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ASHRAE – HOUSTON (Formally South Texas) CHAPTER HISTORY - TO DATE

Houston Chapter History to 2013

By Bruce Flaniken Historian Emeritus October 26, 2013

(Previous authors/contributors included Clarence Fleming, Bruce Flaniken, Henry C. (Hank) Fry, Pat Powell, Neil Silverman and Chase Williamson)

Contributions by the Houston & Texas Area to Region VIII HVAC&R Industry

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., is celebrating its 119th Anniversary and the Houston Chapter its 74th Anniversary this year (2013). As you may imagine, the main interest a hundred years ago was HEATING, then VENTILATION, REFRIGERATION and with AIR CONITIONING dead last since there was no air conditioning at that point in time, except for ventilating breezes through open windows in rooms with high ceilings..

Heating was done by wood burning fireplaces which were replaced with cast iron radiant stoves burning wood and/or coal. As man became more and more concentrated into cities the need to control fire became ever more important, so steam boilers came into vogue for heating buildings. Steam boilers are typically large massive arrangements that require skilled operators so the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Class Operating Stationary Engineers licenses were brought into being to keep large boiler installations under safe control and operation.

Refrigeration was primarily a northern industry from frozen ponds and rivers in the more northern states, being harvested, stored and sold during warmer weather. River locations were used to provide rotating power from water wheel type of mills to machine shops in order to get the required motive power for rotating mechanisms prior to steam and electricity.

As steam engine machines developed as a reliable means of rotating shaft power and heat sources, they began to be used as the power source for refrigeration and ventilation systems. Of all of the steam engines being used for this purpose in 1914 over 90% of them exceeded 15,000,000 calories/hour. By 1925 the electric motor was the preferred method of drive providing 62% versus 32% for steam engine drives while diesel and gas engines were used 4% and 2% of the time respectively.

At that time ventilation was almost non-existent and controlled by the building orientation and placement of windows to catch the prevailing breezes. High ceilings and large open central staircases with ventilated domes provided some feeble assistance to gravity and Mother Nature. Ventilation did not really take off until later the mid-1880’s development and spread of electricity, although there was a kerosene powered fan sold by The Whirlwind Fan Company with the sales slogan “It will give you greater efficiency and enable you to do more and better work.”

SOUTH TEXAS HVAC & R Industry 1851 to 1938

Texas inventors and machine shops did much of the early experimental work in the development of

commercial refrigeration in the United States, although it was from Europeans (notably Scots,

English, and French) that their theories were obtained. The development of mass production of

artificial ice was pioneered in Texas and Louisiana. The most interesting refrigeration history related

to Texas dates from 1861 to 1885. When the natural ice supply from the North was cut off by the



Civil War, men of ingenuity in Texas and Louisiana came forth with inventiveness in mechanical ice

making and food preservation. During the war a Ferdinand Carré absorption machine, which had

been patented in France in 1859 and in the United States in 1860, was shipped through the Union

blockade into Mexico and eventually to Texas, where it was in operation in San Antonio. The Carré

machine used a mixture of ammonia and water as a refrigerant. Around 1865 Daniel Livingston

Holden installed a Carré machine in San Antonio and made several improvements on it. He equipped

the machine with steam coils and used distilled water to produce clear ice. By 1867 three companies

were manufacturing artificial ice in San Antonio. At that time there were only five other ice plants in

the entire United States. About 1866 or 1867 Holden acquired the Peter Henri Van der Weyde

compression patent, which used petroleum ether and naphtha as refrigerants, and in 1869 Holden took

out a patent on his own designs. That year he also partially supervised the installation of a sixty-ton-

capacity Carré plant in New Orleans. He extended his activities across Texas and into Louisiana and

the South.

After the Civil War the expanding Texas beef industry encouraged and financed the development of

the mechanical cold process. Andrew Muhl of San Antonio, in partnership with a man named Paggi,

built an ice-making machine there in 1867 before moving it to Waco in 1871. Development of

mechanical refrigeration for the Texas meat industry began in the late 1860s in Dallas with Thaddeus

S. C. Lowe's carbon dioxide machines, which had been used to inflate the balloons he had constructed

for military purposes. Using dry ice made with carbon dioxide compressors, Lowe designed a

refrigerated ship, the William Tabor, in 1868, in competition with Henry Peyton Howard of San

Antonio, to carry chilled and frozen beef to New Orleans. Howard's steamship Agnes was fitted with

a cold-storage room, twenty-five by fifty feet in size. Because the William Tabor drew too much

water to dock in New Orleans harbor, Howard's ship was the first to ship beef successfully by

refrigerated boat. Upon the shipment's arrival, Howard threw a banquet at the St. Charles Hotel in

New Orleans in July 1869 and presented his transported beef to prominent diners. Because Lowe

failed to accomplish his feat, he did not receive the proper credit for his attempt; however, the

singular accomplishment of a refrigerator ship established the compressor process of refrigeration for

ships delivering meat to New York and Europe. Carbon dioxide is nontoxic and nonflammable, and

its use as a refrigerant was employed in marine service well into the twentieth century.

Between 1871 and 1881 the first mechanically refrigerated abattoir in the United States was planned,

established, and successfully operated in Fulton, Texas, for the purpose of chilling and curing beef for

shipment to Liverpool, England, and other destinations. Daniel Livingston Holden, his brother

Elbridge, and Elbridge Holden's father-in-law, George W. Fulton, took part in the development of this

new process of beef packing and shipping. Thomas L. Rankin, of Dallas and Denison, held many

patents in the area of refrigeration and had been involved in refrigeration work with Daniel Holden.

From 1870 to 1877 Rankin worked on the development of refrigerator and abattoir service for rail

shipping of refrigerated beef from Texas and the Great Plains. In late 1873 the Texas and Atlantic

Refrigeration Company of Denison made the first successful rail shipment of chilled beef across the

country from Texas to New York. The development made by Rankin and his Texas associates spread

rapidly to other beef-shipping centers of the nation.



A pioneer in Texas, Gail Borden (1801-1874) became an inventor whose most notable contributions lay in condensing and preserving foods, particularly milk.

Gail Borden was born in Norwich, N.Y., on Nov. 9, 1801. His family moved to Kentucky in 1814. Taught surveying by his father, he helped lay out the city of Covington. The family soon moved to Indiana Territory; Gail, Jr., served briefly as Jefferson County surveyor and taught school. In 1821 he moved to southwestern Mississippi for health reasons. He taught school and worked as a deputy U.S. surveyor for 7 years.

Still searching for a better climate, Borden moved to Texas in 1829. After farming and raising cattle briefly, he returned to surveying. As Stephen Austin's superintendent of official surveys, Borden prepared the first topographical map of Texas. He headed the Texas land office from 1833 until the Mexican invasion. With his brother, Thomas, in 1835 he founded the first permanent Texas newspaper, the Telegraph and Texas Land Register, in San Felipe. The paper was soon moved to the new city of Houston, which Borden surveyed in 1836.

After Texas separated from Mexico in 1836, Borden helped write its constitution. In 1837 he was appointed the first Texas collector of customs by President Sam Houston. Borden surveyed and planned the city of Galveston, continuing as customs collector.

After his wife and children died in 1844 and 1845, Borden decided to alleviate the hardships of pioneers by making concentrated food that would not spoil. His first marketed product was a biscuit of dehydrated meat. At the first world's fair, the London Crystal Palace Exposition (1851), Borden's meat biscuit won him a membership in the London Society of Arts and a gold Council Medal, one of five awarded to Americans. The biscuit, tested by food specialists, retained nutrition and succulence indefinitely. The British saw in it a great, new American enterprise. Borden's biscuits were used by explorers and sailors, but his company failed in 1853 because competing suppliers of meat caused cancellations of army orders for the biscuits.

Visiting the Shaker community at New Lebanon, N.Y., in 1851, Borden observed sugar making with airtight pans and decided that milk could be condensed and could remain wholesome indefinitely. In 1853 he applied for a patent on a process for extracting 75 percent of the water from milk and adding sugar to the residue. The patent was denied on the grounds that the process was not new. Three years later, after demonstrating that the use of vacuum pans was novel and essential to the process, he received the patent.

The New York Condensed Milk Company (much later, the Borden Company) was formed in 1856, financed by Jeremiah Milbank. Several factories were established in Connecticut, New York, and Maine by 1861 and many more in the 1860s. Four more patents on condensed milk were awarded Borden in the 1860s. Early in the Civil War this milk was found to be of great value to the Union Army, and the output of Borden's plants was commandeered. Its use spread rapidly, especially after soldiers introduced it to civilians. Indeed, the Civil War era witnessed a vast increase in all canned-food consumption.

Next Borden patented a process for condensing fruit and berry juices. (It had not been known that spoilage was caused by bacteria, which can be heat-killed, until Pasteur's germ theory in 1864.) The



U.S. Sanitary Commission bought Borden's condensed juices to serve to wounded soldiers. Borden also patented processes for making beef extracts and for concentrating tea, coffee, and cocoa.

Returning to Texas, Borden educated dairymen in sanitation, engaged in philanthropy, organized schools for African Americans and whites, built six churches, and supported poorly paid ministers, teachers, and students. He died in Borden, Texas on January 11, 1874, and was buried in White Plains, N.Y.

The development by Mr. Gail Borden, Collector of the Port of Texas Republic at Galveston, Texas, via a reduced temperature and pressure process produced meat biscuits and true beef extract that won the highest honors at the London World’s Fair in England in 1851 for being the first true beef extract produced. Gail Borden later produced the first commercial condensed milk in Galveston just prior to the start of the Civil War.

The Port of Galveston via the Texas Ice Company and Gage, Parker & Company were doing a brisk business of 9,000 to 10,000 tons per year in Maine and Massachusetts ice sales during 1860, the ice being brought in by ship and stored.

Daniel Holden Carre’ Ice Machine in 1865

Mr. Daniel L. Holden built and operated mechanical refrigeration plants in the fall of 1865 in San Antonio, Texas. Daniel Holden obtained a Carre Ammonia Vapor Absorption Ice Machine which he set up in San Antonio, Texas and produced commercial quantities of ice. This may have been the Carre ice machine that wound up in Mexico. Beefsteak was costing $0.02 per pound and imported natural ice from the northern climates cost $0.10 to $0.25 per pound in 1865. It was arguably, the first plant in the United States for commercial production of artificial ice. Holden designed improvements to the Carre' Ammonia Vapor absorption units of Paris, France. His improvement to the Carre



Ammonia ice making machine was to use a steam coil to separate the ammonia from the water rather than the direct fired burning method that Carre used that he obtained a patent for. The poor quality of San Antonio River water also inspired the use of distilled water to make clear ice by Holden which quickly became an industry standard practice along with stirring the ice tins water occasionally with a broom while it was freezing to eliminate water bubbles. His work combined with Andrew Muhl’s work on ether compression ice machines made San Antonio the center of the United States ice making and probably the world by 1867 with three of the six listed operating ice plants in the United States being in production in San Antonio, Texas. Their combined capacity was in the 7.5 to 12 tons of ice making per day! Andrew Muhl’s idea to evaporate the ether which has a low boiling point under a low level vacuum was an innovation of the (naphtha/gasoline) or “Chymogene” type of ice making machines and/or ammonia vapor ice making machines that used outside heat sources to drive the vaporization and condensation separation cycle of the “Chymogene” vapor ice machine as well as the direct fired ammonia vapor or steam coil to drive the endothermic ammonia water absorption to a low boiling point ether machine that then compressed and condensed the ether vapor in a closed cycle that was less dangerous to operate. He typically set up a machine shop on a river to get rotating shaft mechanical work to drive the ether vapor pump and to provide a cool condensing medium from the natural river water flow via water dam and water wheel. The shop gave him additional income and allowed him to construction his own designs and make improvements as they occurred to him.

Daniel L. Holden and his two brothers (son-in-law of Colonel George W. Fulton) built and operated the first commercial mechanical refrigeration system and cold storage house in Fulton, Texas, while the Victoria, Corpus Christi and Rockport regions were doing extensive beef slaughtering. Their system made ice flakes which were then pressed into blocks called “regealed ice”. Daniel L. Holden also operated a turtle soup canning plant with mechanical refrigeration at Rockport in 1878.

