The sectional plan adopted for the power house has made a uniform and
simple arrangement of steam piping possible, with the piping for each
section, except that of the turbine bay, identical with that for every
other section. Starting with the six boilers for one main engine, the
steam piping may be described as follows: A cross-over pipe is erected
on each boiler, by means of which and a combination of valves and
fittings the steam may be passed through the superheater. In the
delivery from each boiler there is a quick-closing 9-inch valve, which
can be closed from the boiler room floor by hand or from a distant
point individually or in groups of six. Risers with 9-inch
wrought-iron goose necks connect each boiler to the steam main, where
9-inch angle valves are inserted in each boiler connection. These
valves can be closed from the platform over the boilers, and are
grouped three over one set of three boilers and three over the
opposite set.

The main from the six boilers is carried directly across the boiler
house in a straight line to a point in the pipe area where it rises to
connect to the two 14-inch steam downtakes to the engine throttles. At
this point the steam can also be led downward to a manifold to which
the compensating tie lines are connected. These compensating lines are
run lengthwise through the power house for the purpose of joining the
systems together, as desired. The two downtakes to the engine
throttles drop to the basement, where each, through a goose neck,
delivers into a receiver and separating tank and from the tank through
a second goose neck into the corresponding throttle.

A quick-closing valve appears at the point where the 17-inch pipe
divides into the two 14-inch downtakes and a similar valve is provided
at the point where the main connects to the manifold. The first valve
will close the steam to the engine and the second will control the
flow of steam to and from the manifold. These valves can be operated
by hand from a platform located on the wall inside the engine room, or
they can be closed from a distant point by hydraulic apparatus. In the
event of accident the piping to any engine can be quickly cut out or
that system of piping can quickly be disconnected from the
compensating system.

The pipe area containing, as mentioned, the various valves described,
together with the manifolds and compensating pipes, is divided by
means of cross-walls into sections corresponding to e