Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-03

FURTHER LEGISLATION BY CONGRESS RECON-
AENDED IN SANITARY CONDITIONS OF PUBLIC
BUnDIsss-wAsTE OF POTOMAC WATER, ETC.
Samuel A. Robinson, chief inspector of
plumbing of the District. begins his seven
teenth annual report, submitted to Health Off
Ger Tovnshend, by reminding him of the early
struggles OF himself and some few friends of
sanitary reform to secure legislative recogni-
tion from Congress of the value of sanitation,
which were rewarded by the passage
of the first legislative enactments in
this country giving public authority
for the control of sanitary appliances
in private structures-the first legislative rec
ignition that the public veal may not be in
vaded by private avarice or ignorance in mat
tiers Of such common necessity and universal
application appliances of domestic SANTA
ton. He says: I'VE begun when domestic
waste or sewage was permitted to pollute the
premises by unfinished and unventiated waste
pipes. and by pollution of the soil by badly
constructed clay-pipe drains, with no anxiety
on the part of the household SO long as there
was no offense to the sense of sight and the
ofense to the sense of smell could be over
come by carbolic acid or some moro noxious
odOr, which was of advantage only when it
compelled the opening OF windows admitting
fresh air; when every man claimed that his
house was his castle and that it was no bust
ness of his neighbors what disposition he made
OF 1t; when plumbers generally believed there
was no poisoning from
SEWER GAS;
In fact that there was no such thing as sewer
gas, or. If perehanee there was, it must be
healthy, as who is more robust than plumber,
and the suggestion that doctor or an engineer
might know more than the plumber was the
occasion for open warfare against every at
tempt to INTRODUCES improved methods in their
-, Il
themselves insultsd and their rights invaded
with every attempt of the reformers Yet
through all these obstacles the progress of
events has made steady gains until the commu
nifty recognizes the value Of the immediate re-
movaI OF every vestage of sewage and the thor
ough flushing and ventilation of waste pipes
and the isolation of houses from the public
sewers b. the trap on the main drain, and
many other things in regard to which general
Ignorance prevailed o few years ago.
with my nrst report in 1882 and with each
succeeding report 1 have directed attention to
the fact that there Is no authority. in the alb
sence OF consent OF occupant, for the inspec-
ton OF old houses, nor the application of our
present rules and regulations thereto and have
asked for congressional action upon this point.
hope this may be presented by the honorable
commissioners in such forcible language as
viii draw favorable notice from the coming
Congress. have several times called atten-
tion to the
CNsASITARY CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC BUILD
INGS
and again present the matter. as the health of
30 many OF our citizens is imperiled by the cir
cumstances of their employment in the gov
eminent service. The rapid increase of build
lngS has made a demand for water supply upon
q service already greatly depleted by waste
rom variety Of sources The present per
CAPITA supply would be ample except for the
extravaganza IN public buildings the gross
waste III hotels, restaurants and other build
inss where the supply should be registered by
meter. and the waste in dwellings through de-
feeuye plumbing fixtures, which may be pre-
vented by rigid houss-to-house inspection.
Yet. over large area there is no dow Of water
above the first foOr-e constant menace to the
public health.
The whole number of plans of new houses
approved during the past fiscal year amounts
TO l,I51. and of these l43 were for houses hav-
ing plumbing fixtures in the yard only. At
least three inspections are necessary in the case
OF each new house Upon the request of
interested parties $50 old houses have been in
spected, requiring much time and labor"
TIE PRESENT PLUMBING LAWS DEFECTIVE
Mr.. Robinson says he has called the attention
OF the District Commissioners to the import
ance Of additional legislation from Congress
and to the bill now before the House
committee on the District Of Columbia au-
thorizing new plumbing regulations, and adds:
line present law Is defective in many respects
and should be SO amended as to authorize the
examination and registration Of plumbers and
the practice Of the business of plumbing in the
District OF Columbia, and TO empower the Com
mlssloners to prescribe reasonable penalties
FOR any violation of the law. Some standard of
Intelligence and integrity should be required
Within the last two years there has been con-
siderable
BUILDING IN SUBURBAN DISTRICTS
having no public water OF sewer service and. as
we have no regulations applicable to such
cases, recommend the appointment of board
consisting of a sanitary expert in government
employ, an operative plumber and the in
spector Of pluInbing-all of whom must do the
service without cOnapensation-to formulate
rules applicable to suburban houses. There is
an old tradition that man to secure the
health OF himself and family will build a house
IN the country, adjacent to which he will dig
Two holes, ITO one Of which all the sewage is
discharged and from the other he draws the
water he DRINKS commit this subject to the
prospective board for their consideration"
The report commends the two assistant in
spectors for their efficiency and recommends
an increase OF their salaries the first assistant
TO 81 400 and the second assistant to 81 200 per
annum. He asks to have his desk removed
from the ofiee Of the inspector of buildings
and that he shall have a separate Office suitably
htted for Its requirements.
PROPOSED MUSEUM OF HYGIENE.
in connection with such an assignment of
ONCE room / recommend that suitable cases be
provided for the exhibition of curious pieces
OF workmanship, which from time to time
come into my Possession and which illustrate
the progress .: The art. In the same place
could be.exhlbited specimens of the bad work
manshlp OF recent date and which should be
labe!ed,wlth the name Of the plumber who did
tne work. In such u room manufacturers would
siao!y-at their own expense-erect approved
appliances ant with small expense an interest
ing museum OF hygiene of great future interest
would be begun.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF PLUMBERS.
within recent years there has been an in
teHigent awakening among the plumbers, both
masters and journeymen, all over the country,
and nationa! associations exist which meet
annually for the reading of papers prepared
by their own members and for the consider
atom OF matters Of interest and instruction in
ther art. The character of the essays and the
course OF their discussions indicate an intelli-
gent mastery of the important subjects in
vowed Washington plumbers are among the
foremost IN this movement and as at least one
OF the national associations will hold its next
annual meeting IN this city / hope they
may be greeted with the fact that Congress has
PASSED liberal enactmen;s for the protec ton of
tne public against disease-breeding conditions
ID ola houses, Is well as more appropriate
regulations Tor new ones for the reformation
OF us own department buildings; for the pre-
rentlon OF the waste of water and such other
laws as are Necessary imnrova the sapi,arv