The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-09
SOME DEFECTIVE PLUMBING.
Expert Testimony Proves that the Work
at the State-House Is Faulty.
The Journeymen Plumbers Offer to Demon
strate the Correctness of the Charges
Made to the State House Commissioners.


nal the Commissioners Of the new State-house,
referring to an editorial paragraph stating that
the plumbing in the building is defective, re-
quest the Journal to publish the evidence in its
possession upon which the assertion was based.
1t evidently did not occur to the State-house
Commissioners that there would have been more
propriety in their furnishing some proof that the
assertion is not true than calling upon the Jour
nal for the evidence in its possession, enough of
which can be given, however, to warrant the
conclusion expressed editorially, and if more is
desired it will be presented at the proper time.
Moro than three months ago committee OF
experts, representing the Journeymen Plumbers
Association, charged that the plumbing in the
new State-house building was defective. The
charge was not made in general terms, but speci-
fcatons were given, as follows: '.The soil and
waste-plpes were not half calked; some of them
were not even leaded-that is, the pipe had been
run in such a crooked, zigzag manner, that
there was no room for the lead on one side of
the hub The system of trap-venting is sufi-
GENTLY ridiculous to call for special mention. A
two-inch cast-iron pipe, which is to serve for
safe-waste, is extended upward to the roof and
connected
this two-inch safe-waste are to be ventilated the
traps Of the water-closets; for instance, Y
branch just below the floor is for the safe-waste
to enter and branch just above the floor is to
be connected with the ventpipe to the trap, and
thus charge the safewaste with the foul air
from the soil-pipe 1t is intended to trap the
safe waste, but even then it is miserable way
of doing work. A safe waste should be
safe-waste and nothing else. Imagine
several lines of soil and waste pipes, the pipe
.1,~I nffc PC "a IN
unevenly put together, and no lead at all on one
side, or Oh the bottom of the joint When run
in horizontal position all the SOIL waste and
supply pipes run in recesses cut IN the Drick
walls, and then securely bricked up out OF sight,
never to be accessible for repairs without tearing
away the brick and mortar Imagine huge
brick sewer too big to be flooded, extending
through the basement of the building. and
earthen drain ppe used to connect the cast-iron
soil and waste pipes with this sewer"
When these charges were properly filed before
the Commissioners they promised that rigid
examination of the work should be made by
practical man, but if the examination has ever
been made the Commissioners have withheld the
information from the public. They have, how
ever, made general denial of the truthfulness
of the charge that the work was defective.
While it may suit the convenience of
the Commissioners to summarily. dis
miss The matter in this way, it
is not the kind of proof that is commonly
charges The Journeymen Plumbers Associa-
ton. through its president, Fl. I. Hudson offered
to pay the expenses of an investigation by an
expert if the charges should not be sustained,
but the Commissioners have not accepted this
proposition.
The Sanitary Engineer, published in New
York and London, and the recognized authority
on all questions pertaining to architecture,
engineering, construction and sanitation, In
commenting on the defects specified in the
oh nada NV IA
says: ''rhe condition of things pointed out
would not be tolerated in this city New York;,
and the commissioners OF the capitol building
certainly should have an investigation made by
a man who is an expert lin fact as well as in
name) and correct defects which are found to
exist before it is too late. Traps vented as de-
scribed are worse than useless. Connecting trap
vents with safe-wastes are dangerous. A brick
sewer in building is out OF place. 1t IS relic
of an ignorant age in matters OF house-dralnage
and sewerage. We congratulate the Journey
men Plumbers, Steam and Gas filters Associa
ton, of indianapolis, on the model letter pub
lished in their name"
The comments of the Sanitary Engineer ndi-
cate that the plans and specifications adopted by
the Commissioners are at fault more than the
work of the contractor, because they are not In
accordance with the modern ideas of experts
the most approved system of drainage
Although one OF the State house Commission
ers appeared before the recent convention of
sanitary officers and made q general denial of
the charge that the work was defective, that
body was not convinced that his state
ment should be accepted as conclusive,
and an investigation was ordered. When the
plumbing was inspected last week one of the
members of the State Board of Health expressed
the opinion that there were sanitary defects in
the work, and the matter was regarded as suf-
fciently grave to warrant their ordering a con-
tinuation of the investigation before making an
official report Against all this evidence, no
proof has been offered to show that the charges
are not true, except the general denial
of the State house Commissioners, although
ample opportunity has been afforded for demon
strating that the work is perfect as they would
have the public believe. 1t may be respectfully
suggested that if there is any evidence to prove
that the drainage and plumbing is free from the
defects pointed out there would be no impro-
priety in giving it to the public.