The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-19


health OF . city 10 for the public good, and as
believe that the press ID the Mentor OF the pub
Tic health IS well as the public morals, ask for
little OF your valuable space to reply to q card
published in the Seattle Press Times, OF Sep
tembcr 2, the same being written for the board
OF inspectors connected with tho board OF
health, by modern plumber. This card was in
answer to former communication OF mine on
plumbing certificates and published in your
issue of August -
will overlook the first part Of this doctored
statement and proceed to the analysis of the
card governing their mode of sanitation. Any
person reading these statements must naturally
see that my aim Is to assist SO much Is / am
able, In sanitary way, the health of the city
wherein ! reside, and in regard to plumbing
regulations have been one of the first TO ad-
vocase stringent rules regarding plumbing. But
don't believe In them being abused and cor
rupted for the benefit of political pullers and
the offices occupied by incompetent persona
A. TO physicians and druggists having to pass
examinations, how many are practicing their
profession, and most successfully in Seattle,
taxing no notice OF examining boards, but hold.
Ing their diplomas from the best schools in the
world Success Is their best certificate. Ten
years ago We had about eight or ten doctors in
tho city: today We have about 200. What field
for the medical profession. And yet We have
one of the finest and healthiest climates in the
world, and our city is BY natures own handi-
WORK perfect sanitarium, or ought to be, with
ats good water facilities and natural drainage.
Regarding the assertion Of these experts that
instead OF the writer abandoning the business
OK plumbing 1t abandoned him, accidentally,
but automatically, they hit the mark. We
could not agree. After wrestling about forty
years with the business he could not bring
nlmself TO be q constructor of modern death
traps. He belongs to the past, where plumber
ID Defined o. Q worker In lead, and constructor
OF all sanitary appliances 10 supposed to know
ms business practically In all its branches be-
lofe starting In as tourneyman: studies the
cries ana sciences before becoming master; Is
supposed to carry this knowledge in his head,
witnoue having to resort to books: fs supposed
10 assist In the preservation of health. instead
OF assisting to destroy it
What is the condition of the plumbing trade
todayf etaunch and everlasting lead has given
way to iron, brass or composition, with its
rough interior for the accumulation OF filth.
Plumbing material. or a great portion of it, was
formerly made by hand, keeping men in the
shops employed. Now nearly all the material
USED 10 made at the manufactures, only reQuir-
Ing to be screwed together. Modern ideas, with
their new fangles. have superseded the old safe
and reliable way, and as weapons OF destruc.
ton. sanitary science they call 1t. IL keeping
pace with the most improved machinery of
warfare.
Ihls board OF inspectors acknowledge they use
books Tor the purpose of asking questions In the
examinations for certificates to carry on the
plumbing business. Why can't the applicants
have the same privilege in giving their answers,
then pay the % CHARGED. with perhaps bonus
on the side to be let OF easily, receive their
tifcates and march Of full-fedged Seattle
plumbers. to be licensed to kill the public at
their leisure. What q picnic for the ircom.
potential And that il what 10 called protection
to the trade. hold that the charge is an i'm
position and unconstitutional, because it inter.
feres with . mans privileges, and besides these
certificates will be Of no use to them when
man that understands his business occupies the
ONCE OF plumbing inspector. The poll tax is all
that Is required by law, and no man ought to be
taxed for the privilege OF earning his bread
Some OF the uttsrances of this card will no.
tice only az the vaporings OF ignorance and ego
tism, and will now proceed to the dead give
away-their own fatal admission. They have
been examined unawares in their eagerness to
oelittle their assailants. and In my opinion have
failed, but let the public judge for themselves.
These inspectors say that vents or escape pipes
are not only to prevent espionage but also to
carry OF sewer gas. Ye gods! what an admis.
sion for man calling himself q plumber to
make. What do the people living ON the hill.
sides In the most densely populated part of the
city think OF such an admission from the board
OF hearth3 Think also that they are living in
an atmosphere imp-egnated with the most
deadly gas imaginable, the escaped gus from
the sewersf But they try to modify the danger
by saying that after the gas rises ten feet in the
air it will neutlalizs and lose its dangerous
properties by mixing with the atmosphere.
What rot; what Ignorance. Their books are
leading them astray. All books are not reliable.
Ventilasing sewers IL a very old practice. Forty
years ago the writer reeollects worms made from
gas pipe with gas jets being placed at thu
foot of the ventilating hue. The heat was sup
AanA % Ill
In the carbonic.acid gas In ascending the fiue,
but there was trap also between that and the
main sewer. Sewer gas should be confined as
much as possible, and what cannot be avoided
should be carried of at the highest possible
point But here We have mono Of that Every
thing goes. You may see escape pipes high and
low all over the city.
will now endeavor to illustrate WHY the en-.
Gaping of the sewer gas into the atmosphere is
perniciouA The atmosphere Is composed of
two gases-nitrogen, four parts; oxygen, one
part; as most school boys know. Sewer gas IL
composed mostly of sulphuretted hydrogen and
ca!bonic acid gas. Many parsons have noticed
waste pipe that has been taken out of sin K
or some other fixture where refuse matter was
thrown. They may have noticed a slime or fun
gus adhering to the sides of the interior of the
pipa That is called carbonic acid oxide, and
from that emanates carbonic acid gas Now
this gas, being several times lighter than the at
moepnere, WILL naturally n0at In the air, except
on dense. cloudy days, when the atmosphere
has . tendency to depress this gas. so
consequently the gas cannot rise, but
remain down close to the ground. Take the
smoke from chimney as an illustration.
smoke il an hydrogen or volatile gas, and it is
very often noticed that when the atmosphere Is
full of moisture the smoke lies very close to
the ground, and you can't escape from iuhaling
It SO it 10 with sewer gas when allowed to es-
cape. As 10 the atmosphere destroying the
germ, 1t will absorb but not destroy-.he germ
still lives. Take cup of stagnant water from a
barrel with q lot Of wriggSes swimming about;
empty into pond Of water, they disappear. but
they are there just the same. Now empty the
barrel into the same place, OF course you will
populated town where these escapes are allowed
free vent and in angles, squares and irregular
blocks of buildings eddies are formed by va,ia.
cape for some time.
An intermediate trap should always be pu. in
the sewer between the house and main sewer
but am informed that the present board ip.
nores the system.
Now, Mr.. Editor. claim that this Ia an i'm.
portant question. a. the health of our fair CITY
is At stake, owing to nothing but lack OF knovl-
edge OF what, 1 assert, there is plenty OF proof
by looking for It.
In my opinion our board of health should
consist Of good physician, civil engineer. con.
strUcting architect and experienced plumter
all 20 be practical men, and until Won yet a
body Of men qualified for this most important
office there will Be constant complaint
JOHN SPENCER