Andrew Muhl was born in Paris, France in the Alsace Region on February 17, 1831. He attended

college in Paris, France learning the machinist and locksmith trades and served his time in the in the

French Army. (1) He was a contemporary of the Carre in Paris, France who invented the Ammonia

Vapor Absorption Cycle Ice Manufacturing Machine using a burner arrangement to heat the

condensed ammonia vapor water solution and drive the ammonia vapor out of the water to allow for

the endothermic reaction of dissolving ammonia gas in water ice. Andrew was making ice and ice

cream in France before he left to go to Mexico. At the age of 34, in 1865 he immigrated instead to

America to Washington, D.C, Atlanta, and New Orleans before settling in San Antonio, Texas in

1865. One newspaper account has his ship be swept to off course on the way to Mexico and he

wound up in New Orleans. (2) He tried to patent his invention in Washington D.C. or Atlanta, Georgia

in 1865, but was unable to properly file the necessary documents. He met and married a Miss

Josephine Fischer in 1866 in San Antonio, Texas and they raised a large family of thirteen children.(3

His oldest son J. A. Muhl was born in 1868 in San Antonio and under Andrew’s tutelage and on the

job training as he grew up became a Machinist and Ice Machine Builder, Operator in Waco. (4)

The potential market for ice within the South had always been large, and prior to the Civil War expensive natural ice shipped from the North found a limited demand. The developer of a cheap artificial ice machine could reap a fortune and during the late 1860's, according to a trade history, "tireless experimenters" invaded the South, all trying to perfect the process. The Columbus Ice Manufacturing Company unsuccessfully tried to raise enough capital to erect an ice plant in 1865



and again in 1868. On both occasions, the local newspapers attempted to chide local investors by pointing out the success of ice machines in other southern cities. By 1869 at least four plants in the U. S. manufactured ice for sale. On 13 December 1865 the Enquirer informed Columbusites that "the success in ice manufacturing in other Southern cites is such as to remove all doubts from the minds of our citizens of its practicability." The Daily Sun (11 August 1868) wrote Columbus would soon have an ice factory in operation. "So, Mr. Macon, you will perceive your sister city is not far behind you in the good work." Columbus Daily Sun, 12 December 1865, 18 January 1866; Columbus Daily Enquirer 4 January 1866. (5)

1867 was reported as the start of operations of the Andrew Muhl Ether Ice Making Machine in San

Antonio, Texas in August 17, 1871 Scientific American Patent Agency publication listed November

28, 1871. (6)

Brunet and Muhl Iron and Brass Machine Shop on Pressa Street River Bank, a new advertisement

was listed May 21, 1868 in San Antonio Express. (7) In 1870 the population of San Antonio was listed

as 12,256. In a Bird’s Eye View of San Antonio, Texas produced by Augustus Koch shows the

location of the ice house as near the bend in the San Antonio River. (8)

Muhl’s Ether Ice Machine



Enclosed Water Containers/Ice Bins with Ether Vapor Piping (6)

San Antonio River Walk at North Pressa Street (28)



San Antonio River Walk Downtown @ North Pressa Street & San Antonio River (28)

Daniel Livingston Holden obtained a Carre Ammonia vapor Absorption Ice Machine which he set up

in San Antonio, Texas in the fall, 1865 and produce commercial quantities of ice. Beefsteak was

costing $0.02 per pound and imported natural ice cost $0.10 per pound in 1865. San Antonio went

Ice-happy and in 1867 when the U.S. Census listed six ice houses, three of them were in San

Antonio, Texas. (9)

Deed of Trust between Andrew Muhl and M. Paggi to Carl Elmendorf was recorded in Bexar County

on May 19, 1868 and release to same was recorded in Bexar County December 7, 1868. (10)

Contract of Sale, between Andrew Muhl and M. Paggi to Carl Elmendorf was recorded in Bexar

County on December 8, 1868 this was probably for the Ether Ice Machine that was relocated from

San Antonio to Austin, Texas. (10)

San Antonio Express Sunday October 4, 1868 Notes: that a “Guenther and Muhl build new ice

factory.” Sunday July 18, 1869 Notes: that a “Mr. Guenther starts operation of an ice factory

patented by Andrew Muhl of San Antonio.” (11)

San Antonio Express: March 29 or 30, 1870, Reports “Dam moved by San Antonio Authorities.”

Wednesday March 31, 1870 Reports “Mr. Muhl’s mill wheel moved.” (12)



Article in San Antonio Dailey Herald March 29, 1873 referring to those previous articles Stated ”A

Very Great Outrage -Some three years ago, a poor but worthy hard working French mechanic by the

name of Muhl, came to San Antonio, and promptly leased a vacant lot on the river at the east end of

the old dam above Lewis Mill, putting up a temporary building and commenced a brass foundry in a

humble way, among other improvements digging a short trench into the bank of the river and putting

in a snug water wheel to propel the machinery.” His industry, science and skill soon attracted

attention and Mr. Guenther a wealthy German of this city, last summer employed him to make two

ice machines, which were pronounced a success and are now supplying our city with ice.” During the

course of that Muhl realized he needed more power for his water wheel to drive all of the equipment

and correctly deduced that raising the level of the dam would give him the additional power and

without thinking through the consequences for the people downstream of reduced flow, mosquito

bogs and smelly stagnant water. “Since the completion of that job Mr. Muhl has been struggling

along working every day with his own hands in doing such jobs as he could get and adding to his

machinery. Yesterday morning the city authorities without the least notice and against the solemn

entreaties of Mr. Muhl sent and had the dam torn away in such a manner to render Mr. Muhl’s

machinery useless to him and to his very great injury. That dam had been there for a great many

years; and though no one objects to its removal, we denounce the manner of its being done without

notification to Mr. Muhl, so that he could have provided motive power, as an outrage upon a poor

hardworking mechanic who was doing a great service to San Antonio. Can there be any key to such

treatment to this worthy mechanic? Mr. Muhl was not born on the right side of the Rhine to please

the ring who run our city government! If he had he could have filled the river with machinery and all

would have been well”. (13)

The San Antonio Express on March 30, 1870 ran this rebuttal column: Clap Trap- The Herald of

yesterday, in its eagerness to make a point against the city authorities, bewails the hard fate of Mr.

Muhl, whose water wheel had been stopped by the removal of the dam. We sympathize with Mr.

Muhl in his loss, and stand ready to contribute our quota towards making him reparations, but we

think that the city officials should be blamed if blamed at all for too little rather than too much speed

in the removal of a nuisance.

The dam has been for years a constant source of well-grounded complaint on the part of those

dwelling on the banks of the river. Sediment, scum, stagnant water, and consequent sickness have

been the result, while the danger of overflow has been greatly interfered. Mr. Muhl, too, has been

adding to the height of the dam and augmenting the annoyance and apprehension it caused. Finally

the property owners on the river, without regard to political opinion, united in a petition which had the

desired result. Mr. Muhl had warning enough of what was coming when the court declared his

obstruction a nuisance and his occupancy was lengthened beyond reasonable hopes.

The attempt by the Herald to make a little political capital out of this affair is simply – Characteristic.”

(14)

Advertisement in newspaper for Velocipede (bicycle or tricycle powered by operator) wheels

manufactured by S.N. Brown Company in Dayton Ohio were offered. City Intelligence - indicated

that San Antonio was progressing because “Our enterprising friend Andrew Muhl has built a

Velocipede, which we will presume our good citizens will soon have the pleasure of seeing cavorting

around our streets. Who will hereafter say that San Antonio is not a fast place?” (15)



A couple of inches down the same news page Notes Ice Machine for Austin – “We learn that

Messr. Muhl and Paggi of this city have engaged to take one of their ice machines to Austin and run

it for the benefit of the people of that one horse town. This will not interfere with San Antonio’s

arrangements about Mint Juleps. (15)

Michael Phegi born in Italy around 1940, he studied art in France and was forced to flee to Mexico

during the Austrian Italian conflict and when French and Italian nationals were being arrested,

changing his Italian name Phegi to Paggee, Patci, Paggi and other variants that disguised his

ancestry. Michael Paggi of the Paggi Carriage and Wagon Dealership at what is now 421 East 6th

Street in Austin, Texas. Lived for a time in San Antonio where he became interested in ice

manufacturing. (16) He met and entered into contracts with Andrew Muhl of San Antonio to relocate

one of Muhl’s’ Ether Ice machines San Antonio to Austin. (10)

Barton Springs Austin Texas (29)

The 1870 census indicates that he was living in Austin’s Barton Creek area. In 1871 he leased a

turbine water wheel, a mill, several houses, an ice machine and a grist mill on Barton about a quarter

of a mile below Barton Springs.

Later that year he went to Europe to purchase an ice machine that could produce 2.5 tons a day of

ice. By 1872 he was superintendent of the Austin ice Company at San Jacinto Street on the

Colorado River.



San Jacinto Street @ Colorado River Austin, TX near Region VIII 2012 CRC Hotel (29)

He also produced soda water, syrup and ice cream at a shop on Pecan (later 6th) and Brazos Streets

in Austin, Texas. He later diversified and by late 1871, ran a bath house at Barton Springs and a

Carousel that is described as a Mexican Fandango described as a set of horses and carriages that

moved in a circle accompanied by organ music. He also ran a small iron steamboat between the City

of Austin and Barton Springs. (17)

April 2, 1868 San Antonio Herald notes: ” We had a call from Dr. W. G. Kingsbury, of this city, but

who for the last several months has been busily engaged in Victoria, Texas in Superintending the

erection of the New Beef Packing Establishment at that place. The doctor appears to be very

sanguine that his enterprise will be successful. His Ice machine, steam engine and all fixtures are

now on the ground and mechanics are busily engaged in putting up the necessary buildings for the

works. The expectation is that he will be able to put up fifty beeves per day, and hence it may be

inferred that the establishment is to be on a large and liberal scale. He expects to do most of his

packing in the summer and fall and to get into full operation in the next 2 or 3 months. We wish the

enterprise the most unbounded success.” (18)

Release W.G. Kingsbury to Andrew Muhl was recorded In Bexar County on December 15, 1870. (10)

Deed Andrew Muhl to James Wood was recorded In Bexar County on December 30, 1870. This was

probably the deed for the land and machine shop less the Ether ice Making Equipment on Press

Street at the river bank. (10)

Deed of Trust Andrew Muhl to W.G. Kingsbury dated January 14th, 1870 was recorded in Bexar

County. (10)

Deed Andrew Muhl and wife to Alexander Varga Dated January 03, 1871 was probably the sale of

their homestead property in San Antonio. (10)



Deed of Trust Andrew Muhl to Joseph Fischer was recorded In Bexar County on January 29, 1870

and Release of Deed of Trust Joseph Fischer to Andrew Muhl recorded In Bexar County on January

06, 1871. (10)

Sale of Patent Andrew Muhl to J. B. LaCoste Dated January 1, 1872 was recorded in Bexar County.

(10)

Articles of partnership between Muhl and Guenther were recorded with Bexar County in October 8th,

1868 and rescinded and annulled in December 05, 1868. (10)

Andrew Muhl, San Antonio, Texas U.S. Patent Office #121,402 dated 11/28/1871 Improvement in

Apparatus for Manufacture of Ice Witnessed by C.B. Guenther and Th. Thielepape. This was an

Ether Vapor Ice Machine Apparatus Improvement. (19)

Ice Machine Vacuum Pump for Liquid Ether to Boil Below Freezing Point of Water



River Water Condenses Ether Vapor &Vacuum Pump Lowers Boiling Point of Ether

James E. Sears Waco, Texas U.S. Patent office #118,649 dated 08/29/1871 Improvement in

Apparatus for Manufacture of Ice Witnessed by J.N. Campbell and Edm. F. Brown. This was a

“Chymogene Petroleum Vapor” Ice Machine Apparatus Improvement. (20)

Andrew Muhl, Waco, Texas U.S. Patent Office #121,888 dated 12/02/1871 Improvement in

Apparatus for Manufacture of Ice Witnessed by M. Bailey and C.B. Nottingham. This was an Ether

Vapor Ice Machine Apparatus Improvement. (21)

In 1872 the first successful ice machine began operating in Columbus. In the spring of that year Golden traveled to New Orleans and observed an Andrew Muhl compression-type machine that used ether as a refrigerant. By the fall the Columbus Iron Works had built such a machine at the cost of $15,000. In its first night of operation it froze 1,500 pounds of ice in 25 pound cakes. The investors planned to erect a factory at the site of the old Carter Factory on the river (on Eagle & Phenix property) and manufacture and sell ice machines for $9,000 apiece. Construction of the new factory never began. The Columbus Iron Works continued to manufacture a few of these models and sold them in Montgomery, Texas and in Cuba. Muhl demanded royalties and the Columbus Iron Works stopped making his machines. The Muhl ice machine had the advantage of being a safer machine than its chief rival, the Carre. The Muhl operated at 40-60 pounds per square inch, while the Carre developed 210-250 pounds per square inch. (22) Andrew Muhl, Waco, Texas U.S. Patent Office #146,267 dated 01/06/1874, application filed

12/08/1871 Improvement in Apparatus for Cooling the Air of Buildings described in Tellier U. S.

Patent Office # 85,719, dated 01/05/1869 Witnessed by M. Bailey and C.B. Nottingham. This was



an Ether Vapor horizontal coil and blower arrangement which achieves a more uniform temperature

distribution and positive ventilation within the room apparatus improvement. (23)

Horizontal Refrigeration Room Coils with Blower (A/C)

Early Improvement to Refrigeration Room (A/C) by Adding Blower& Horizontal Coils



History of the Waco Medical Association with Reminiscences and Irrelevant Comments by William

O. Wilkes, M.D. Printed in 1931. The ten founders of the Waco medical Association together with

James E, Seares, Andrew Muhl and George Coates organized a company in 1869 with $20,000.00

capital to build an ice factory in Waco, Texas. It was erroneously listed as the 1st in Texas by John

Sleeper’s Waco City Directory. The directory stated that “the plant was doing a booming business at

that time (1869) with artificial ice 15 degrees colder and in purity and general good qualities superior

to natural Brazos River Winter Harvested Ice and at a much reduced cost.” The plant had a capacity

of 2.5 tons of ice per day and when beer was introduced to the city, the demand for ice grew

because people liked to drink beer cold (the fear of frozen stomach walls had dissipated by this

time). The plant produced at full capacity and had to be expanded to meet the demand. By that time

the cost for ice was $1.00 per 100 pounds. The first ice was not produced until May, 1871 under the

Andrew Muhl Ether Ice Machine Patents. Before this factory was built, ice cost $0.15 to $0.25 per

pound being brought by rail from Houston to the terminus of the railroad at Millican or Bremond.

This new ice factory reduced the cost of ice from $0.15 per pound to that fell to $0.80 Cents per

pound. One of the new customers called the ice plant manager that she had been shorted on her ice

delivery. She had ordered 100 pounds of ice and only received 75 pounds of ice due to melting

during delivery. Egan, the plant manager had special run made for three 100 pound blocks made

and sent to her the next day! An ice war was started with the Austin Ice House and sales for ice at

$0.80 per 100 pounds. In 1944 during the war ice shortages developed in that summer as it was the

hottest summer on record for 83 years.

Waco, Texas Citizens Railroad Power House (29)

The original Ice House was located between Franklin and Mary streets on the west bank of the

Brazos River stood at the present day location of the power House for Citizens Street Railroad

Company which he owned and ran for 10 years.



