Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-09

severely alone. A reporters curiosity,
however, as to Just how they felt about the
absence of the cold weather that made the
winter months such harvest to them in the
past led to tour of investigation and in
tended coincidence, which developed into one
of congratulation.
The weather, while it has not been con-
ducive to frozen water pipes, has been so
mild that the plumbers have been enabled
to proceed with their contracts in new
buildings, and the season has been an un-
usually prosperous one. Mr.. McShane, of
Houston & McShane, accordingly was in
delightfully."- chatty mood, and discoursed
freely upon the past and present of the
plumbers business. Great advancement
has been made in their business in the last
few wears. not only from a sanitary point OF
view, but in elegance and finish. The old
style of boxing up bath tubs and basins
with wood, no matter how rare and ex-
ouisite the wood may be, is not resorted to
now in any fine work. The pipes are all ex-
posed, and are polished to such high de-
gree that they are very ornamental.
THE MODERN BATHROOM.
The bathroom of the present day is a work
of art The decorations of the tub and basin
either correspond or contrast with the tile
ing and wainscotting of the room. The ar
tistic appointments and the luxuriousness
with which the rooms are fitted up bear
slight resemblance to the bathing apart
ments of ancient Rome. The basins, some
of them of royal Worcester, but all beauti-
fully decorated, are supported by handsome
nickel plated or polished brass brackets and
furnished with patent wastes, thus doing
away with the troublesome rubber stopper
and chain. The bathing tubs in material
are finished with as little wood as
possible. Often the rim around the top is
OF marble. The tubs are made now of solid
earthen ware or 'enameled iron ware, some
times of silver, but Pittsburg does not
countenance such extravagaBce yet. The
interior is decorated with wide border in
appropriate colors of nymphs and cupids,
sporting around in waves aun Unttef trees,
and the same style of figures is often cast in
reiet upon the exterior and finished in oil
In shape the prevailing styles are the
square-ebded albion and the royal albion,
the latter differing from the former only in
the exterior, which is finished in bronze;
the magazine, which is rounded at the ends,
and the French pattern, which has been the
most common in days past. -
NO CHANCE FOR ARTISTS.
The resemblance to the Roman tubs is
lost in the shapes and the Romans had much
the best of the bargain in beauty and con-
venience. Their bathing tubs were all be-
low the level of the floor and handsome
marble steps led down to them, hence some
of the most beautiful pictures we're painted
Of famous beauties at the bath with their
glorious bathing robes wrapped around
| them as they descended the steps leading to
the sweetly perfumed bath. Imagine a
picture OF like intent painted from modern
bathroom! No matter how much it may
have cost in its finishing. the stiff high bath
| tub, the sides of which require almost an
athletic leap to surmount, would be death
blow to gracefulness of position or pose.
Modern residences In the city, instead Of
| the one or two bathrooms that used to be
| considered sufficient, now boast from three
| to FIVE The increased luxurousness in this
particular line means increased expense, OF
course, and the prices paid for the plumb
| ing done in some of the fine public and
private buildings make the plumbers happy.
In the new German National Bank, cor
ner Wood street and Sixth avenue, the
plumbing alone will cost So, 900. 1t will be
| the most elaborately plumbed house in the
city when completed. There will not be a
| lead pipe used in the whole building. The
specifications call for all supply pipes in
brass, the exposed portions to be highly
polished, and waste pipes of enameled iron.
Wash basins are all to be set on nickel
plated brackets, and Imperial" drains and
traps will insure perfect sanitary conditions.
PLUMBING OF RESIDENCES.
Another building that has most excellent
plumbing and for which the sum OF 81, 500
was paid, is the Freemasons' building on
Fifth avenue. Private residences that are
building receive very careful consideration
as regards that branch of the work. Outside
of the gas fixtures the plumbing in num-
ber of these new and recently built resi-
dences costs in the neighborhood of $4,000.
A great many of the bathrooms are fitted mp
in pink imitation onyx, Tennessee marble
and various pretty and expensive materials.
The great improvement is not confined to
the bathrooms and pipes either, one Kitchen
sink in an East End residence having cost
S125.
Among some of the residences that are
marvels in their plumbing appointments are
Chris Magee's, on Fifth avenue, and F. NJ.
Magee's, on Highland avenue; the Gallery
mansion, in the East End; Robert Pitcairn's 5
palatial home; the Burchfield residence, in
Oakland; the MeCance, in Shadyside, and
the Boggs mansion on North avenue.
THORNE BRANCH