The Paxton Electric Plant provided light to the community but also steam to heat the downtown buildings.  The Electric plant was located about where the Paxton Clinic is now.  The steam it produced was routed under the sidewalks throughout the downtown to provide heat to the buildings.  The tunnels have mostly been filled in and are inaccessalbe now.  However, during the streetscape project, there were definately signs of the tunnel.   The use of steam heat stopped in 1901 after the catastropic Electric Plant explosion described by the following article in The Paxton Record.

The 1901 Paxton Electric Plant Explosion Boiler Explodes at Electric Light Plant. One Man Killed and a Large Material Damage Wrought. Estimated Loss $15,000==Insurance $10,000 The east end of the Paxton Electric Company's plant on North Market street, opposite the RECORD office, is utterly demolished, and lies in a mass of ruins as a result of a fearful boiler explosion which occurred at 7:40 o'clock last evening. The report was deafening, and proved a serious shock to many who were in the vicinity of the scene of destruction. Some were led to think for an instant that the ceiling and walls of the buildings they were in were about to fall and felt impending danger to life and property. In a very few moments homes and places of business were deserted by their occupants and a perfect stream of humanity was flocking toward the scene of destruction. Upon their arrival they discovered damage and ruin upon every hand. The large, exploded boiler was found south of the building and the other was lodged in Papineau's frame building just north of the plant.1 The walls and tall smoke stack were completely demolished and lying in a mase of piled-up brick and mortar. Wires were down and the boiler flues had been hurled for long distances through the air, landing hundreds of feet from their starting places. All of the employees at the plant soon made their appearance, uninjured, with the exception of Marion Jaynes, the night engineer. The conclusion was soon reached that he had been instantly killed and buried beneath the ruins. Accordingly, a diligent search for his body was at once instituted. With lanterns, shovels, and pickaxes, the work was pursued, and within an hour his mangled remains were found. Part of the face and a hand and a foot of the unfortunate man were missing. The remains were at once carried on stretcher to Atwood's undertaking rooms, where they will be prepared for burial. Mr. Jaynes has been in the employ of the Electric Company for the past two years, and has rendered most efficient service in the capacity of engineer. He formerly resided in Bellflower, Ill. He leaves a wife and one child to mourn his loss, to whom will be extended the deepest sympathy of the entire community in this, their sad affliction. The disastrous effects of the accident are visible all along Market Street, the principal damage wrought being in broken French plate glass at intervals as far down the street as Johnson Bros." dry goods store. Large boiler flues were blown through the air and across the street as far as Peterson's hot house on South Market street, nearly four blocks away. Five openings were made in the roof of the RECORD building opposite the plant, by the flying timbers, brick and boiler flues. Another casting weighing about 1,000 pounds crashed through the roof of Enoch Sandstedt's frame building on North Market Street, and fell directly. beside him at his desk, where he was sitting. Pieces of tar paper and lumber and slate were found this morning several blocks from the place of the accident. Manager Langford has not as yet given us any definite estimate of the loss occasioned by the explosion. It is perhaps safe to say, however, that it will reach $15,000. $10,000 insurance was carried. The suspension of business will also be a large loss, as the electric company, besides lighting our streets and business houses, furnishes power for the Paxton heating plant and motor power for hardware factory, Westbrook elevator, carriage factory, machine shop, etc. Our citizens who are depending upon the plant for light and heat will be forced to re-instate their oil lamps and stove heaters for a time. The work of re-building the plant will doubtless soon be commenced and pushed to an early completion. This is certainly one of the most terrible disasters, in its widespread effects, which has ever occurred in Paxton. NOTES OF THE ACCIDENT. Matt Odell and T. G. Hawley were in the front part of the electric building at the time of the explosion. One of Matt's hands was cut by flying glass. His wound is not considered dangerous by his physician. A large boiler flue was discovered this morning behind Alfred Samuelson's grocery store, a distance of two blocks from the accident. Pat O'Hare, in some unknown manner, was injured at the time of the explosion. He was severely cut in the forehead and was unconscious for about 24 hours after the accident. Dr. E. L. Kelso dressed his injuries. Old Paxton citizens were reminded last night of early days when our town was a dark one. The occupants of the homes where steam heat and electric lights are enjoyed felt the shock of the explosion in a greater degree than others, by reason of their close connection with the plant. The North boiler of the battery was blown into the second story of Papineau's carriage warehouse, which it knocked seven ways for Sunday, carrying down the second floor and crushing beneath it some fifteen fine buggies and carriages. Mr. Papineau's loss will be not less than $2,000. The losses of plate glass are Given Bros., in Campbell Block, two large lights in the east show window of Baer's store. Rodeen, two east windows in Chrisman & Gylander's store. The Commandery Building, the south windows of both Gray's Hardware and Sax's general store. Overstreet also lost a light in his new front and Johnson Bros. the south light in their building. One strange fact is that in nearly every instance where only one glass went it was the south one. Much other glass was broken, the Commandery building being the greatest sufferer. A. Metzgar, who stables his horses just south of the plant, found his barn wrecked and three horses in a pile in the south end. At first it was thought they were dead, but they were finally gotten out and only one appears to have suffered serious injury. The RECORD was hit hard by the explosion, being dependent upon the electric plant for heat, power, light, and water. We have today installed a gasoline engine with which we hope to be able to worry along till the works are rebuilt. March 15, 1901-Paxton Daily Record