He traded this for the Conger and Wilcox Machine Shop. He later traded for the Star Foundry and

Iron Works which made structural iron for building materials and later a Boiler and Machine Works.

He moved to Temple, Texas and operated an Ice House there for some time where he suffered a

stroke at work and died in 1892. His wife Josephine died suddenly in 1901. (24)

Waco Ice House Located Franklin & Mary on West Bank of the Brazos River (29)

His son J. A. Muhl born in August 27, 1868 in San Antonio under his tutelage of his father became a

very successful Machinist and Operator of Ice Works. He became the chief engineer for 10 years for

the Geyser Ice Plant and later was in charge of the Brazos Ice Company’s Industry. He also owned

and operated a 4 ton per day ice plant at 705 South 11th Street in Waco. He was married to Miss

Margaret Philbin who was born in Ireland, in April 3, 1894. They had two daughters and five sons. (25)

Andrew Muhl died in Temple, Texas from a stroke suffered at work on January 15, 1892 and is

buried in Waco’s Holy Cross Cemetery. (26)

The majority of this research was performed by family members, Aunt Agnes, Jaime Muhl and his

brother Michael Muhl. Andrew Muhl was their great-grandfather. He came to America in the 1860's

and met Josephine Fischer in San Antonio, Texas where they married and went on to have thirteen

children. Andrew’s oldest son J. A. Muhl was born in 1868 in San Antonio and under his father’s

tutelage became a Machinist and Refrigeration Plant operator. Their grand-father was Edmond

Alfred who was born in Waco, Texas on September 15, 1875. He married his wife, Josephine Meyer

in Waco. Their father was Julius Ignatius Muhl, born in Waco, Texas on August 1, 1915.

They have articles that place Andrew Muhl in places like Austin, Dallas, Victoria, Temple, New

Birmingham, Fulton Beach, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. Also and were told that he helped set

up an ice house in Cameron Texas. These articles and hear-say need more collaboration before

anything is written about them. Their interest in the background of my great grandfather started as a

child who had the privilege of being able to visit my grandfather’s house on the old Ft. Graham Road,

especially weekends and summers. Although my grandfather had passed on years earlier we had



grand times at the old home place. Several cousins and aunts and uncles would most probably be in

attendance. After everyone relaxed then the stories would come out. They would talk of Edmonds

hardware store on the square and how he had invented a tool to measure the curvature of the earth.

They talked of his father Andrew who had come over from France, the first of many Muhl’s, and how

he had invented air-conditioning. There was a lot of talk about his air-conditioning patent but little talk

about his refrigeration patents. Having had seen an old bird’s eye view map that listed Andrew’s

icehouse on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco but never knew that he had started a machine

shop in San Antonio on the river there in the 1860's. Come to find out that wasn't common

knowledge .My interest peaked in my early teens when with a cousin, we did a science report on

Andrew as the inventor of air-conditioning. We brought our dated patents as proof. Apparently, they

impressed our teacher since we received a good grade. This was as far as my research got except

for a few visits to the library until just recently, after; inheriting my Aunt Agnes’s research dating back

to the 1860's.This renewed our interest in knowing more about Andrew.

Andrew Muhl, Refrigeration Inventor (27)

David Jefferson built and operated the first commercial successful ammonia mechanical refrigeration

plant at Jefferson, Texas in 1873 while working without knowledge of Linde’s work in Germany. He

outdistanced the German inventor by at least a year.

Dr. Henry Peyton Howard, pioneer built of an ox-cart ice and produce delivery system from Indianola to San Antonio, successfully delivered Texas beef to New Orleans in the refrigerated steamship AGNES. His unsuccessful competitor, Thaddeus S.C. Loew, failed in his meat delivery because of poor ship design; however he did successfully operate carbon dioxide compressor plants at Dallas, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi in 1870.



Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe of Civil War fame for using CO2 observation balloons to direct

artillery fire was encouraged and financed by the Texas Beef Industry. The development of

mechanical refrigeration for the Texas meat industry began in the 1860’s in Dallas, Texas with

Thaddeus S. C. Lowe’s carbon dioxide machines, which had been in previous military use to inflate

observation balloons during the Civil War. Using dry ice made with carbon dioxide compressors,

Lowe designed a refrigerated ship, the William Tabor, in 1868, In competition with Howard Peyton of

San Antonio to carry chilled and frozen beef to New Orleans. Howard’s steam ship Agnes was fitted

with a cold-storage room twenty-five by fifty feet in size. Because the William Tabor drew too much

water to dock in the New Orleans harbor, Howard’s steam ship Agnes was the first to ship beef

successfully by refrigerated boat. Upon the beef shipment’s arrival in New Orleans, Howard ever the

entrepreneurial showman threw a large banquet at the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans in July,

1869 and presented his transported beef to prominent diners. Because Lowe failed to accomplish

this feat, he has not received proper credit for his attempt; however, the singular accomplishment of

a refrigerator ship established the compressor process on refrigeration for ships delivering meat to

New York and Europe. Carbon dioxide is non-toxic and non-flammable and its use was employed in

marine refrigeration service well into the twentieth century.

Thomas J. Rankin built the first refrigerated meat cars to take Texas beef to New York in 1872. The shipments were a success but the refrigerated railroad car manufacturing folded and was superseded by Kigan of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Between 1871 and 1881 the first mechanically refrigerated abattoir in the United States was planned,

established, and successfully operated in Fulton, Texas, for the purpose of chilling and curing beef for

shipment to Liverpool, England, and other destinations. Daniel Livingston Holden, his brother



Elbridge, and Elbridge Holden's father-in-law, George W. Fulton, took part in the development of this

new process of beef packing and shipping. Thomas L. Rankin, of Dallas and Denison, held many

patents in the area of refrigeration and had been involved in refrigeration work with Daniel Holden.

From 1870 to 1877 Rankin worked on the development of refrigerator and abattoir service for rail

shipping of refrigerated beef from Texas and the Great Plains. In late 1873 the Texas and Atlantic

Refrigeration Company of Denison made the first successful rail shipment of chilled beef across the

country from Texas to New York. The development made by Rankin and his Texas associates spread

rapidly to other beef-shipping centers of the nation.

The birthplace of ammonia-compression refrigeration in the United States is Jefferson, Texas, where

David Boyle, in 1873, established his first ammonia-compression plant in a lean-to off a lumber mill.

Improvements made during the winter of 1873–74 resulted in a high-grade production that attracted

national attention. When his machine was destroyed by fire in 1874, Boyle left Texas and went to

Illinois. He eventually made an arrangement with Richard T. Crane of Crane and Company of

Chicago to manufacture his compression machines. The first two machines produced were bought by

the Capitol Ice Company of Austin and by Richard King, who wanted to experiment with meat

refrigeration on the King Ranch. In 1878 Charles J. Bell installed the first absorption ice machine at

Sherman, Texas.

Another early worker in the development of ice-making machinery was Charles A. Zilker of San

Antonio and Austin. After coming to Austin from Indiana in 1880, he worked in an ice plant that had

been using a Carré machine brought from San Antonio. In 1882 King asked Zilker and his brother

Andrew J. to go to Brownsville and operate a Boyle ammonia-compression machine at an ice plant

that King had bought in 1876. Zilker returned to Austin in 1884, built his own plant, and continued

improving and designing compressor-type ice-making machinery. In business with George W.

Brackenridge, a San Antonio banker, Zilker established ice plants in Austin and San Antonio. After

that he built plants in any city where he could find enough prosperous people and sufficient cooling

water for compressors. In 1928 he sold his ice plants (which ranged from Texas eastward to Atlanta

and northward to Pittsburgh) to the Samuel Insull interests, Chicago, for $1 million.

In the latter part of the nineteenth century natural ice was shipped by rail from the North in

refrigerated cars. Fruit and vegetable production in Texas greatly expanded after the turn of the

century, and the refrigerator car was used effectively in transporting perishable foods to cities outside

the state.

The Lee Iron Works owned by C.B. Lee, David Weber and Joshua Miller founded of 1865 was one of the manufacturers chosen by Mr. Charles Zilker and his Austin bankers from 1878 to 1928 to build a system of patterned refrigeration plants from Austin to Atlanta, Georgia. The ice plants were designed by Zilker.

The Neptune Ice Factory owned by C.B. Lee and R.F. George was formed in 1884 to use the 10-ton Lee Patent Ice Machine to create ice from salt water. There was some early ice release problems that were later resolved.



Around that time the Nonpareil Dry Air Refrigerator was developed by J. Lee Burton and G. B. Marsan Company was selling the Gooch Company Patented Ice Cream Freezers to wealthy Galvestonians.

Grandma Rosie Ice Box 1890’s 7.5 Cu. Ft. Food Compartment Drain Eagle Lake, TX Tube 24”W X 30”H X 18”D

Top Compartment Holds 25# Block Ice

This brings us to approximately the start of ASHRAE, more than 100 years ago. The year was approximately 1890 and the world was pretty unsophisticated and/or uneducated, but some of the biggest changes ever to affect man were starting to take place as development of steam powered equipment surged ahead due to better understanding of mechanical and thermodynamic principles. The electric industry was just getting out of the starting blocks and, with Nikola Tesla’s



patent in 1888 of a polyphase induction A/C electric motor, developed with Westinghouse instead of Edison. This was because Edison was too enamored of DC power. Edison felt that all alternating current power was good for was electrocution of criminals, but without the alternating current polyphase motor for a small source of high torque and shaft rotation that did not require bulky steam generators, the HVAC&R industry could never have spread out to the small commercial and residential applications, i.e., home refrigerators, window air conditioning units, central forced air furnaces, ventilation fans, auto refrigeration units and truck refrigeration units.

Industry was burgeoning; new patents and ideas were constantly being hawked as the best or more natural ways of life, guaranteed to improve health, productivity, income or whatever other timely outrageous claim could be made, and some of it was even true. However, charlatans, scoundrels and rogues abounded.

Each inventor tried to be secretive and not tell all that they knew about the development of their product or process, but other inventors and mechanically inclined people purchased their equipment or process, analyzed it either intuitively or piece by piece and made improvements that increased capacity of equipment life or lowered cost. There were a lot of agreement that were recorded and registered in the municipalities that the inventor’s worked in to try to bring some sort of order to the process Soon the people involved realized that they could help each other and their infant industry by getting together to form an association to promote, regulate and educate the public.

ASHVE Got Its Start 118 Years Ago

In 1894 a group of 75 heating and ventilating engineers got together in an organizational meeting and on September 10, 1895 in New York City to form the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE) and by 1923 Texas had ten members: Austin with F.E. Giesecke and J.R. Donnelly; Beaumont with O. Helphingstein; Dallas with Reg. F. Taylor, C.S. Anderson and J.H. Van Zandt; Houston with A.F. Barnes; San Angelo with C.T. Houge; San Antonio with W.A. Ebert and Wichita Falls with C.C. Herd.

By 1900 there were 766 ice plants in the United States, and Texas, with 77, had more than any other state. In 1900 ice plants still generally used the aqua-ammonia cooling method. Innovations in these systems included more efficient high-speed engine drives for ammonia compressors and subsequently electric motor drives. During the twentieth century the move to liquid-vapor compression systems made for lower costs. Ammonia was still widely used in industrial refrigeration. Beginning in the 1920s there was a gradual decline in commercial ice houses and a greater use of home refrigerators, especially with the extension of rural electrification after World War II.

Some of the industry and regional “unique first projects” that our area or members have been involved in are, as follows.

Air-conditioned Public Cafeteria – 1922 – at Rice Hotel, Houston, Texas – earliest documented A/C system in Houston. The Houston Chapter was later to host the 1966 Society Semi-annual Meeting at the Rice Hotel.

Air-conditioned Theaters – the Majestic, January 29, 1923, Houston, Texas; later followed by the Metropolitan December 25, 1926 and the Loew’s State October 15, 1927. The Loew’s State and the



Metropolitan shared a basement cooling plant; it consisted of 200 ton carbon dioxide compressor (low RPM, 1300 psig, 14 foot diameter flywheel driven by an electric motor and a three foot wide leather belt; large diameter, low RPM centrifugal fans with pipe coils distributed the cooled air via constructed duct. Some early designed used melting ice and spray type chilled water coils to cool and clean the outside air being circulated in the buildings. Jesse Jones was the developer. The Texan, Isis and Majestic basement mechanical rooms were later lined by below grade tunnels so that the Texas and Isis could share equipment rooms with the Majestic. The Texan, later renamed the Plaza, had one of the first Carrier centrifugal Freon chillers installed (Serial #6). People were known to faint when coming out of the cold theaters so the theater owner for advertising purposes took advantage and posted a nurse in a white starched crisp ironed uniform to revive and make over the ones who fainted when walking from the cold theater into the brutal heat of a Houston summer.

Air-conditioned Theater – 1927 – Jefferson Theater, Beaumont, Texas, utilized a centrifugal 150 ton vapor compression cycle water chilling unit, Serial # 3607 manufactured in Leipzig, Germany in 1926 by C.H. Jaeger & Company for Carrier Engineering Corporation, Newark, New Jersey, driven by a 3,750 RPM, 125 horsepower motor with reduced voltage increment motor starter. The chiller is still in place, but is not operational. The Carrier Buffalo Forge sprayed chilled water coil air handling unit with 5 hp motor is still operational and is a large diameter, low RPM type unit with at 12” wide flat belt drive.

Clarence Fleming started working for GE Research in the HVAC&R industry in 1928 in Tulsa. Oklahoma; however, his work was mostly in refrigeration and he was later to move to Houston.

