Omaha daily bee., 1890-01-19
A POOR JOB OF PLUMBING.
More Defects Discovered In the
Now County Hospita,
THE suPERINrENoENr's RePoRf
Contractors Charged with Shrinking
Their Work in q Most Dis
graceful Manncr-Tho
New Jury Law.
The County Commission r

At the meeting of the county commission!
ers yesterday afternoon the superintendent
of the county hospital reported that the
plumbing contractors, S. |. Pope & Co. OF
Chicago, have been very negligent in placing
the plumbing in the building. In a large
number of places the work does not comply
with the plans and specifications. Architect
Meyers plans, on which the contract was
based, and which contain the signatures Of
S. l. Pope & Co. and Richard O'Keefc,
chairman of the board of commissioners, con-
tain the exact location of every pipe and its
diameter. Pope & Co. had tracings made OF
these plans, which they have used as work.
ing plans, but their tracings do not show tho
size of pipe, and they have used their own
sweet will in fixing the size of the Pipe. The
specifications call for four-inch water pipe
running from the meter to the ends OF the
north and south wings and back TO the kitch.
en-. These pipes are located in the basement
ana are intended TO act as supply pipes for
the respective wings. The pipe running to
the kitchen is four inches in diameter for
about half its length, but the rest of it Is
only two and one-half inches In diameter.
The pipes in the north and south wings are
reduced in the same way. The pipes
are not supplied with stopcocks in u
proper manner. If there should be any
occasion to shut the water off from tho pipe
running TO the Kitchen it could only be done
at the meter, thus shutting Off the supply of
the entire building, The pipes supplying tho
wings have stop cocks only AZ the joint
| where they branch off from the main pipe.
There are numerous other defects OF n SINH
lar nature which result in making the job an
exceedingly poor one. The contract between
the board aud Pope & Co. calls for "a
strictly frst-class job of plumbing"
The matter was referred to the county
attorney for an opinion on the action to be
taken by tho board.
The Omaha medical college presented u
communication asking that the college DO
represented on the staff Of the county hos
pital, and that the students OF the college be
granted the privilege OF visiting the hospital
under the guidance Of the members Of the
staff for the Epurpose Of instruction. They
hospital free OF charge, the physician to be o
regular graduate Of medicine. The commu-
nication was referred to the committee on
construction, which means that it was
| pigeon-holed indefinitely.
The board will not take any action in this
matter until there is a probability that the
hospital will be occupied. A large number
| of such applications have been received and
are on file IN the office of the board.
The three Judges of the district court noti-
fed the commissioners that they have do.
cided the new jury law impracticable, as was
announced in The BEE on Friday last, and
advised the commissioners that IL will be the
best and safest method TO refrain from TAX
ing further action under the act.
A petition from citizens of West Omaha
precinct for the appointment OF Simon b.
Clark as constable was referred to the COM
mittee on judiciary.
TIL report of Justus Steinert, Justice Of
the peace Of McArdle precinct, showed that
he had not assessed or collected any fines
during the year 1889.
A communication from the county clerk
recommending the furnishing of small tables
and racks for his Office, and the removing of
a lot Of old records to the basement In order
to give more room, was referred TO the COM
mittee on court house and jail.
County treasurer Snyder reported that
Peter Holz, who keeps a saloon at Bepnlng-
ton, has not paid license fee since June 1889,
but continues to sell liquor. The county at
torney has the matter in hand.
The bonds of Jehu Hungate, II. M. Stone
and w. j. Mount in $500 each US members of
the soldiers relief commission, were pre-
sented and approved. The bonds of Drexel
Il Maui in $500 for a morgue, and George
Merrywcather in $500 as supervisor of Doug
las precinct, were presented and approved.
The contract with the Republican Print
Ing company for stationery for the ensuing
| year was signed and approved.
TIL board adjourned until 10 O'Clock to-
morrow morning, at which time they will
take up the communication of the judges of
the district on the new jury law, and with
the aid of tho county attorney, will decide
what action they will take in the matter.
The board have had full lists prepared of
the voters OF the county and are in a position
to make out q jury list under the new law or
| according to the old method.