The Evening critic., 1881-08-06
unseemIx WrangIing.

Wash. Cor. n. Y. Herald.
The public buildings and grounds in this
city are in charge Of Col. Rockwell, who
has exclusive jurisdiction over them under
the law. The District authorities have no
right 70 inspect them without asking per-
mission of Col. Rockwell or at his request.
1t is notorious that the sewer connections
at the White House are imperfect and allow
u constant flow of sewer gas into the build
ing, there being no sufficient trappagc to
prevent it, There is in this city an official
whose duty it is to inspect all plumbing
work. Were the same state of things as
exist in the White House to exist in any
private house in the city he would be able
to enter it and make the necessary inspec-
tions. Between Col Rockwell and the
health authorities il is>alleged that the
feeling is not as pleasant as it could be- The
chief of the Health Office is DIR.
Smith Townshcnd, who was the first physi-
clan to reach the President when he was
shot at the depot, but whose services were
afterward dispensed with by DIR. Bliss.
While this ,infriendly feeling exists there
is no official intercourse between the two
officials The inspector of plumbing is ready
to inspect tho sewer connections of the
White House, but ii is said that Col. Hock-
well has no faith in his ability, he having
only occupied his present position a few
weeks, and he has not, therefore, requested
him to do 1t. In the meantime nothing has
been done toward correcting the evil re-
ferred to in these dispatches nearly week
ago, and the sewer gas still has an unin-
terrupted flow into all parts of the Exccu-
tive Mansion except perhaps, the Prcsi-
dents own room.
1t is recalled that when Mrs. Garfield was
suffering from malaria last spring, and her
case was said to be very close to a typhoid
condition, the spring which supplies the
Executive Mansion with water was care
fully examined, and even the concrete pave
ment was torn up to discover whether the
sewer beneath might not be defective and
allow n leakage of impure water into the
course of the spring, by which the water
used at the Executive Mansion was vitiated
The above is fair sample of sensational
journalism, and another incident of the
reckless system some Washington CORE
spondents have been operating under OF
late-ofa careless way they have, in fact, OF
sending of stories based on rumors which
they failed to take the trouble to authcnti.
cate As a fact, the above statement from
the Herald is purely fabrication. There
has been no trouble whatever between Col
Rockwell, the Health Officer or the Inspector
of Plumbing. On the contrary, matters
have been just the reverse. Some days ago
when the question of the defective sewerage
at the White House was being discussed
Health Officer Townshend addressed note
to Col. Rockwell requesting to know
whether the District authorities could rem
der any assistance in the matter of inspect
ing the sewerage in and about the Execu
tive Mansion, at the same time rendering
his own services and the services Of thu
inspector. Col. Rockwell very prompt,
replied, presenting his thanks for tn,
profered aid, saying that he had consulted
with Mrs. Garfield on the subject, wht
deemed it impracticable to institute al
inspection until the President had rccov
cred sufficiently to be removed from TIN
mansion. "Aftcr the President has beci
removed" said Col. Rockwell, Eve will
institute an exhaustive inspection, ant
your kind offer will be cheerfully &C
cepted."