Air-conditioned Church – 1929 – First Presbyterian Church, Orange, Texas, Carrier air handling unit model#K3963006-154C, Carrier job #3183, was commissioned by Mrs. Henry Jacob (Frances Ann) Lutcher as a family memorial. A central power plant had to be included as part of the construction of the church also to provide power for the heating, cooling and lighting systems of the new church because Orange did not have sufficient electricity at that time to provide power; a full time stationary engineer was employed to operate the power and A/C systems.

Dale Cooper was transferred to Houston in 1935 as chief engineer for G.E. He spent the next two years with the General Distributor in the design and application of several commercial air conditioning systems. During the period from 1934 to 1936 competition from other companies was intense. Carrier and York were the two most active. When a larger commercial job was bid, they proved to be the manufacturer of choice, because they had a well-established line of larger compressors. General Electric Company manufactured equipment; up to 30 tons of refrigeration capacity. This was an asset, because there were lots more small restaurants, shops, drug stores, residences, and small commercial applications which would fit their line of compressors.

As a result Dale Cooper got to sell G.E. for many of the first applications including The Wright Clinic on North Main Street, Nicosa’s Beauty Salon located within the Rusk Building; several barber shops, grocery stores, and many River Oaks residences. Houston had 33 installed and operating air conditioning systems in 1934. This more than doubled in 1935 to 105 operating systems according to a list published by the Houston Chamber of Commerce in June 1935. By the June 1936 issue the number had increased to 130 units. They were installed in 14 residences; nine restaurants, cafeterias or coffee shops; 22 retail shops; nine theaters; three barber and/or beauty shops; four banks, two



buildings; three manufacturing/vendors; one funeral home; one night club; 22 business offices and two radio stations.

Clarence Fleming had transferred to Houston in 1935 while working for Frigidaire. He broke away shortly after he came to Houston to set up his own design building and contracting firm. Clarence was a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas and, with 61 years as a contractor, was one of the oldest active contractors in the state. Some of his early work included refrigeration on boats with water cooled condensers, keel mounted and using gas drive compressors.

In 1936, Dale Cooper, Hollis Bible and James Walsh had found some financial backing from a man named Wilson Seville and obtained a General Electric franchise for the exclusive purpose of promoting their heating and air conditioning in South Texas. They then formed a corporation called The Air Conditioning Company, which was located next to the Delman Theater on South Main Street.

Start of ASHVE in Texas

By 1937 ASHVE had grown to 22 chapters, with the Texas Chapter being the newest, and ASHVE that year processed 490 membership applications during the year. The Texas Chapter was chartered in 1937 and was headquartered in College Station, Texas, with F.E. Giesecke listed as President; Reg F. Taylor as vice-president; W.H. Badgett as secretary; Glegge Thomas as treasurer; and J.A. Kiesling, M.L. Diver and C.L. Kribs, Jr. as Board of Governors. Reg. F. Taylor transferred to Houston in late 1938 or early 1939 and worked as a consulting engineer.

In 1950 close to 90 percent of Texas families had some type of refrigeration. In the 1960s the

growing use of automatic refrigerated vending machines, automatic ice vendors, and ice machines in

restaurants was replacing many commercial ice plants. After World War II chlorofluorocarbons

(CFCs), nontoxic and nonflammable, replaced many other coolants as the preferred means of cooling.

CFC refrigerants were known under the trade name Freon. Two of the most important Texas

industries, fish and poultry processing plants, were highly dependent on refrigeration. By the late

1960s the state had thirty-six plants processing frozen fish and shrimp; in 1967 there were sixty-seven

poultry-processing firms in the state. Texas industry also contributed greatly to the manufacture of

refrigerants and refrigerating equipment. Among the products made in Texas were dry ice, industrial

ice boxes, ice-making machinery, industrial ice-crushing machinery, household refrigerators, air-

conditioning units, both commercial and domestic, and air-conditioner parts. Approximately 200 ice-

manufacturing plants were still operating in Texas in 1967. Instead of supplying ice to homes, as in

the past, these plants provided ice for leisure-time activities and for various commercial operations.

Reginald “Chief” F. Taylor

Who was responsible for bringing ASHRAE to Houston? If you don’t know the answer, you should. His name was Reginald F. Taylor, also known as Reg., Reggie and “Chief”. He was born in Toronto, Canada in 1889. His parents were originally from England. He was educated in public and preparatory schools in England as well as South Africa. Although he never received an engineering degree he served as an engineering apprentice with Stott & Kirby, an architectural engineering firm in



South Africa. While there, the firm had entered an architectural competition on a prospective new building. Back then, drawings were ink on linen. As the story was told, the day before the drawings were due, the “Chief” spilt a bottle of black ink over the architectural rendering of the proposed new building. Shortly after this incident, he was transferred to one of the firm’s survey parties in Zululand. He was there for nine months. Reginald learned to speak some of the strange Zulu languages.

Following the death of his mother and remarriage of his father, he rejoined his family back in Toronto. After a frigid winter in Canada and having grown accustomed to the milder South African weather, he looked up an old South African friend who had moved to Texas. In 1908, Reginald moved to Fort Worth.

Reginald worked for a short time with the C.A. Dunham Company. The C.A. Dunham Company manufactured steam traps and other heating products. He then moved to Dallas, where he landed a job with the architectural firm of Lang and Witchell as a mechanical-electrical engineer. In 1914, he held the same position with Smith, Rea & Lovett in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 1915, Reginald joined a new organization called ASHVE. He helped form the Kansas City chapter, where he was a charter member and served on the Board of Governors for the first year of the chapter’s existence.

In 1917, he enlisted in the Missouri-Kansas National Guard. This was the time of “The Great War”. Shortly after enlisting he was sent overseas to France where he served as a member of the 110th Engineers of the 35th Division. The 35th consisted of three machinegun battalions, three field artillery regiments, four infantry regiments, one engineer regiment and one signal battalion with a total strength of 26,373. One of the artillery regiments (the 129th) was in the command of a 33 year old Captain named Harry S. Truman. During the Argonne offensive, Captain Truman stood in the trenches prepared by the Reg.’s 110th Engineers and addressed his men. He was quoted to have said that he that he would “…rather be right here than be President of the United States.” A short time after that the order was given to commence firing and his regiment spewed round after round of 75 millimeter shells at the German positions. After his discharge from the Army, Reg returned to Dallas.

He eventually received his professional engineer’s license and in 1920 he started his own consulting firm. He later opened a branch in Houston. In 1935, he acted as Chief Engineer for mechanical-electrical design for the Texas Centennial.

In 1937, Chief and Dr. F.E. Giesecke established the original Texas Chapter of ASHVE. It was headquartered in College Station. Giesecke was the first president and Chief was the vice president. Chief became the president of the Texas Chapter the following year.

By 1939, the Texas Chapter had moved to Dallas. Also in 1939 Reg. closed his Dallas office and all operations were run from the Houston office. Two of his Dallas employees who elected to stay in Dallas formed their own company, Zumwalt & Vinther.

In the late thirties, the decision was made to split the Texas Chapter of ASHVE into a north and south chapter. Reg. was instrumental in making this change possible. On January 9, 1939, the South Texas Chapter of ASHVE was chartered. Reg. was a charter member and became the South Texas



Chapter’s first president. We know this chapter today as the Houston Chapter of ASHRAE, but in the beginning there were only a handful of charter members. Others included Dale Cooper, C.A. McKinney, A.J. Rummel, A.M. Chase Jr. and Bert Fisher. In the early years, meetings were held in various cafes around Houston. At times, meetings were also held 100 miles away in College Station. The chapter eventually found a club on the west side of town and met there for several years, until it closed. A lodge on Park Place Blvd. was the young chapter’s next meeting place. At the lodge, food could be catered in and the chapter could provide the open bar. Next they met on the second floor of Bill Williams on Main Street and met there until the Engineer’s Club opened.

In the forties, Reg. continued his involvement with the chapter. Reg. encouraged his employees to be active in ASHVE. In addition to Reg., there were always a handful of his employees at every monthly meeting. In 1944, he created the Hot Air Recorder newsletter and was the first editor. He maintained the position of Editor Emeritus until 1974.

Even with his active involvement with ASHVE, Reg. still had a business to run. Reg.’s firm did an assortment of projects over the years including Texas A&M College dormitories, University of Houston Power Plant/Utility Tunnel, University of Houston Cullen Building, C&I Life Insurance Bldg. (Houston), First City National Bank Bldg. (Houston), Gulf Building (Houston), Lamar Hotel (Houston), Loew’s Theatre (Houston), Nabisco (Houston), St. Paul’s Methodist Church (Houston), Rice Hotel A/C system (Houston), Houston Chronicle A/C system, San Antonio Express-News, Shrine Hospital (Houston), Veteran’s Hospital (Houston), General Hospital and Heidelberg Hotel (both in Baton Rouge), Beck Building and Veteran’s Hospital (both in Shreveport).

Reg. F. Taylor’s offices were located in the Banker’s Mortgage Building. Over the years the Chief’s employees including Israel A. Naman, Otto Hoker, Bob Sallinger, Baker Lee Shannon, Joe Lee, J.E. Burton, H.L. DeVines, C.A. Shoals, H.L. Cauvel, Lacy Key, R.R. Kreichbaum (who later changed his name to Robert K. Ritner), M.F. Frost, A.O. Hogen, Jim Franklin, C.F. Reihland, Grover Moore, Pete Yates, Frank Seymore, Gerald David, Herbert Price, Ken Elliott, Gene Riehl, Buddy Riehl and R.E. Chrone, to name a few. Clarence Fleming helped Chief out in the early years by writing some of his early specifications.

Reg., as well as many other chapter members, attended the ASHVE convention meetings that were typically held in New York or Chicago. Train travel was the best mode of transportation available at the time, but typically took a few days to reach their destination. During those long train trips Reg. and his wife Lucille formed many relationships with other ASHVE members and their wives. Rumor has it that, on occasion, he entertained other train passengers by singing “Three Blind Mice” in the African dialect he had learned in Zululand. Soon Reg. became interested in society level positions. He was elected member of the Society’s Council for a three year term from 1947 through 1949. Afterwards he successfully held the Society Offices of Treasurer, 2nd V.P. and 1st V.P. In 1953 Reginald F. Taylor became the first Society President from our chapter. Reg. was also instrumental in getting the 60th Annual Society Meeting to be held in Houston in 1954.

Reg. was an avid bowler and would bowl on occasion with other ASHVE members such as Charles Quin and Don Robison. Reg. helped start an ASHVE bowling league. His team was called the “T” squares. Another hobby of Chief’s was toy trains. Reg. also liked to visit his ranch in Pipe Creek, northwest of San Antonio.



In 1957 Reg. F. Taylor merged with Bovay Engineers. This was in keeping with the trend of the profession toward larger, more fully integrated firms. In 1958 Reg. F. Taylor was made a fellow of ASHVE. In 1967 he was made a 50 year Distinguished Fellow Life Member.

On September 17th, 1974, Reginald Taylor passed away at the age of 85 and was buried at the Houston National Cemetery. His last residence was the Bayou Manor Retirement Community on South Braeswood. He had no children.

Reg.’s dedication to ASHRAE spanned over 60 years. His contributions to our Society have helped this chapter become the single most important technical society in our industry. Everyone involved with ASHRAE in Texas, especially in Houston, owe the “Chief” a debt of gratitude for his foresight, dedication and diligence to our Society. He should always be remembered as one of the most important men ever associated with our chapter.

ASHVE – SOUTH TEXAS CHAPTER

Our chapter’s officers helped to install the San Antonio Alamo Chapter officers in 1940. We have over 60 local chapter Past Presidents with many living and still active in local chapter events; refer to pages hereinafter for Houston Chapter Past President listing.

Jim Ibison joined ASHVE in 1938 and continues to be an active member 65 years later. He was born September 12, 1912 in Greenwood, Arkansas. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1937. He got a commission in 1936 and became a second lieutenant infantry officer. In 1940, Jim was given the opportunity to join the Construction Quartermaster Corps. His first project was to rebuild an old World War I base in Fort Lee, Virginia. Shortly after this project was completed, Jim changed his insignia to that of the Corps of Engineers since they took over construction responsibilities from the Quartermaster Corps. He was a Post Engineer for several bases in the 1940’s, building and maintaining bases across the country. When the Air Force became a separate branch of service, Jim became an Air Force officer. Jim retired from the Air Force in 1966. He first joined the Oklahoma City Chapter of ASHVE and eventually joined the Houston Chapter in 1946. Jim went through the chairs with the Houston Chapter in the early 1960’s. He eventually became president of the chapter in 1966. Jim’s experience in the construction industry was not limited to the military alone. He worked for Westinghouse for 17 years and was in sales for several years, but, arguably, his most notable HVAC undertaking started in 1967 while working for the Houston Independent School District. His responsibility included air conditioning over 200 schools in the district. The budget for this massive undertaking was 46 million dollars. During the peak of construction, work progressed at a rate of three to four schools being completed each month. For an elementary school it took approximately 16 to 19 months per project at a cost of approximately $130,000 per school. For a secondary school it took 18 to 20 months per project at a cost of $450,000 per school. When it was all said and done, over 55,000 tons of air conditioning was installed by approximately 23 different mechanical contractors after being designed by over 32 different consulting engineers and the project came in 2 million dollars under budget! The City of Houston proclaimed May 16, 1983 as the “Jim Ibison Retirement Day” because he set an example of responsible leadership by duties he undertook as Director of Professional Services and Construction as H.I.S.D.



University of Houston, 1946, Department of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration started Technical Training Program for HVAC&R industry with a two year Associate Degree which was later expanded to a four year Bachelor of Science degree plan.

