The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-09
BUTLER SCHOOL.
The Committee on Buildings Vote to Make
Its Sanitary Condition Perfect.

Portland, Nov. Z, 1895.
Hon. James 2. Baxter, Chairman on
Public Buildings:
Dear Strive have again carefully
examined the sanitary condition rofs the
Butler school house and beg leave to
make the following recommendations:
First-That all the drains be taken
Joints removed. That the drains be re-
nlaced by extra heavy iron pipes as far as
possible.
tanning the radiators for heating be care
Third-I hat when any plumbing is
done in any public building plan of
the same be carefully made by the
plumber and placed on file in the Office
of the Board of Health
4th. That all the plumbing in the public
buildings be done under the Immediate
supervision and direction of the Inspector
of Plumbing.
The water closet system we believe to be
safe asAfar as any injury to the health OF
the scholars is concerned.
We desire further to call attention to
the system of sewerage in the Casco street
school house. An examination shows
that the plumbing is not what it should
be and we recommend that the pipes be
properly Ufappetl etuNl foiluii1uou'
Respectfully Submitted,
HENRY P. MERRILL, M. D.
GOE. II. CUMMINGS, M. D.
EDWIN L. DYER.
There was quite a discussion by the
committee and finally the meeting ad
iourned to p. m. to meet the Board of
Haelth.
At O'Clock the committee on public
buildings and the health board met in
the Mayors private office. Mayor Baxter
said the question before them was
whether it was deemed best to take out
the cement pipe in the school and put in
iron.
DIR. Msrrill read from the laws esta b.
lished by the board requiring iron pipes
to be used to five feet outside of the
building and then cement pipe might be
used. Tssfsae M
Alderman Randall inquired if liquid
would not pass more freely through the
cement pipe than the iron; in other
words whether the uric acid would mt
corrode the iron and make distractions
not obtained by the use of cement pipe.
DR.. Merrill said possibly it would,
but that good flush of the pipe would
prevent these distractions.
MI Snow, who is mason by trade,
ar practical man, said he found
glazed pipe was better for under ground
work than iron. A good cemented brick
trench is better than an iron one for san
itary purposes, and it can be- washed as
clean as floor The iron will corrode
and sediment will stick to it.
DIR. Merrill contended that when a
joint OF a cement pipe leaks, the leakage
may escape observation, while the joint
of an iron pipe reveals the truth at once.
DR.. Cummings spoke highly Of thu
water closet system of the school.
Mr.. Snow said that when the watei
closet tank at the school was dumped
there wasn't particle of odor attached
to it.
Both Drs. Merrill and Cummings
agreed in their opinion that a defective
drain pipe existed at the school, and DR..
Merrill seemed to think that there was
such demand for new system among
the parents of the children that they
wouldn't be satisfied until it was put in.
The Mayor said that Hon. Charles +.
Libby lost child years ago from
diphtheria and a son of his now attends
the Butler school. Therefore Mr.. Libby
had made thorough examination Of tht
building and he was satisfied that thu
school was n good condition.
DR.. Merrill said there had been only
two cases of diphtheria among pupils 10
the Butler school, and there was just d
much reason to attribute them to TIL
north wind as to the unsanitary con
dition of the school building.
Mr.. Snow said the High school build
ing was the only one with Ebetter SAM
tary arrangements than the Butler, ant
few private residences in town had al
good.
DR.. Cummings said he thought if ,
proper drain pipe was put into the school
all had been done that should be. Thu
leakage has been from the drain pipe
not from the water closets. No sewe
gas gets into the building. The grount
WQ0r6 UQ6 pipe lcdhS luety W ouOTUuS
but it is not unhealthy.
Mr. Hutchinson, expert plumber, gave
his views as regards the plumbing anG
said it would be possible to raise the iror
pipe in the boiler room and carry it tt
the urinals so that the pipe would b.
above the floor, and any leak easily de
tected. Mr.. Hutchinson also stated tina
to make a complete change in the Butler
school would involve cost of $1,000 OF
$500. 1t might be somewhat less i
some of the material now in use was EN-
ployed
DR.. Cummings said that if the change
was made in the, Butler school, the
parents of children in every other schoo
house would have a right to demand
the same change for their children's
school, which would involve an enor
nous expense. If it was necessary te
make the changes it, of course, should