The Portland daily press., 1890-03-05
HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION.

HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION.
The unusually mild season allowed the or
dinary work Of the Board to be prosecuted
up to later date than usual, so that a COM
paratlvely small area has been subjected TO
house to house inspection.
This area is that section of the city COM
prised between Preble and Green streets and
bounded by Congress street on the south,
and cor aius 513 houses, log stores, 27
stables, 237 privles, IL houses without drains,
houses without sinks, houses not supplied
with water, and Q wells, some of which,
however. are not In constant use.
In this section of the city. as In others ex-
amlned Dy the inspector. many cases Of un-
sanitary condition Of premises are found (;
but for the most part directions for i'm
lowed.
1t is constant source of surprise that
houses Of creditaDle exterior appearance are
oftentimes so lily fitted with proper house
drainage or other appliances for health and
comfort, or IL once furnished with
them, they have been suffered
10 fall into such state
as TO be practically useless, or worse, so left
as to invite into the house poisonous gases
from the sewers and cesspools.
Evidently the cellars of some houses of q
goOd class are seldom or never visited, other
wise such condition of things would not be
allowed to exist. And yet 1t is from these
age and other filth, that, In winter when
doors and windows are closed, that a large
proportion Of the air which Is breathed must
be drawn.
As specimen of the reports the following
are appended:
Cellar N filthy condition, sink connec-
lions and drain leaking. Odor bad"
Cellar wet, leaky sink pipe and surface
water also runs In, privy vault old and out
oi repair, the whole premises in bad condi-
sink pipes broken and run into an open
pipe In the cellar: kitchen sink drains into
the the privy vault, with no trap under the
"Privy vault full. not cleaned out for more
than 80 years, water closet in the cellar but
not use. whole premises needs cleansing"
"Privy vault so arranged that the surface
contents drain through a wooden pipe into a
neighbors s cellar. An inspection showed
tnat TINS pipe was four feet under ground
and placed there for above purpose"
And the abovo conditions were found in
houses OF respectable outward appearance
so tnat we are not so much surprised when
We md the following condition Of things in
poorer houses, as:"Cellar in filthy condition !;
10 mems kept In the cellar, a man In the house
fever" 'f
"A man, wife, son and boarder, occupy
the house which is ih a very filthy condition,
mems, dogs, cats and human beings occupy
u
adjoining the house. Manure thrown into
the yard. The milk from the cows is sold in
the neighborhood."
Three cows in very close quarters adjoin-
ing house: Everything about the premises
neighboring shop"
In two other cases report is made of cows
kept In similar surroundings, the milk being
sold in the immediate vicinity or sold in the
city.
f,ha foraco;r, ;c.touoo, I'm - - AZ.
inspect r has still much missionary ground d
on which to labor before right condition of
things will be established.
The warfare upon the keeping of swine
within CITY limits has been unremitted and
there are none, to our knowledge, now kept
now, come when the ordinance should be ex-
hens and cows 'IV within Ae'ptRs the city Sy
limits, or at any rate the thickly settled por-
tions of the city should be strictly forbid
den.
HOUSE DRAINAGE.
1t is much to be regretted that we have no
law or ordinance regulating the plumbing
and draining of houses. At tie present
time there Is no restriction whatever with
regard to the material of workmanship which
enters into the plumbing Of house. Plumb
ers' apprentices, and men incompetent to
make good Joint or properly run the pipes
health. The amount of this bad plumbing,
due to ignorance in some cases and to false
economy in others, is appalling.
From this arises the belief sometimes ex-
pressed, that public sewers are an unmiti-
gated evil on account Of the poisonous gases
which through them enter into the houses,
but If the house system is properly built, of
best materials, well trapped and ventilated
there Is little danger to be apprehended from
the public sewers.
ba bar hon
as is often the case, or lead into an open
drain, or If the water closet is supplied only
by waste water from the sinks instead of be-
ing thoroughly flushed, we may expect a
state Of things productive Of disease.
One form OF water supply to water closets
sometimes approved and even applied by So
called good plumbers, Is worthy of notice.
This is the method of direct supply from the
general water circulation Of the house.
While this might not be so Objectionable on
the lower levels, ON the higher levels, or
where the water supply for any reason is
likely to be temporarily cut off, this result
will follow. The water, recedipg along the
pipe, will draw after 1t the foul gases in the
bowl until the whole pipe system Is filled
Win tnem. Inep, when pressure is restored
the water rushes back, impregnated with the
gases or driving them from the faucets al
the sinks and elsewhere.
PRIvY VAULTS.
ny nuuoeI Vi complaints against th ese
unmltigated nuisances, 1t will be noticed.
grows grow annually smaller. This naturally re-
suits from the fact that by persistent efforts
IN tne enforcement Of the ordinance and
rule relating to this subject, the number of
tnese nulsances removed each year is CON-
paratlvely large. We may reasonably look
forward to the day when there shall not be
one left on any street where the premises
can be connected with the public sewers.
Since the formation of this board ent ire
streets have been relieved in this way. Two
causes at present operate against
the adoption of water closets
reference to these conveniences, one Is the
water rate which is alleged to be too high to
allow many families the privilege, but the
rate Is but six dollars year, not very much
more than the annual cost oil cleaning the
PRIV vault A more serious objection Is the
Consideration of a suitable place to put the
A.ois.nA Irha caIlar of a hnnsa Ia nnt q