The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-12
THESTATE-HOUSE PLUMBING
Additional Facts in Relation to the
Sanitary Defects in the Work.
Evidence Contradicting the Assertions of the
Commissioners-Th Journeymen Plumb
ers Proposition for an Investigation.

Aho answer Al yootolody couiuais W oiuVA
of the State-house Commissioners" to the speci
fcations of defects in the plumbing, published on
Tuesday in compliance with request 'by order
or the Commissioners" is in effect little Iaore
than q general denial of the truthfulness of the
charges, and to that extent. therefore, the dis
pute is simply question of veracity between
the Commissioners and the gentlemen who made
the charges. This has been the status of
the matter from the first Between
the two, the public is left to judge as the Jour
nal did, which side is supported by the prepon-
derance of evidence That the conclusion ex-
pressed edtorially, to which the Commissioners
objected, was warranted by the evidence pre-
sented to the public, ia demonstrated by the
weight of testimony.
The charges specifying defects were made by
committee of three practical plumbers, repre-
senting the Journeymen Plumbers Association,
after personally making thorough ex
animation of the work These men
were H. T. Hudson. Henry NJ Smith and
James McCulloch. Their knowledge is derived
from practical experience in the business, to
which their lives have been devoted, and, as
there is no reason for doubling their integrity,
their affirmation that the charges are true in all
rules governing the impartial consideration of
testimony, is certainly entitled to equally as
much credence as the declaration Of the three
Commissioners, who are not known to have any
practical knowledge of plumbing. that
the specifications are not true. AS
the only means of proving their
charges, the committee asked that careful in
vestgation should be made by an impartial ex-
pert and offered to pay the expenses if it should
be found that the work was not as they repre-
sented. The fairness Of this proposition cannot
be doubted and it must be conceded that the
fact that it was not accepted by the Commits
sioners gives additional weight to the
charges, when their truthfulness becomes
simply question of veracity. The action of
the State Board of Health in ordering an
investigation into the matter, and the assertion
by member Of the board, after inspecting the
work, that there were serious sanitary defects
in it, certainly add to the weight of evidence.
The comments of the Sanitary Engineer, COM
petent and impartial authority, on the defects
pointed out, are emphaticaly in support
of the charges. The assertions of
the State-house Commissioners that the
charges are untrue comprise the only
contradictory evidence that has been presented
The judicial system would hardly sustain the
assumption of innocence by the Commissioners
in the first paragraph of their reply to the evil
dence, and, in this connection there may be no
improperly in suggesting in answer to the
statement of the Commissioners, that when the
preponderance of evidence is against the ac-
cused it is about time for the accused to prove
his innocence, if he can
There is nothing more than a question of
veracity between the Commissioners aud the
journeymen plumbers, on the charge that the
some Of them not leaded," but if the Commits
sioners shave been unable to discover any bad
joints, except in a few cases, where they have
sufficient evidence to prove they were
16s dv ssma pyaaseuts is tho it n0s
VINO have been guilty Of this offense against the
law? And is it not their duty to resort to this
means of Furnishing persons who have been dam
aging the public property of which they are Gus
todians, instead of making vague insinuationY
''the soil and safe waste pipes are not as yet
carried through the roof, they will be
when finished, but there will be no
connection between them and none was ever
contemplated" is simply bubble in words and
involves another question of veracity. as>does
also the assertion that there is no such system of
trap-venting as was specified. At least half
dozen witnesses can be produced, however, who
will testify that the superintendent of
the work on the Stated house said, when
being made by the Board of Health
last week, that ne had condemned the system
of trap-venting which had been adopted by the
Commissioners, remarking that, because the
matter was still In dispute, he had stopped plas
terng in that part Of the building. The super
intendent is the representative of the Commits
soners. His statement, which was made volun-
tarly in the presence of several persons is hard
ly consistent with the assertion of the Commits
sioners, that there are no defects in tho trap
venting. It is admitted, after making
further examination, that the drain
pipes connecting the soil pipes with the sewer
are cast-iroE instead Of earthen. as was stated in
the specific charges.
The Commissioners admit they are construct
ing brick sewer under the building, although
the brick sewer is condemned by every authority
on sanitary engineering It is well known by ex-
perts that no matter how deep it may be in the
ground it ia only matter of time when the gas
will escape from a brick sewer. 1t is pertinent
to reproduce, on this point, the statement of the
editor of the Sanitary Engineer that "a brick
sewer in a building is out of place. It is relic
of an ignorant age in matters Of house-drainage
and sewerage" There is no ''if" omitted from
this statement.
The Commissioners a1ro assert that the Estate
ment 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 stated the Commits
sioners say it is untrue, and such offer was
ever heard OF by them, until seen in the Journ-
al" The question of veracity can be settled by
reference to the original charges made by the
Journeymen Plumbers, published In the journal
on Tuesday. Nov. 3, 1885, and by the following
card from Mr.. Hudson, who made the PROPOSE
ton, and now repeats it:
INDIANAPOLIS, March IL, 1885,
To the Editor of the Indianapolis journal
In reply to the statement of the Statehouse Com
nssioners that they heard of offer to pay
for examination by an expert THAT is practical
man who would be disnterested in the NATTER pro.
viding he would decide against u.s.
l desire to say that we did make such
an offer, and that it published in the
Journal on Nov. 3. If the Commissioners do not re-
member it. however, we repeat it. We win pay for a
practical examination providing the decision of a
practical expert plumber is to the effect that the
work is good and free from imperfections and that
the job is a sanitary job of plumbing
III. T. HUDSON
President Journeymen Plumbers Steam and Gas
filters Association of Indianapolis.
If the charges made by the Journevmen
A..