In addition to being one of the finest publications of its kind in Society, having won the Region VIII Best Newsletter Award a total of four times – twice with Herb Wahlers, Jr. as the Editor, once with David Hull as the Editor and once with John Walik as the Editor – the Hot Air Recorder celebrated its Golden Anniversary during Society’s Centennial celebration year. The HAR was one of the first monthly chapter newsletters in Society. It was started with a seven page hectographed edition in October, 1944 with Reg. F. Taylor as Editor and H.L. DeVines as Technical Editor. The first year there were eight issues; the second year eight issues; the third year it increased to nine issues and the fourth year (1948) had 10 issues. At that time the other newsletters being published were the Oregon Diffuser, the Golden Gate Fog Dispenser, the Texas Norther and one other unidentified newsletter. The earliest edition that the Houston Chapter has a copy of is the April, 1948 issue.

The Shamrock Hotel, built in 1949, with 37 air conditioning systems and 55 ventilation systems, was a premier facility that used a high pressure high velocity “basic” or primary air system with a unique type of face and bypass damper for individual room units, furred in under the windows. Lithium bromide was used to dehumidify the “basic” air to about 35% RH and then sensibly cooled by the chilled water coil or heated by the heating water coil. This “basic” air was mixed at the room terminal with the outside air reduced through the specially designed aluminum window sill. At outside air temperature below 70 degrees F the very dry “basic” air was heated to maintain comfort. As the outside air dropped to below 43 degrees F, the room unit heating coil was energized to maintain comfort. It worked well, but was never duplicated, and the razing of the Shamrock in 1986 did away with the only system of that type ever installed. Houston hosted the 1954 Society 60th Annual Meeting and later the 1982 Society Winter Meeting & ARI Exposition at the Shamrock Hotel and Astrodome, with A. Damon Gowan, General Chairman.

ASHVE & ASRE Combine to Form ASHRAE

In December of 1954 the ASHVE national membership voted to change its name to ASHRAE. The South Texas Chapter of ASHAE combined with the Houston ASRE Chapter to become the South Texas Chapter of ASHRAE in 1954 during Clarence Fleming’s and H.D. Broadwell’s terms as chapter presidents. The chapter had two sets of officers for the next six years until 1958 – one ASHVE and one ASRE. Then ASHVE and ASRE merged in 1959 at the winter meeting during Hugh D. McMillan’s term to become ASHRAE. The first edition of the ASHRAE JOURNAL was published in March, 1959 and number issue 3. Our chapter name change from The South Texas Chapter to The Houston Chapter was noted on the newsletter masthead between the January and February, 1959 issues of the Hot Air Recorder, probably as part of the merging societies.

Houston Chapter members have always been involved at all levels of the Society; refer to pages hereinafter for current listing of Houston Chapter members serving as Society Officers or Society Committee Members. Our members have had a hand in establishing many of the awards given by Society today, such as the Lincoln Boullion Award and the F.E. Giesecke Scholarship Award. The F.E. Giesecke Scholarship Award was set up in 1954 by Clarence L. Fleming, Danny McNeal and Hugh McMillan as a scholarship loan fund and later transformed into a scholarship award. With the help of the Giesecke family the fund has been converted to a funded scholarship at Texas A&M



University known as the F.E. Giesecke – ASHRAE Houston Chapter Scholarship. The regional Historical Gold Ribbon and Membership Blue Ribbon Awards were developed by Clarence L. Fleming during his time in service at the Society Standing Committee level and he helped to create and develop Society’s Historical Committee.

We have a distinguished list of Houston Chapter Past Presidents or members who went on to serve as President of the Society, as follows: Reg (Chief) F. Taylor, ASHVE, 1953; Hugh D. McMillan, ASHRAE, 1978-79; Morris Backer, ASHRAE, 1979-80; and A. Damon Gowan, ASHRAE, 1990-91.

Five of our chapter presidents have served as Director and Regional Chairman of Region VI and VIII, as follows: Dan Mills, 1956 and 1957, Region VI; Morris Backer, 1969-72, Region VIII; Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. 1972-75, Region VIII; and A. Damon Gowan, 1984-86, Region VIII and Hugh D. McMillan, III Region VIII.

Our chapter has nine Fifty Year Distinguished Fellow Life Members, as follows: Willard (Jack) J, Davis, 2003; Willard L. Amann, 2002; Jack B. Buckley, 1998; Harry E. Bovay, Jr., 1996; Israel A. Naman, 1989; Dale S. Cooper, 1988; James L. (Jim) Ibison, 1988; Lester S. O’Bannon, 1980; and Reg (Chief) Taylor, 1967.

The Houston Chapter has 18 members who have received Society’s Distinguished Award: Morris Backer, Conny R. Brown, Jack B. Buckley, James S. Buckley, Dr. David Claridge, Earl M. Clark, Dale S. Cooper, Clarence L. Fleming, A. Damon Gowan, Dr. Jeff Haberl, James L. (Jim) Ibison, Rodney H. Lewis, Hugh D. McMillan, Jr., Hugh D. McMillan, III, Dr. Dennis O’Neal, Riyaz A, Papar, R. Gaylon Richardson, and Alvin S. Vener.

Other Society awards or honors received by Houston Chapter members are as follows: T.H. (Tom) Toler-1970 – Lincoln Boullion Membership Award, Frederick E. Stone – 1981 – Lincoln Boullion Membership Award and Harry E. Bovay, Jr. – 1971 & 1988 – ASHRAE-ALCO Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

The Houston Chapter has received the prestigious Region VIII Golden Gavel award twice: 1972-73 James A. (Jim) Beach and 2012-2013 Robert (Alan)A. Neely.

Our chapter has eleven members who have received Region VIII’s Regional Award of Merit: Morris Backer, James A. (Jim) Beach, Richard W. Burr, Bruce L. Flaniken, Clarence L. Fleming, A. Damon Gowan, James L. (Jim) Ibison, Hugh D. McMillan Jr., Hugh D. McMillan, III. Jonathan I. Symko and Don Smith.

Our chapter currently has twenty-eight (28) Fellow grade members, twenty-seven (27) 50 year Members, and one hundred forty (140) Life grade members, many who are active locally or at Society level; refer to pages hereinafter for listing.

Our chapter awards numerous student scholarships each year and we have sponsored student chapters at Texas A&M University.

ASHRAE Grant-In-Aid Recipients while at Texas A&M University are Dilip Shah, 1976-77; Sekhar N. Kondepudi, 1986-87; Mohsen Farzad, 1989-90 and Victor Kootin-Sanwu, 1999-2000; Jijun Zhou,



Myung-Sook Lee, Yong Hoon Sung, Atch Sreshtharputra, 2000-2001. Those at North Harris College for 1999-2000 are Jon C. Courtney, Hector Manon and Mark S. Barber. At Lee College are Earnest Fontenot Jr. and Wilbur Fontenot, 1999-2000; Mario Rodriguez and Richard Smith, 2000-2001.

Our chapter has had a tradition of service in the industry and as a result has two father-son groups as chapter president – Jack B. Buckley in 1962 and James S. Buckley in 1987-88; and Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. in 1959 and Hugh D. McMillan III in 1989-90.

The following men have served as chapter president for more than one term: R.J. Sallinger, 1950, 1952; H.W. Broadwell, 1951, 1953 ASRE; and D. Dana Price, 1958 ASRE, 1959.

Significant Events in Our Chapter’s History are as Follows:

Reg. F. Taylor produced one of the first Society Chapter Monthly Newsletters in October, 1944 and the Hot Air Recorder was born.

Hosted the 1940 Society Fall Meeting

Hosted the 1954 Society 60th Annual Meeting at the Shamrock Hotel

Hosted the 1959 Region VI CRC

Hosted the 1966 Society Semi-annual Meeting at the Rice Hotel

Hosted the 1970 Region VIII CRC

Hosted the 1981 Region VIII CRC at the Marriott Galleria Hotel, Robert Burch, CRC Chairman

Hosted the 1982 Society Winter Meeting and ARI Exposition at the Shamrock Hotel and Astrodome, A. Damon Gowan, General Chairman

Hosted the 1987 Houston Chapter first annual Show and Tell

Hosted the 1989 Region VIII CRC & Houston Chapter 50th Anniversary at the Galleria

Westin Oaks Hotel, Tom Burrow, CRC Chairman

Hosted the 2001 Region VIII CRC at the Nassau Hilton Hotel, Hugh D. McMillan III, CRC Chairman.

Hosted the 2009 Region VIII CRC at the ______ Hotel, John Harrod, CRC Chairman.

ASHRAE Society Presidents 1953 Reginald F. (Chief) Taylor ASHVE 1978-1979 Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. ASHRAE



1979-1980 Morris Backer ASHRAE 1990-1991 A. Damon Gowan ASHRAE

ASHRAE Region VIII Director and Regional Chairman

Dan Mills Region VI Hugh D. McMillan, Jr.

A. Damon Gowan Hugh D. McMillan, III

Houston Chapter Past Presidents

1939 Reginald F. (Chief) Taylor ASHVE 1940 C. A. McKinney ASHVE 1941 A. J. Rummel ASHVE 1942 Dale S. Cooper ASHVE 1943 A. M. Chase, Jr. ASHVE 1944 A. B. Banowsky ASHVE 1945 A.F. Barnes ASHVE 1946 J. A. Walsh ASHVE 1947 Bert P. Fisher ASHVE 1948 Dan M. Mills ASHVE 1949 R. J. Salinger ASHVE 1951 H. W. Broadwell ASRE 1952 R. J. Salinger ASHVE 1953 Clarence L. Fleming ASHVE 1953 H. W. Broadwell ASRE 1954 Elliot Floeter, Jr. ASHVE 1954 Joe Poole ASRE 1955 Frank Young ` ASRE 1955 J.W. Holland ASHVE 1956 F. M. Neil ASHVE 1956 Israel A. Naman ASRE 1957 J. C. Lewis ASHVE 1957 Jim Huffman ASRE 1958 A. B. (Tony) Ullrich, Jr. ASHVE 1958 D. Dana Price ASRE 1958 E. Bruce Appling ASHVE 1959 Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. ASHRAE 1959 D. Dana Price ASHRAE 1960 H. G. McKee ASHRAE 1961 E. E. Ransom ASHRAE 1961 E. H. McLane ASHRAE 1962 J. M. Daniel ASHRAE 1962 Jack Buckley ASHRAE 1963 Curtis Jochen ASHRAE 1963-1964 J. E. Burton ASHRAE



1964-1965 K. C. Gruber ASHRAE 1965-1966 Morris Backer ASHRAE 1966-1967 James L. (Jim) Ibison ASHRAE 1967-1968 J. T. Ames ASHRAE 1968-1969 F. J. Biggi ASHRAE 1969-1970 Donald S. Smith ASHRAE 1970-1971 Carl Daab, Jr. ASHRAE 1971-1972 Jack. H. Brady ASHRAE 1972-1973 James A. Beach ASHRAE 1973-1974 T. H. (Tom) Toler ASHRAE 1974-1975 Lee W. Thompson ASHRAE 1975-1976 Bernard F. Fallon ASHRAE 1976-1977 William T. (Bill) Cook ASHRAE 1977-1978 A. Damon Gowan ASHRAE 1978-1979 Weldon Henderson ASHRAE 1979-1980 John Hermon ASHRAE 1980-1981 Richard W. Burr ASHRAE 1981-1982 John McNemar ASHRAE 1982-1983 Conny Brown ASHRAE 1983-1984 John Gambrell ASHRAE 1984-1985 Ken Gurry ASHRAE 1985-1986 Robert M. (Bob) Burch ASHRAE 1986-1987 Bruce L. Flaniken ASHRAE 1987-1988 James S. Buckley ASHRAE 1988-1989 Richard O. (Dick) Hunton ASHRAE 1989-1990 Hugh D. McMillan, III ASHRAE 1990-1991 Robert George ASHRAE 1991-1992 Richard Cook ASHRAE 1992-1993 Rodney H. Lewis ASHRAE 1993-1994 Willard J. (Jack) Davis ASHRAE 1994-1995 Jack Kolar ASHRAE 1995-1996 Gaylon Richardson ASHRAE 1996-1997 Steve Sherman ASHRAE 1997-1998 Jonathon Symko ASHRAE 1998-1999 J. David McCoy ASHRAE 1999-2000 Ian Taxman ASHRAE 2000-2001 Karl Marshall ASHRAE 2001-2002 Brian Lashley ASHRAE 2002-2003 James Madget ASHRAE 2003-2004 Don L. Nye ASHRAE 2004-2005 Amhad Tayebi ASHRAE 2005-2006 Richard O. Hunton, Jr. ASHRAE 2006-2007 Glenn Booker ASHRAE 2007-2008 Stephen Redding ASHRAE 2007-2008 Henry C. (Hank) Fry, Esquire (Honorary Chapter President) ASHRAE 2008-2009 Andrew Holdaway ASHRAE



2009-2010 Kevin Murphy ASHRAE 2010-2011 Keith Reihl ASHRAE 2011-2012 Paul Alexander ASHRAE 2012-2013 Robert (Alan) A. Neely ASHRAE

Hot Air Recorder Editors John Walik 2009-2013 John Walik/Ted Freeman 2007-2009 Juan Jose Benitez 2004-2007 Ted Freeman 2001-2004 John Walik 1998-2001 Shawnna Duke 1998-1998 Kevin Duke 1996-1997 David Hull 1994-1996 HAR’s 50th Anniversary Herb Wahlers, Jr 1989-1994 Jerry Miller 1988 -1989 Don Nye 1987-1989 Chapter’s 50th Anniversary Robert George 1986-1987 Bruce Flaniken 1986 -1986 Started Use of Hot Air Balloon in Masthead Don Kampfhenkel 1984-1986 Terry Greer 1983 -1984 John Goss 1981-1983 B. Douglas (Doug) Meyer 1980-1981 Henry C. (Hank) Fry 1979-1980 Gary Wylie 1977-1979 Paul Deltz 1976-1977 Richard Burr 1974-1976 Fred Rehfieid 1972-1974 William T. (Bill) Cook 1970-1972 Bernie Fallon 1968-1970 Wilson Green 1966-1967 Bob Molinari 1965-1966 Joe N. Powell 1964-1965 Thomas W. Smith 1963-1964 J.L. (Jim) Powell 1962-1963 H.D. (Harry) Grant 1961-1962 William A. Jackson 1960 - 1961 Gene Burton 1959 -1960 Curtis Jochen 1958 -1959 Dallas Sullivan 1958 -1958 Harold G. McKee 1956 -1958 Charles V. Chenault 1953 -1955 A.B. (Tony) Ullrich 1953- 1953



