The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The state-House Plumbing.

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70 the Editor Of the indianapolis journal:
The State-house Commissioners seem to be
very much afraid that s'othersr (meaning. we
Journals statements in regard to the State
house plumbing. The Journals statements in re-
gard TO The matter have been correct, or, sub
stantially 80. at least the only misstatement
being the one in reference to the tile earthen
pipe in the cellar. That was our mistake. and
we admit that the pipe mentioned is iron; but
what kind of front Extra heavy, or light ordi-
nary pipe2 The latter Of course, which we viii
add should never be used beneath the surface OF
the ground 1t should be extra heavy iron pipe.
The Commissioners fippantly reject our oner to
pay the expense of practical investigation, for
good reasons no doubt They say that "the
work is daily inspected by the superintendent
while it is being DONE and If any imperfect work
is done, or bad material used, the superintend-
ent requires it to be taken out and replaced in
accordance with the specifications of the archi-
taet,D etc. Now this kind of talk is pure non
sense To begin with, the superintendent is not
practical man. He knows nothing whatever
in regard to sanitary plumbing hence his in
spection Of the work amounts to nothing. Have
not all the public buildings wherein bad plumb
ing work is TO be found been inspected in this
same mannerg
So far as making the work conform to the
specifications is concerned, we suggest that 1t
would be just we'll to ignore the specifications
altogether. The specifications were evidently
drawn up by a person who, hike the Commits
Eioners, sknew 1t alp and was incapable of
adopting modern ideas The result is just this:
These socalled specifications are mass OF con-
dicting printed matter, which can be construed
to mean anything or nothing We venture to
say that no reliable authority on sanitary
plumbing would approve of such Specifications
We intend to send . copy OF them 20 q we'll
known expert on such matters, and will ask for
his opinion of them, which. when published, will
enable the public to Judge how far the State
house Commissioners are behind the times in
this matter The silly quibbling OF Mr.. Fender
CAST in saying that no traps which are TO be
this much: We stated, and we challenge any
one to disprove our assertion, that branch
Just below the floor level, in the two-inch cast
iron pipe was intended for the safe-waste to en-
ter, and that Y just above the floor was for
the air pipes from the traps to enter, thereby
practically connecting the soil pipe with the
gafewaste, and charging the latter with the foul
air from the former, decidedly wrong thing to
but that such was contemplated, and that the
main pipes have already been put in and
ranged for this purpose That the traps will be
vented into them as described cannot be denied
unless the system is entirely changed, as the
superintendent implied it might be. Now what
does Mr.. Pendergast's bubble amount tot just
his It was calculated to mislead the public
but we believe this expedient of Mr.. Fender
CASTS will fail to work.
The Commissioners now claim that one of
their number is practical plumber Well
Well! Wonders will never cease. But 60. slow,
gentlemen. Please tell us how you account for
the inconsistency of this statement with state
ments made in your letter to the Journal of
March ii, wherein we read the following:
"And assuring them four committee) OF our
anxiety TO discover all defects, desired them to
report to all imperfect work. The Commits
sioners thankfully received the report Of Mr..
Hudson and fully considered every thing in it
and expect to apply all the knowledge obtained
from him in their future oversight of the State
house plumbing"
Now fora few pertinent questions We would
ask the Commissioners why the need of any
anxiety on their part if one of their number
is practical plumber, of more experience than
any one of our numberp Why the necessity of
asking as to report imperfect work If one of
their number is a practical plumberF Why did
they so thankfully" accept our report, and de
eide to make use Of all the knowledge they OBJ
tanned from and expect to apply 1t in their
further oversight of the State-house plumbing if
one of their number is q practical plumber?
We here hazard the suggestion that the gentle
men have overdone themselves and it occurs to
us that the public will be of the same opinion.
First. they practically admit that they know lit
tie or nothing about the matter of plumbing and
accept the knowledge which we furnish them,
and expect to apply 1t in future in their in
spection of the work. Now, they make the
astounding revelation that one Of their number
Is practical plumber of great and wonderful
experience Verify, consistency is jewel which
the Commissioners unfortunately do not seem
to possess.
One of the Commissioners stated to our COM
mittee that he was an iron-m olderi perhaps this
is the gentleman who has developed SO rapidly
into practical plumber" The Commissioners
say that the work will not be concealed until
after it has been examined, when the fact Of the
matter is that nearly all of the botch work is
already concealed by the plastering.
The long and short of the whole matter Is
this: The specifications are practically worth
less; the price to be paid for the work is too low
to insure good job. The persons employed on
the work not good plumbers as their work
will prove, but they are cheap, and cheap laoor
Is the great desideratum in this case, because it
Is cheap job and "the State is getting what it
pays for" SO let it 60 on, gentlemen. Time will
tell who right and who wrong, we have
done our part and we await the investigation.
We are loath to discuss the matter any further,
which the Commissioners are continually max
ing. AL this ding dong will have one good ef
feet, perhaps 1t will enable an intelligent pub
lie to decide which party is the more consistent
the gentlemen of the State-house or
The JoURNEYMEN PLUMBERS.
The idea of Socialists.
To the Editor OF the indianapolis Journal:
Truman Beeman has published in your valua