The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-11
state-House Plumbing.

TO the EdIror of indianapolis Journal:
In answer to your editorial article of the 9th
inst ON the Statehous plumbing, am directed
by the State-house Commissioners to say:
First-In the Journal of the 9th inst you
made an unqualified charge that the plumbing
of the State-house was defective. In answer to
this the Commissioners requested you to furnish
the evidence upon which you made such charge.
In the Journal of the 9th you doubt the pro-
priety of asking you for evidence, deeming it
more appropriate for the Commissioners to furn-
ish their evidence that the charge Was not true
In answer to this, the Commissioners would sug-
gest that it is usual for the accusor to prove his
charges; and not the accused his innocence But
for the information of the public, the Commits
sioners will say that the plumbing is only partly
done, and whether it will be defective or not
when completed can only be determined after
testing and inspecting it. They are assured by
the architect and superintendent that the work
now done has been faithfully and skillfully ex-
ecuted; and the materials used the best
known to the trade. The Commissioners believe
they are as anxious as others, that the work
should be properly done, not excepting the
Plumbers Association, and they expect to
make every appropriate test and examination
known to recognized experts, to insure perfect
work, before accepting it.
Second-Among your specifications OF bad
work, you say, that the SOIL and waste pipes
were not half caulked, some of them not even
q
crooked, zig-zag manner that there was room
for the lead on one side of the hub" The Com
missioners answer this charge by saying that it
is untrue They know from personal examina-
ton of joints they have broken for this purpose,
that while there is less lead on one side of the
hub at the top (if an angle is formed by defect
ing the pipe out of line) there is more at the
bottom on that side, and after careful exam
ination, the Commissioners have been unable to
discover any bad joints except in a few cases,
No. Snsn ~
that they were maliciously damaged, and in
some cases two or three times. at the same joint.
There are q few pipes, in which the parts in
cline about three inches from straight line, in
lengths of five feet which it is believed is a bet
ter construction than to make an offsett as this
would cause an obstruction to the passage of the
waste matter, but in the inclined pipes there is
free passage.
Third-Your specifications say "that the sys-
tenn of trap-venting is sufficiently ridiculous to
call for special mention. two-inch cast iron
pipe, which is to serve for safe-waste, is ex-
tended upward to the roof, and there connected
with the soil pipe vent. Into this two inch safe
waste are to be ventilated the traps Of the water
closets; for instance branch just below the
floor is for the safe-waste to enter, and
branch just above the floor is to be connected
with the vent pipe to the trap, and thus charge
the safe-waste 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"
IllS SpeclucaLlOn QO6S not apply 10 Inc 0taL6-
house, as there is no such system OF trap-ventlng
in it. The soil and safewaste pipes are not as
yet carried through the roof they will be when
finished, bnt there will be connection be-
tween them, and none was ever contemplated.
And the further charge that the soil pipes are
connected with the sewer by means of earthen
drain pipes, is also false All soil pipes con-
nected with the sewer by means of eight inch
cast iron enameled pipe.
Fourth-As to the implied charge that the
Commissioners did not treat the Plumbers
Association, through their president. with suf-
fcient consideration, we think facts prove the
reverse. We offered them every facility for a
thorough examination of all the work. Our
superintendent conducted them through the
building and assuring them of our anxiety to
discover all defects, desired them to report to us
all imperfect work. The Commissioners thank
fully received the report of Mr.. Hudson. and
fully considered everything in it and ex-
pect to apply all the knowledge obtained from
him in their further oversight of the State-house
plumbing. AS to your statement that the
Plumbers Association through Mr.. Hudson,
offered to pay the expense of an expert TO make
an examination of the plumbing work, if it was
not found IS stated, the Commissioners say it is
untrue and no such offer was ever heard of by
them, until seen in the Journal In your quota
ton from the remarks of the editor of the San
itary Engineer on the subject of the State-house
plumbing, you leave out an important IF"
The editor said that he knew nothing about the
facts in the case, except as he learned them
from the communications in his paper, but that
If such state of facts did exist, as is claimed
that such things would not be tolerated in New
York. The criticisms Of the Sanitary Engineer
were based on alleged state of facts that do
not exist except as to there being sewer under
the building.
Fifth-There is brick sewer, four feet d.
ameter, under the State-house, running from
Tennessee street to Missouri street. It Is con-
structed of hard brick walls twelve inches thick,
laid in cement, with ten feet of earth over it.
The bottom of the sewer has a descent of over
two and half feet, to its entrance into the Mis-
souri, street sewer, distance of nine hundred
and thirty feet. Into this sewer is discharged
all the waste water of the building, including
that used In running two elevators, together
with all the water falling the entire roof Of
the building, and a very large amount of street
drainage from Tennessee, Market, and other
streets. Ii such a sewer is not sufficiently
flushed to carry of the refuse, on the inclination
mentioned. and ii, when laid III cement and COW,
cred with ten f6et Of earth, and thoroughly