Members of the Houston Chapter who have Earned ASHRAE Society, Region VIII and Houston Chapter Honors and Awards are as follows:

Exceptional Service Award

The Exceptional Service Award recognizes Distinguished Service Award recipients who have continued to serve the Society faithfully and with exemplary effort. The following Houston Chapter members have received this distinction:

2009 Hugh D. McMillan, III

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award salutes members of any grade for giving freely of their time and talent to the Society. The following Houston Chapter members have received this distinction: 2013 Charles Culp, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, ASHRAE-Certified High-Performance Building

Design Professional, professor, department of architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Morris Backer Dr. Jeff Haberl Connie R. Brown James L. (Jim) Ibison Jack B. Buckley Rodney H. Lewis James S. Buckley Hugh D. McMillan, Jr Richard W. Burr Hugh D. McMillan, III Dr. David E. Claridge Dr. Dennis O'Neal Earl M. Clark Riyaz A. Papar Clarence L. Fleming Gaylon Richardson Alvin S. Vener A. Damon Gowan

ASHRAE Distinguished 50-Year Members The Distinguished 50-Year Member Award is given to persons who have been a member of the Society for 50 years and have performed outstanding service to the Society. The following Houston Chapter members have received this award: Willard J. Davis 2003 Willard L. Amann 2002 Jack Buckley 1998 Harry E. Bovay, Jr 1996 Israel A. Naman 1989 Dale S. Cooper 1988 James l. (Jim) Ibison 1988 Lester S. O'Bannon 1980 Reginald F. (Chief) Taylor 1967



ASHRAE-ALCO Award for Distinguished Public Service

Harry E. Bovay, Jr 1971, 1988

ASHRAE Lincoln Bullion Membership Award

Thomas A. Toler Fred E. Stone

Robert “Alan” A. Neely

ASHRAE William J. Collins Jr. RP Award

The William J. Collins Jr. RP Award is given to the chapter research promotion chair who excels in all activities supporting the research promotion campaign. The Houston Chapter member recipient is 2013 Christopher (Mike) Donovan, ASHRAE-Certified High-Performance Building Professional, Houston.

Dan Mills/Chapter Program Awards

The Dan Mills Technical Award recognizes a Chapter Technology Transfer Committee (CTTC) chair who excels in meeting CTTC goals in technical, energy, and government activities 2009-2010 Keith Reihl

ASHRAE PAOE Award

1982-1983 John McNemar, chapter president 1983-1984 John Gambrell, chapter president 1984-1985 Ken Gurry, chapter president 1998-1999 Dave McCoy, chapter president 1999-2000 Ian Taxman, chapter president 2000-2001 Brian Lashley, chapter president 2001-2002 James Madget, chapter president

ASHRAE PAOE Honor Roll Award

1977-1978 A. Damon Gowan, chapter president 1978-1979 Weldon Henderson, chapter president 1979-1980 John Hermon, chapter president 1980-1981 Richard W. Burr, chapter president 1985-1986 Robert (Bob) Burch, chapter president 1986-1987 Bruce Flaniken, chapter president 1987-1988 James S. Buckley, chapter president 1988-1989 R. O. (Dick) Hunton, chapter president 1989-1990 Hugh D. McMillan, III, chapter president 1990-1991 Robert George, chapter president



1991-1992 Richard Cook, chapter president 1992-1993 Rodney H. Lewis, chapter president 1993-1994 Willard J. (Jack) Davis, chapter president 2002-2003 Don L. Nye, chapter president 2004-2005 Ahmed Tayebi, chapter president 2005-2006 Richard O. Hunton, Jr., chapter president 2006-2007 Glenn Booker, chapter president 2007-2008 Steve Redding, chapter president 2008-2009 Andrew Holdaway, chapter president 2009-2010 Kevin Murphy, chapter president

ASHRAE RP Full Circle Award

The Full Circle Award recognizes Research Promotion leadership that Chapter Officers and Research Promotion Chairs provide to ASHRAE Research. Early financial support from ASHRAE leaders sets the pace and provides an example to others who are interested in developing new technology in HVAC&R. The Full Circle Award requires a personal Honor Roll contribution ($100 minimum) by every chapter officer and the RP Chair by December 31st.

Karl Marshall 1998-1999 Brian Lashley 1999-2000 James Madget 2000-2001 Don L. Nye 2001-2002 Richard 0. Hunton, Jr. 2003-2004 Glenn Booker 2006-2007 Stephen Redding 2007-2008 Andrew Holdaway 2008-2009 Kevin Murphy 2009-2010 Keith Reihl 2010-2011

ASHRAE RP Full Circle with Chevron

Keith Reihl 2008-2009 Paul Alexander 2009-2010

ASHRAE Technical Paper and Journal Paper Awards

The Journal Paper Award honors the best paper or article published in ASHRAE Journal. The following Houston Chapter Members have been recipients of this award:

John Bryant, Ph.D., P.E.; Dennis O’Neal, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE; and Michael Davis,

Ph.D.; are the recipients of the Crosby Field Award. Their paper, “Modeling the Performance of ECM and SCR Parallel Fan-Powered Terminal Units in Single-Duct VAV Systems,” was judged to be the best paper presented before the Society in 2012.



They also receive two Technical Paper Awards, which recognize the authors of the best papers presented at Society meetings. The following Houston Chapter Members have been recipients of this award: One for “Modeling the Performance of ECM and SCR Parallel Fan-Powered Terminal Units in Single-Duct VAV Systems,” was judged to be the best paper presented before the Society in 2012 and one for “Modeling the Performance of ECM and SCR Series Fan-Powered Terminal Units in Single-Duct VAV Systems.” Bryant is associate professor, Mechanical Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Doha, Qatar; O’Neal is dean, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Baylor, University, Waco, Texas; Davis is director of laboratories, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 2002 Gerald L Riskowski The Chapter Program Star Award, which recognizes excellence in chapter program endeavors.

ASHRAE Society Technology Awards

2013 Methodist Hospital Central Utility Plant Cogeneration Upgrade by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Steve Frei, P. E. 2nd Place in Existing Hospital Category

ASHRAE Region VIII Technology Awards 2013 Methodist Hospital Central Utility Plant Cogeneration Upgrade by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Steve Frei, P. E. 2014 Methodist Hospital Research Institute Building by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Steve Frei, P. E. 2014 Methodist Hospital Outpatient Center for Surgery Building by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Jon. R. Perucki, P. E. 2014 Spring ISD Gloria Marshall Elementary School by Mark Siebert of CMTA.



Houston Chapter Technology Awards 2013 Methodist Hospital Central Utility Plant Cogeneration Upgrade by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Steve Frei, P. E. 2014 Methodist Hospital Research Institute Building by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Steve Frei, P.E. .2014 Methodist Hospital Outpatient Center for Surgery Building by Bruce Flaniken, P.E., Engineer of Record Jon. R. Perucki, P. E. 2014 Spring ISD Gloria Marshall Elementary School by Mark Siebert of CMTA

ASHRAE Fellow Members

Minimum of 10 years at Member Grade + Distinguished Contributions to HVAC&R Industry + Application Voted on by Society Honors & Awards Committee. The following Houston Chapter members have been recipients of this award:

Willard L. Amann Morris Backer

Harry E. Bovay, Jr. Conny R. Brown Jack B. Buckley Robert M. Burch Richard W. Burr

Dr. David E. Claridge Thomas John

Martin Luker, Jr. Roy W. Maze

Israel A. Naman John A. Olson

Sidney A. Parker Robert W. Poole

Joe N. Powell Jim Powell

Robert K. Ritner Eli Schaffer

Albert Sterling, Jr. Norman Way Earl M. Clark

Harry E. Conley Dr. Charles H. Culp, III Willard J. (Jack) Davis

Donald Paul Fiorino A. Damon Gowan J. R. (Dick) Graves



Dr. Jeff S. Haberl Fredrick R. (Fred) Holste

Richard O. Hunton James L (Jim) Ibison Rodney H. Lewis

David (Dave) McCoy Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. Hugh D. McMillan, III

Israel A. Naman Dennis O'Neal

Gaylon Richardson Reginald F (Chief) Taylor

Alvin S. (Al) Vener

ASHRAE 50 Year Members

Clarence D Adams, Jr. Bill G. Arnold Sidney F. Atlas

Harry E. Bovay, Jr. Jack B. Buckley John E. Burton

Willard J (Jack) Davis John B. Freeman

Walter H. Grant, Jr Albert W. Holland

Jack P. Holle James L. (Jim) Ibison

Alfred F. Jensen

ASHRAE Life Members

Minimum of 30 Consecutive years of paid membership + Minimum Age 65. The following Houston Chapter members have been the recipient of this award:

Clarence D. Adams, Jr.

Farrell W. Adams Willard L. Amann

John T. Ames Orin Anderson

E. Bruce Appling Bill A. Arnold Bill G. Arnold Sidney F. Atlas Richard Aurich Paul Avenell

Morris Backer



Frank J. Biggl Allan Bloxsom

Harry E. Bovay, Jr Jack B. Buckley

Robert M. Burch Richard W. Burr John E. Burton

Ed Carr Louis M. Caplan

Wendell O. (Bill) Carter Herman H. Chang

Dr. Shen-Shu Chang Alan Chapman Jerry T. Clark

Harry E. Conley Richard A. Corbett

Harry E Curry Carl Daab

Madarsinh Dabhi Willard J. (Jack) Davis

Prof. Larry 0. Degelman Vernon V. Donaghe

Carl H. Duke H. Banks Edward Rick D. Eshman Jack B. Esmond Larry M. Fagala

Bruce L. Flaniken Bernard F. Fallon, Jr

L. Thomas (Tom) Feehry Mario Feliu-Badalo

John B. Freeman Henry C. (Hank) Fry

Harry Galewsky Robert Gerrits Ben Gonzales

Charles H. Graf Harry D. Grant

J. R. (Dick) Graves Kenneth C. Gruber

Charles J. Grunewald Kenneth J. Gurry

William A. Harbaugh James L. Henderson Eduardo K. Hernaez

Douglas Higgenbotham Jack P. Holle



Joe B. Hollingsworth Fredrick F. (Fred) Holste

Charles D. Hull Richard O. Hunton

James L. (Jim) Ibison Alfred F. Jensen

Thomas John Bernard M. Kalmans

Walter Karger Charles W. Kaufman

Stephen Kemble Dennis G. Kenny

Sudarshan K. Khosla Kenneth F. Kilgore, Sr.

Stephen Lavoot Rodney H. Lewis

Orval S. Love Martin Luker.Jr.

Dr. Nabeel A. Mahmood. Roy W. Maze

George Frank McCain, Jr. Dean l. McCormick

Hugh D. McMillian, Jr. Robert G. Mcnees

Harry T. Mei Bhupendra J. Metha William R. Metcalf Leslie B. Moss, Jr.

J. Neil Murphy Israel A. Naman

Lester S. O'bannon Dave O'Brient

David M. Olive John A. Olson Lee A. Palm Ed Panuska

Sydney A. Parker Harshad R. Patel

Pat Payne Robert W. Poole

James L. (Jim) Powell Joe n. Powell Robert Rruitt

Walter Puchala James K. Ramsey

Terry D. Ray Douglas E. Reo



Hershel M. Rich Robert K. Ritner

Charles B. Roessler Henderson Rogers

Robert L. Salisbury Eli Schaffer

Alvin H. Schneider Aparajita Sengupta Baker L. Shannon

Charles Shieh Jack Shrode

Steven B. Sigloch Charles Soltis

Lucia Spak John Sparks

Gerald R. Spencer Jack L. Stegall

Alberta (Al) Sterling, Jr. Fred Stone

Lyndel E. Thomas Bernard W. Tillman, Jr. George W. Trigg, Jr.

A. B. (Tony) Ullrich, Jr. Richard Ulrich

Alvin S. (Al) Vener Herbert F. (Herb) Wahlers Jr.

Glenn H. Walton Norman Way Peter M. Way

David L. Wilhelm Clyde n. Williams Robert F. L. Woes

REGION VIII Honors and Awards

Region VIII Golden Gavel Award

James A. (Jim) Beach ............................................ 1972-1973

Robert (Alan) A. Neely .......................................... 2012-2013



Jack Thompson Award for Best Region VIII President

2010-2011 Keith Reihl 2012-2013 Robert (Alan) A. Neely

Region VIII - Regional Award of Merit

Morris Backer Hugh D. McMillan, III

Jim Beach Clarence L. Fleming James L. Ibison A. Damon Gowan Richard W. Burr Jonathan I. Symko Bruce L. Flaniken Don S. A. Smith Hugh D. McMillan, Jr.

