Before circulators arrived, heating contractors tried some very interesting things to get the water to flow where they wanted it to flow. Here's a good example of that from Western Plumber in 1922.
The Improved Webster Type "R" System of Steam Heating is a service bulletin from Warren Webster and Company (The Pioneers of Vacuum Steam Heating), established in 1888.
This manual was created by O-E Specialty Manufacturing Co. and outlines how to install the "O-E" Perfect System, which is a Vapor Vacuum heating system.
Here is the original Installation and Operating Instructions and Parts List for The H.B. Smith Company's Oil Fired Cast Iron Hot Water Boilers (No. OHB-13W). This is esti...