

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District Heating in Lockport, New York

1878 Map of District Heating System in Lockport

Birdsill Holly was born in Auburn, New York on November 8, 1820. He joined the Seneca Falls firm of Silsby & Race in 1853, which became Silsby, Race & Holly. When the Village of Lockport recognized the need to develop manufacturing in the village in 1858, several residents invited Holly to come to Lockport. The Holly Manufacturing Company was organized on May 2, 1859 with a capital of $20,000, with former New York Governor Washington Hunt, former Congressman Thomas T. Flagler, Charles Keep, Silas H. Marks, L.F. Bowen, G.W. Bowen, and Birdsill Holly as stockholders. Under superintendent Holly the company made sewing machines, a variety of pumps, and other metal goods. After a serious fire in Lockport in 1863 Holly conceived the idea of using one of his rotary pumps to force water through pipes to fire hydrants using what he called "direct pressure." The village approved his plan and it was demonstrated in August 1863. Holly recognized that a large potential market existed for urban fire protection systems and sold a system to his hometown of Auburn where a system began operating in November 1865. Holly then secured several patents covering his ideas and published a pamphlet in March 1867. Several other cities bought systems, although not all worked well. Holly also had to deal with several imitators and the company filed suits for patent infringement.

By June 1876 the company's stockholders expressed concern about the large amounts being paid to defend Holly 's patents in the numerous infringement cases and it was suggested that the firm close down. Holly carried on with the patent suits, but largely left the firm to pursue another idea of distributing steam to multiple buildings from a central boiler plant. form the Holly Steam Combination Company to sell district steam systems.

In May 1876 Holly became experimenting with underground steam pipes to determine how much heat was lost. He first installed 500 feet of one-inch pipes in his yard to measure the losses, and that proving satisfactory installed a 490-foot 1½-inch steam line laid in a 10"x12" wooden box filled with sawdust.to the house of Mary C. Works, widow of Samuel Works. A sketch of the original piping layout was included on page 5 of the second issue of the ADSCO Advocate in 1877 and also on page 156 of District Heating in April 1959.

Satisfied with the results, Holly solicited a group of local businessmen who were not affiliated with the Holly Manufacturing Company to form a new corporation, which was called the Holly Steam Combination Company (Limited).

References
1876 The Holly Steam Combination Company, Limited, Lockport
Preliminary Certificate Filed November 27, 1876
Final Certificate of Incorporation, January 17, 1877
Capital $25,000
Business: Manufacturing and putting into use machinery, pipes and appliances for supplying steam for heating, and machine labor.

1877 "The Holly Steam Combination Company," Lockport Daily Journal, January 5, 1877, Page 4.

1877 "Corporation Proceedings," Lockport Daily Journal, February 28, 1877, Page 4.
Petition of the Holly Steam Combination Company (limited), for permission to open streets and alleys between Main street and High street (north and south), and Washburn street and Transit street (east and west) for the purpose of laying steam mains and pipes for heating and manufacturing purposes, etc. Adopted.

1877 "Petitions," Lockport Daily Journal, March 21, 1877, Page 4
The Holly Steam Combination Company (Limited) respectfully ask that you extend the territory to be occupied by their steam mains and laterals, so as to embrace all streets and alleys in the city. Grants, under the same conditions as the petition of Feb. 27th ult.

1878 Report on Lockport System, by Birdsill Holly, May 18, 1878
No copy of this has been found, but portions were reprinted in District Steam Supply by James Herbert Bartlett 1884:12-15 | also here | pdf |

1881 "Steam Heating Matter," Lockport Daily Journal, January 21, 1881, Page 4.
Articles of incorporation of the American District Steam Company.

1881 Buffalo Weekly Express, January 27, 1881, Page 2.
The "American District Steam Company" is the name of a new company just formed at Lockport with the following officers : President. Dr. D. F. Bishop; Vice-President, W. C. Andrews; Secretary, B. D. Hall ; Treasurer, J. H. Babcock. The capital stock is to be $10,000,000, consisting of 100,000 shares at $100 a share.