Region VIII Award Of Excellence Ribbon

1971-72 Jack H. Brady, chapter president

1972-73 James A. (Jim) Beach, chapter president 1973-74 T. H. (Tom) Toler, chapter president 1974-75 Lee W. Thompson, chapter president 1975-76 Bernard F. Fallon, chapter president

Region VIII Membership Awards

Elliot Millican ................................... Red Ribbon 2009-2010 Chad Wiginton ................................ Blue Ribbon 2010-2011

Region VIII Refrigeration Award

Steve Roche 2010-2011

Homer Adams Award

James Bryan

Region VIII Research Promotion Awards

Jitendia (Jim) Shah ............................................... 1997-1998 Karl Marshall ....................................................... 1998-1999 Ahmad Tayebi ...................................................... 2002-2003 Glenn Booker ....................................................... 2004-2005 Kevin W. Murphy .................................................. 2007-2008 Keith Reihl ............................................................2008-2009 Paul Alexander ..................................................... 2009-2010 Robert (Alan) A. Neely ......................................... 2010-2011

Region VIII Chapter Investor Award



Karl Marshall ................................................................ 1998-1999 Brian Lashley ................................................................ 1999-2000 Glenn Booker ............................................................... 2004-2005

Region VIII High Five Award

Rodney H. Lewis ......................................................... 1990-1991 Karl Marshall ............................................................... 1999-2000 Brian Lashley ............................................................... 2000-2001 Glenn Booker ............................................................... 2004-2005 Kevin W. Murphy ......................................................... 2007-2008 Robert (Alan) A. Neely ................................................. 2010-2011

Region VIII Challenge

Kevin W. Murphy ......................................................... 2007-2008 Robert (Alan) A. Neely ................................................ 2010-2011

Region VIII $101/Chapter Member

Kevin W. Murphy .......................................................... 2007-08

Region VIII Technology

Donald Paul Fiorino ......................................................... 1999

Region VIII Gold Treasury Ribbon

Keith Reihl ................................................................... 2008-2009 Paul Alexander ............................................................. 2009-2010

Region VIII RP ($/Member, Goal)

Keith Reihl ................................................................... 2008-2009

Region VIII Goal Buster Award

Brian Lashley .............................................................. 1999-2000 Glenn Booker ............................................................... 2004-2005 Kevin W. Murphy ........................................................ 2007-2008

Region VIII RP - Pinnacle (Bobby Vermilion} Award

Robert (Alan) A. Neely ................................................ 2010-2011

Region VIII Membership Ribbon



1972-73 A. Damon Gowan, membership chairman

1976-77 John McNemar, membership chairman 1977-78 Conny Brown, membership chairman

Region VIII Historical Gold Ribbon

1983-1984 Clarence Fleming, historian 1984-1985 Clarence Fleming, historian 1986-1997 Clarence Fleming, historian 1988-1989 Clarence Fleming, historian

1989-1990 with star award, Bruce Flaniken historian 1990-1991 with star award, Bruce Flaniken historian 1991-1992 with star award, Bruce Flaniken historian

199219-93 Bruce Flaniken, historian 1993-1994 Bruce Flaniken, historian 1994-1995 Bruce Flaniken, historian

1998-1999 with star award, Henry C. (Hank) Fry, historian 1999-2000 with star award, Henry C. (Hank Fry), historian 2000-2001 with star award, Henry C. (Hank) Fry, historian

2001-2002 with star award, Pat Powell, historian 2008-2009 Neil Silverman, historian 2009-2010 Neil Silverman, historian

Chapter Technology Transfer Award - Programs

2009-2010 Keith Reihl

Region VIII Chapter Programs Star Award

Excellence in Chapter Program Endeavors

2009-2010 Keith Reihl

Best Region VIII Historical Presentation

1992-93, Oldest Operating HVAC&R Installations Old Humble Building and the Jefferson Theater

Bruce Flaniken .......................................................... 1995



Best Region VIII New Industry Related Article

2009-2010, Sustainability ^

Michael Langton .......................................................2010

Best Region VIII Newsletter John Walik 2010-2011 Ted Freeman 2001-2002 Newsletter Rookie the Year John Walik 1999-2000, Newsletter Tie Herb Wahlers 1991-1992, Newsletter Tie Herb Wahlers 1989-1990, Newsletter Tie David Hull 1994--1995 Centennial Year

Region VIII Student Activities Award

Kenneth Shifflett ............................................................ 2011

As Part of the ASHRAE Centennial Celebration the ASHRAE Board of Governors Approved the Creation of the ASHRAE – Houston Chapter Century Club with the Following Criteria for Eligibility:

1. Receipt of Region VIII Regional Award of Merit. 2. Charter Member of Houston Chapter. 3. Society Past President. 4. Continuous Service Houston Chapter Board of Governors a minimum of 10 years. 5. Other Evidence of Meritorious Service to the Houston Chapter.

Candidates meeting any two of the above five criteria would then be presented to the Board of Governors for approval by majority vote. The main criteria would be unusual or meritorious service

The following were approved in 1994 as Charter Members, in 1995, \2013 and 2014 as new members of the ASHRAE – Houston Century Club:

Houston Chapter Century Club Hall of Fame (Chartered 1994 for ASHRAE Centennial)

Morris Backer 1994 James A. Beach 1994 Richard W. Burr 1995 Dale S. Cooper 1994 Bruce L. Flaniken 1994 Clarence L. Fleming 1994



Henry C. (Hank) Fry 2013 A. Damon Gowan 1994 James L. Ibison 1994 Rodney H. Lewis 2013 Hugh D. McMillan, Jr. 1994 Hugh D. McMillan, III 2013 Robert (Alan) A. Neely 2014 Reginald. F. (Chief) Taylor 1994

Plaque for Continuous Chapter Distinguished Service

Bruce L. Flaniken 2000 Hank Fry 2002 & 2008

Chapter Service Award

Bruce Flaniken 2002 Willard J. Davis 2003 Hank Fry 2003 Hugh D. McMillan, III 2007 Donald L. Nye 2009 Glenn Booker 2009 Richard O. Hunton, Jr 2009 Ahmad Tayebi 2009 Steve M. Redding 2010 Kevin Murphy 2011 Keith Reihl 2011

Research Projects That Have Been Awarded and/or Conducted by Houston Chapter Members for ASHRAE Society are as Follows:

V.E. Sweat, 228-RP, #2602 Volume 86, Part 2, 1980, “Survey of Published Heat Transfer Coefficients Encountered in Food Refrigeration Process such as Cooling, Freezing, Thawing and Associated Heat Applications”, Texas A&M University.

V.E. Sweat, 341-RP, #2913 Volume 91, Part 2, 1985, “Thermal Conductivity of Low and Intermediate Moisture Foods”, Texas A&M University.

Larry O. Degelman, 385-RP, #2854 Volume 91, Part 1, 1985, “Development of Bin Weather Data for Simplified Energy Calculations and Algorithms for Generating Variable Base Degree Day Information”, Texas A&M University.

Larry O. Degelman, 457-RP. #3093 Volume 93, Part 2, 1987, “Update of the Bibliography on Available Computer Programs in the General Area of Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Ventilation”, Texas A&M University.



J.W. Linton, N.K. Anand and D. Parent, 479-RP, “Performance Comparison of R-134a and R-12 in a Residential Exhaust Air Heat Pump” and “Testing and Modeling of a Water to Air Heat Pump Operating with a Non-azeotropic Refrigerant Mixture”, Technical Papers #3296 & 3297, Texas A&M University.

David E. Claridge, 569-RP; April, 1988-December, 1989; “Development of Improvements to the T.C.-4.7 Simplified Energy Calculations”, Texas A&M University.

James C. Holste, 654-RP; September, 1990-December 1991; “Thermodynamic Properties of Refrigerants 125 and 1412B”TX3.1, Refrigerants and Brines, Texas A&M University.

Houston area members of ASHRAE have been instrumental in design and construction of innovative projects and involved in development of new creative design and construction techniques and HVAC&R technology with work on Society Technical Committees. Some of the industry and regional “unique first projects” that our members have been involved in are as follows:

The first air conditioned hamburger drive-in with self-contained A/C unit provided cool air to the cars.

Houston even had several of the infamous York three pipe systems in the Fifties, which never worked very well. Houston people stopped using them, but in other parts of the country were still trying similar systems into the Eighties.

The Bank of the Southwest, built in Houston in the Fifties, was the first major building to use electronic controls monitored from a color graphic, central control panel, and a common practice today.

The “direct digital” control system, so popular today, was first installed on commercial air conditioning in Houston in 1959. The Tennessee gas building was the first major office building in the U.S. to use a main frame, business type computer to optimize operation of the building air conditioning system.

Fleming Foods in Houston was one of the first large refrigerated storage installations to use Freon, rather than ammonia, as a refrigerant.

Sharpstown Ice Rink was one of the first to use Freon in lieu of ammonia for a skating rink.

Sharpstown Shopping Mall was one of the first enclosed shopping malls; packaged Dx roof-top units with gas fired heat were used in the stores with the enclosed part of the mall air conditioning by “outside air spillage” from the individual stores and was one of the last turnkey fast track projects designed by an equipment manufacturer (York).

The slot type air diffusers, developed by Houston engineers Chenault and Brady, along with The Emde Company, were first used in Houston and, later, all over the U.S.



The Texas bypass system, using multi-zone air handling units with the heat in the ducts, was pioneered in Houston and spread from coast to coast.

The Houston Police Administration Building, built in the Sixties, used a VAV system that became popular some 20 years later.

I.A. Naman, P.E. on the Astrodome HVAC&R

In September of 1960 stadium officials asked me if air conditioning a domed stadium was possible and feasible. I said yes and went about the process of designing it. After months of consideration it was decided that the dome would have daylight and natural grass. Both decisions had an impact on the air conditioning design. The HVAC&R and Plumbing design were done jointly by I.A. Naman + Associates, Inc. and Dale Cooper. It was agreed between us that Dale would do the central plant design and plumbing, and IAN+A would design the distribution piping for hot and chilled water outside the central plant, as well as all air distribution and temperature controls throughout. IAN+A provided construction services during construction, including review of shop drawings, review of installation and testing. The matters of major importance that were considered were:

1. Automatic Temperature Control Stratification Elimination in a 202 foot tall space. 2. Tobacco smoke control 3. Egress During High Wind Conditions 4. Unforeseen Cooling Load 5. Automatic Temperature Control 6. Air Distribution Methods – Supply and Return Air Distribution Methods – How to get air out

to center field, 550 feet from the nearest outlet. Then, how to return it to the specific or generic air handling unit. The question here was whether or not a return air temperature at a particular air handling unit would be related to the supply air from the same unit and how to apportion it to enable good design practices. Perhaps the return air might go to an adjoining unit or even across the field to a distant unit. In order to overcome this problem, if it should exist, the basic control system was set up with a controller in the supply air from each unit, reset from a return air thermostat. If there were a problem with return air not coming from the same unit, then the supply air could be manually controlled from the central control panel. Further, if needed, a remote portable, radio thermostat was provided to be able to control from a selected position, as during a boxing match in the center of the field. As it turned out, the basic system that monitored several hundred points throughout the stadium operated perfectly, no alternative being needed. Just in case I had the operators set cooling to 65 degrees for the opening night against the Yankees to make sure there were no doubts about the ability to cool. I also had the radio thermostat with me. The second night the ladies wore mink coats!

Stratification

The concern here was that the upper stands would tend to be warmer that the lower ones, particularly if heating were needed. Perhaps heat would be supplied at the lower level and cooling need above. To avoid this, multiple levels of temperature control were provided. It turned out there was no discernible stratification during operation.



Tobacco Smoke

Until the dome, no one ever had to worry about looking 550 feet through smoke to see a ball game. We did extensive research into the problem and found tobacco smoke produces two distinct problems: particulates obscure the distant stands, and pyridine, a gas, burns the eyes. To consider the needs, it was necessary first to determine the amount of smoke to be encountered. A study was commissioned to make a count of the number of cigarettes being smoked at a baseball game at a given point in time. Counts were taken at sporting events all over the country. From the study it was determined that 56,000 would be expected to smoke 6,600 packs of cigarettes in two hours, which equates to 180 pounds of solid contamination plus 15 pounds of vapor and gas odor floating around. This information was then used to calculate the smoke cloud density that would result when different amounts of outside air were introduced into the stadium. We made calculations but we didn’t believe them so we did actual density tests.

In order to evaluate the results, a glass box was used to view a color movie of a crowd in the stands at a baseball game. The smoke cloud was produced in the box to simulate the way it would actually be seen by the fans. It was interesting that as the smoke density increased, the clothing colors seen through the box became shades of gray, totally unacceptable.

Since even with 100% outside air, as experienced in an outdoor stadium, there will be a smoke cloud, it was concluded that a “commercially acceptable” smoke cloud would be the basis for design. Of course, the economics of providing outside air to dilute the smoke was a major consideration and the effort was made to minimize the cost by limiting the amount of outside air. Reducing the design requirement to the minimum was a start. Secondly, though return air could be filtered and treated to provide dilution, the same as outside air, this process involved taking part of the return air through electrostatic filters to remove particulates and activated charcoal to remove eye irritants.

In order to monitor the smoke cloud and detect equipment failure during an event, a cloud density measuring device was mounted to sight across the playing field and set to alarm if the smoke cloud became too dense. One interesting thing that was observed was smoke on the lower levels circulated in one direction while smoke on the upper levels circulated in the opposite direction.

Air Distribution

The supply air to major seating and playing field areas had not been done previously, as far as we know. There were questions as to how far the air could be thrown without being too drafty or generating too much noise, and whether the playing field would be served properly. No overhead ducts were allowed; everything toward the playing field had to be from the side. After some analysis, 720 nozzles were provided that could be adjusted to discharge in selected directions at 5000 feet per minute. Extensive smoke tests were conducted after the systems were in operation to determine the most appropriate pointing and to determine if the noise would be objectionable.

Return air design was a further consideration. Heat rising from a crowd of people will tend to deflect supply air from descending to cool them. To avoid this, return air slots were provided in the riser behind each seat, so that the air returned through the crowd.

Egress during High Wind



There was excess air relief dampers mounted in a cupola in the middle of the roof. During a high wind, it would tend to aspirate air from the inside, lowering the air pressure in the stadium. This would make operation of the exit doors, which open out, more difficult. To avoid the problem, fire alarm type boxes were provided at exit doors so that operation of the switch would close the roof dampers and permit the air pressure to rise in the space and thus allow the doors to open and let people out.

