Nothing says summer like a Kewanee Boiler

It was 95 degrees outside this afternoon and it was a 95 made worse by the humidity and lack of any wind, breeze or movement of the air whatsoever.  Fortunately for us and our dog, the basement of the building remains comfortably cool (this would be a good time to remember that a trip to North Dakota, unless you are a heat enthusiast, is best planned prior to July or after August).  On days like this I think of the biting cold that is just around the corner and the carefully orchestrated steps of daily boiler operations that await us in just a few short months.  Running our boiler system is not for the faint of heart as it is part art, part rocket science and part old industrial wisdom all rolled into the care of a phlegmatic and sometimes neurotic boiler nicknamed simply “Chance”(as in  a slim).  Naming an inanimate object can be helpful when the temperature drops below –30 degrees as it gives you a personality to be angry with not just a cold motionless hunk of steel the size of a VW bus.  I should state that Chance runs strictly on coal (about 30 tons of it per season) mined here locally.  A great amount of water is used to create a great amount of steam which creates a great amount of banging (which produces a great amount of barking from our dog).  Precise control over Chance’s endless gauges are needed to avoid the bathrooms from freezing and the apartments from sweltering but once Chance hits his stride, the results are worth it.  Radiator heat is responsible for keeping the temperature comfortable and the building safe from the extreme temperatures, but it is a costly operation in manpower and coal resources.  For just that reason we are setting up a Chance fund in order to keep this vital system maintained (by skilled technicians, not just by the likes of me) and operational for years to come.  Many people have asked how they can help and this is one way to turn dollars into coal into heat to help preserve this historic building.  Your donations can be forwarded to The Prairie Center, PO Box 32, Dodge ND 58625 (please earmark it “The Slim Chance Fund”).  Your contributions large or small will help meet these very real needs and provide warmth for families and visitors during the bracing winter months.