1905 "Franchise granted to Economy Light, Fuel & Power Company," October 16, 1905, Revised Charter and Ordinances of the City of Lockport
No rights conferred to the Economy Light, Fuel & Power Company shall be operataive unless said company acquire the underground heating system now in operation in the city and continue to operate the heating plant under the grants of this franchise for its term.

1905 "Franchise of Lockport Gas & Electric Light Company," October 23, 1905, Revised Charter and Ordinances of the City of Lockport
For furnishing steam on the north side of the Erie canal within said city of Lockport.

1907 Public Service Commission, Second District, December 21, 1907
Lockport Light, Heat and Power Company authorized to acquire Economy Light, Fuel and Power Company and Lockport Gas & Electric Light Company.

1909 "System of the Lockport Light, Heat & Power Company," Electrical World 53:1077-1079 (May 6, 1909)
The Economy Light, Fuel & Power Company was organized in 1905 to take over the local steam-heating business of the American District Steam Company. In this business there had been invested a large amount of money for a central steam-generating plant and an expensive distribution system. In 1905 the idea was conceived that the steam produced at a properly constructed central station could be utilized in producing electrical energy for lighting and power purposes and that the exhaust steam from the engines could be utilized for heating. Accordingly the company obtained a local franchise and prepared to enter the field of electric lighting. A lively warfare ensued between the two companies and the Lockport Gas & Electric Light Company began to engage in the business of supplying steam heat.
The company has between six and seven miles of underground steam mains supplying steam for heating to approximately 12,000,000 cu. ft. of space in residences, churches, schools, public buildings and business houses, the number of customers being about 500. The first underground steam construction was installed in 1876 and has since that time been extended every year. During the past seven or eight years the old construction was taken up and the present standardized type of construction, known as the improved Holly system, was put down under the direction of the contractor, the American District Steam Company. At the time of this reconstruction the mains were also increased in size with a view of their being operated in connection with the electric light and power plant. The exhaust steam due to the operation of the engines is fully utilized during the period from the last of September until about the first of June, for heating. The steam is sold strictly by meter. what is known as the Simplex condensation meter being used. The buildings are fitted in the ordinary way, either for one or two pipe steam or for the atmospheric system, or the steam is used to heat water through the use of the American District Steam Company's design of hot-water heaters, where hot-water heating is desired in any building. Steam is also used in heating of water for plunge or shower baths and for general domestic use in the same manner. The pressure carried in the underground mains ranges from 1 lb. to 7 lb., depending upon the outside temperature, wind velocity and humidity.

1914 "Reminiscence and the Early Day Struggle of Central Station Steam Heating," by John Walsh

1929 Public Service Commission, Second District, December 5, 1929
An order made by the Public Service Commission on December 5, 1929, permitted the Lockport Light, Heat and Power Company to transfer its franchises, works and system used in connection with the sale of electricity, gas and steam to the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation.

1964 "Central Steam Heating Only 1 Holly Invention," Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, October 21, 1964, Page 22. | also here |

1964 "Have you heard!," District Heating 50(2):67 (October 1964)
Lockport, New York
The Company has announced plans to close its steam plant and discontinue its steam heating service in Lockport on June 15, 1966.
Mr. John C. Miller, Lockport District Manager, made the announcement in a letter to 159 residential and commercial customers affected, and to officials of the Harrison Radiator Division, which uses steam at its downtown plant.
Mr. Miller said operation of the plant has been unprofitable for years, despite all efforts to reduce costs through changes in operations and facilities.
The Company has filed a petition with the Public Service Commission requesting authority to discontinue the steam plant operation. The Company will furnish steam for two more heating seasons to give customers adequate time to investigate alternate heating sources and make the necessary installation of equipment.
Company specialists have surveyed the heating requirements of the customers involved. They will meet with each customer and if requested, will assist in forming plans for economical conversion to other forms of heating.
The Company has raised its steam rates several times, but the plant is still operating at a loss. The present charge for steam heating is considerably higher than for other types of heating and even another substantial increase in rates would not make retention of the plant feasible, Mr. Miller said.
He listed the following as among the factors which have made the steam heating operation unprofitable: (1) A decreasing number of customers; (2) Changed economic conditions; (3) Rising costs of supplying steam, including maintenance; (4) Decreases in the costs of heating sources. [The shutdown was delayed until June 15, 1969.]