Unforeseen Cooling Level

Just prior to issuing construction documents, an extra 10% capacity factor was added to the cooling system. The thought was that this type of facility has never before been built, and who knows what might come up, unexpectedly, that would require more capacity. As it happened, the skylights, some 4,300 of them, caused such a glare that the players were losing sight of fly balls. The solution was to paint over a section of skylights, which caused the field lights to be required in the daytime, and the cooling load was increased to meet the additional capacity required.

Rumors

There was much speculation about clouds and rainstorms in the dome if the air conditioning failed. This is not possible due to the controls and the fact that the dome is too small of an enclosed space. There was no control system to blow air in from the outfield when the visitors were batting. This was just a rumor.

The first climate controlled outdoor amusement park – Astroworld, Houston, Texas.

Astroworld was the first outdoor amusement park A/C installation that cooled people outdoors, using the air flow design principles developed for the domed stadium. It was also the first amusement park to provide “snow flurries” for its Alpine ride when the outdoor temperature was 95 degrees of an enclosed space Fahrenheit.

The first application of a heat conservation cycle (heat reclaim) at the Main Post Office, Houston, Texas.

The first climate controlled underground tunnel system between downtown buildings with shops and restaurants – Downtown Houston, Texas.

Not all the jobs that our Houston people designed and installed worked really well, but they all worked, even the ones that broke new ground – and there were plenty of those. The chapter has found the historically significant systems and has produced a report about them as follow:

The Jefferson Theater in Beaumont had one of the first centrifugal (Freon 12) 150 ton capacity water chilling units (one of the first). It was manufactured in Leipzig, Germany in 1926 by C.H. Jaeger & Company for Carrier Engineering Corporation in Newark, New Jersey (Carrier #3607) and was installed July 7, 1927. The motor starter was an open air resistor type reduced voltage starter with several incremental steps, in order to start the 125 horsepower chiller electric motor. The chiller sized up due to a bearing problem in the 1960’s; repairs were attempted but not completed and the existing motor starter and disconnect switch were damaged by excessive amp draw. The centrifugal chiller



was left in place due to size and budgetary constraints. The air handling unit is a built-up Buffalo Forge model 155-E, (#2406 serial #K-2478) centrifugal fan (approximately 72” to 84” diameter) low RMP driven by a 25 horsepower motor with a 12” wide belt drive. The air handing unit has a chilled water spray coil to dehumidify and clean the air. The air handling unit and motor are still operating very quietly and well; however the motor was rebuilt recently because of flood damage.

The Old Humble Building at 1212 Main in Houston had one the early York Ice Machine Company reciprocating chillers installed in 1935 that is still operational with a specially wound 4000 volt motor.

The Fulton Theater in the Houston area is significant for at least two reasons: 1) the eight cylinder radial R-12 reciprocating water cooled compressor was installed with a completely built-up air handling unit and 2) the duct system installed inside the theater is made of wood rather than sheet metal. The theater, capable of seating approximately 1000 people with a main floor and a balcony, was built in 1947 after the end of World War II when some materials were scarce. The structure is wooden with a brick exterior and fiberglass roof insulation. The approximately 12,000 CFM centrifugal blower driven with multiple V-belt sheaves by a 10 Hp electric motor was built into a mechanical room at the rear of the theater. The copper tube and flat copper plate R-12 Dx cooling coil (96” x 36”) is mounted on a wooden stand and has a flat 2” thick filter section with a sheet metal transition to the inlet of the blower. The unit has a sheet metal connection to the back of the theater, where it transitions to the wood distribution duct via and elbow, and an equal split to each side of the theater. The wood duct makes a sweeping radius transition turn.

The Brazoria County Courthouse has two Frick 70 ton reciprocating Freon 12 water chillers installed in 1940, both of which are still operational.

The Houston Chapter Leadership has Introduced Several New Approaches to Enable Them to Do a Better or More Effective Job of Leading and Serving Our Region VIII Area Assigned

Members as Follows:

In addition to being one of the finest publications of its kind in Society, having won the Region VIII Best Newsletter Award four times, the Hot Air Recorder celebrated its Golden Anniversary during Society’s Centennial year. The HAR was one of the first monthly publications of a chapter newsletter in Society. It was started with a seven page hectographed edition in October, 1944 with Reg. F. Taylor as Editor and H.L. DeVines as Technical Editor. The earliest edition that the Houston Chapter has a copy of is the April, 1948 issue. The professional appearance and printing of our monthly newsletter, the Hot Air Recorder, from the beginning has been an asset.

William (Bill) Cook initiated the idea of the “Houston Chapter Product and Services Directory” with the 1975-76 first edition that we published as a fund raiser. The tradition continues today as a sought after document in the Houston Area in spite of increased competition from electronic sources such as the internet search engines.

Don Nye helped us write programs for our computerized mailing list during the change-over to Dbase III Plus, thus making it easier to communicate with our area assigned members and enabling us to make maximum use of our bulk mail permit. It also allows us to print the main body of the “Houston



Chapter Roster” without losing time and money for typesetting. In addition, Don has been instrumental in sending out fax broadcasts.

Bruce Flaniken initiated the idea of an annual table top product show in July of 1987 with the first “Show and Tell” held in December, 1987 for our chapter, and was the Founding Committee Chairman for six years until 1992. It has been a very effective means of developing a fund raising, major meeting, seminar and social event for the month of December. The name was changed to the Houston Chapter Exposition at the August 1994 Board of Governors meeting. The exposition was canceled due to lack of interest by the 1995 BOG.

R.O. (Dick) Hunton and Rodney Lewis were instrumental in reinstating the June golf tournament and installation of officers as a social event for the chapter. These golf tournaments are ASHRAE Research fundraisers. Ahmad Tayebi organized two golf tournaments during the 2002-2003 year.

Rodney Lewis has been the Houston Chapter’s delegate to the Construction Industry Council (C.I.C.) for many years. The CIC is comprised of delegates from several technical societies that are active in the Houston area. This council reviews code changes and other technical issues that affect the city of Houston and the council makes recommendations to the city. Most recently, Rodney Lewis, with the help of Bob Burch, and David McCoy has been spending many hours on the new energy code and recommended changes to the new City of Houston Building, Mechanical, and Plumbing, Electrical, Fire and Energy codes up through 2013, when they retired. They have also be speakers at many of the ASHRAE co-sponsored COH Code seminars to the Houston chapter on the new code.

During the 1999-2000 year Karl Marshall, who was the Research Promotion Committee chair, was looking for new ways to raise money for ASHRAE research. Karl, Alan Penn and Mark Sacra came up with the idea of the ASHRAE BBQ cook off. Alan and Mark co-chaired the first cook off. This event continues to raise money for ASHRAE research and is a fun-filled social event for our chapter members and their families.

Bill Chalmers and Mike Donovan have done outstanding jobs in putting on continuing education classes for the Houston ASHRAE chapter. The classes are always well attended, very informative and the proceeds from the classes go to ASHRAE research. Bill Chalmers has been teaching the ASHRAE Fundamental courses since the 2000-2001 year. The Houston ASHRAE chapter has enjoyed the easy access to the continuing education courses. We are now offering ASHRAE continuing education over the internet via Centre Training to the ASHRAE members and/or non-members who cannot commute to Houston on a weekly basis (i.e. Beaumont, College Station, Bryan, Huntsville, etc.)



Clarence L. Fleming wrote the following article titled “WHY ASHRAE”, which has been published in the Hot Air Recorder and ASHRAE Insights:

WHY ASHRAE?

The National Society spends more per member than the dues that are received.

You get – Guide and Data Book, Handbook of Fundamentals, Journal, best fellowship, good programs, good food and drinks.

ASHRAE provides you with the best technical literature.

Welcomes you at national, regional and chapter meetings where you may establish contacts with others in the industry and continue your professional development.

Enables you to participate in the development of codes, standards and technical information for the progress of our industry.

Identifies you as a member of a profession who is alert to its opportunities and responsibilities.

ASHRAE carries on a program of basic research, establishes codes and standards, disseminates technical information and encourages educational activities.

Most of the leaders of the industry are associated with ASHRAE and thru the Society have set forth their findings and methods for the benefit of the members.

Codes and standards developed by ASHRAE are recognized internationally.

ASHRAE is the only engineering society that spends millions a year in basic research and technical studies.

ASHRAE work in cooperation with many leading engineering colleges, the objective of which is to establish unity and solidarity in the engineering profession.



Bibliography:

1) Handbook of Waco and McLennan County

2) New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region’s Forty Years of world Leadership in Refrigeration

and Air Conditioning 1844-1884 by W.R Woolrich, U.T., ASHRAE Life Members Club

Presentation January 27, 1964

3) A Century and Ten Years of Mechanical Refrigeration in Texas and Louisiana by W.R

Woolrich, U.T., Dallas Section of ASRE Presentation February 13, 1957.

4) Who’s Who in Waco & Central Texas, The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House

J.G. Forrister Publisher. 1912, page 133, Muhl, J.A.

5) HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD, The Columbus Iron Works, HAER GA-28 Historians: John S. Lupold, J. B. Karfunkle & Barbara Kimmelman; August, 1977. It is understood that access to this material rests on the condition that should any of it be used in any form or by any means, the author or draftsman of such material and the Historic American Engineering Record of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service at all times be given proper credit. On 13 December 1865 the Enquirer informed Columbusites that "the success in ice manufacturing in other Southern cites is such as to remove all doubts from the minds of our citizens of its practicability." The Daily Sun (11 August 1868) wrote Columbus would soon have an ice factory in operation. "So, Mr. Macon, you will perceive your sister city is not far behind you in the good work." Columbus Daily Sun, 12 December 1865, 18 January 1866; Columbus Daily Enquirer 4 January 1866.

6) Scientific American, Volume XXVII, No. 7; “Ether Ice Machines Patent by Andrew Muhl”,

dated New York, August 17, 1872

7) Brunet and Muhl Iron and Brass Machine Shop on Press Street River Bank, a new

advertisement was listed May 21, 1868 in San Antonio Express

8) Amon Carter Museum; San Antonio in 1873 Bird’s Eye View

9) When San Antonio Went Ice-Happy

10) Letter to Agnes Muhl from Bexar County Clerk Fred Huntress dated April 9, 1957 listing

eleven different recorded documents related to the Muhl Family.

11) San Antonio Express Sunday October 4, 1868 Vol III, #183 Notes: that a “Guenther and Muhl

build new ice factory.” Sunday July 18, 1869 Notes: that a “Mr. Guenther starts operation of

an ice factory patented by Andrew Muhl of San Antonio.”

12) San Antonio Express: March 29 or 30, 1870, Reports “Dam moved by San Antonio

Authorities.” Wednesday March 31, 1870 Reports “Mr. Muhl’s mill wheel moved.”

13) Article in San Antonio Daily Herald page 2, March 29, 1873 referring to those previous

articles Stated ”A Very Great Outrage”

14) The San Antonio Express on page 3, March 30, 1870 ran this rebuttal column: “Clap Trap”



15) The San Antonio Daily Herald

16) The San Antonio Daily Herald, “Paggi Carriage Shop”

17) San Antonio Daily herald, May 6, 1869.

18) The San Antonio Daily Herald, April 2, 1868

19) US Patent Office #121,402; Dated: 11/2//1871

20) US Patent Office #118,649; Dated: 08/29/1871

21) US Patent Office #121,888; Dated: 12/02/1871

22) HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD, The Columbus Iron Works, HAER GA-28 Historians: John S. Lupold, J. B. Karfunkle & Barbara Kimmelman; August, 1977. It is understood that access to this material rests on the condition that should any of it be used in any form or by any means, the author or draftsman of such material and the Historic American Engineering Record of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service at all times be given proper credit. Oscar Edward Anderson, Jr., Refrigeration in America, A History of a New Technology and Its Impact (Princeton, 1953), 86-96; "Historical Review of the Rise of Mechanical Refrigeration," Ice and Refrigeration, January 1902, 13-14; Columbus Daily Sun 15 May, 20, 21, September 1872; Columbus Daily Enquirer 4 July 1874.

23) US Patent Office #146,267; Dated: 01/06/1874, application filed 12/08/1871

24) Excerpt, from History of the Waco Medical Association with Reminiscences and Irrelevant

Comments by William O. Wilkes, M.D. Printed in 1931

25) Who’s Who in Waco & Central Texas, The Forrister History Company, Regan Printing House

J.G. Forrister Publisher. 1912, page 133, Muhl, J.A.

26) Waco Sunday Tribune Herald August 13, 1944: Waco Feared Muhl’s Ice Would Freeze Up

Innards”

27) Andrew Muhl Family Photo taken in San Antonio in approximately 1866.

28) Personal Photo taken in San Antonio at North Pressa Street

29) Google earth maps and satellite photos

30) Oscar E. Anderson, Jr., “Refrigeration in America” (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton New

Jersey Press 1953).

31) Austin Tri-weekly State Gazette, March 23, 1870

32) Luis Bartlett and Willis R. Woolrich, “Refrigeration of Operating Engineers in Ice and Cold

Storage Plants”, (Austin: University of Texas Bureau of Engineering Research 1941).

33) Charles T. Clark, “The Development of Refrigeration in Texas”. Texas Business Review 40

(November, 1966).



34) Mary Whatley Clark, “First Refrigeration of Beef”, Cattlemen, March 1947.

35) New Orleans Daily Picayune, July 13, 1869.

36) Willis R. Woolrich, “The Men Who Created Cold, History of Refrigeration (New York:

Exposition Press, 1967.

37) Joe B. Frantz, "BORDEN, GAIL, JR.," Handbook of Texas Online

“(http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbo24), accessed February 17, 2013.

Published by the Texas State Historical Association

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