New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
NEW-FANGLED PLUMBING.
THE LATEST ADVANCES IN HOUSEHOLD
SANITARY ENGINEERING.

SANITARY ENlilN EERlNG
EXPOSED PIPES EVERYWHERE THE RULE-NEw
FORMS OF HOT WATER SUPPLY. BOWLS
AND BATHTUBs.
With the exception of architectural ironwork
there have been few greater advances In any de-
partment Of building and construction in the last
ten years than in sanitary plumbing. Every
twevemonth since the middle Of the eighties has
some notable improvement and invention. until
to-day the science has become completely revo-
lutionized What is more. there indications
of any pause in the dev!sing of new appliances and
systems Fortunately for the people OF this
country-and America altogether surpasses Europe
In her plumbing methods. easily leading the world
many Of the ablest men Of brains and capital
here at the work. What mas already been ac-
complished in the short space of ten years. per-
haps a trife more, has not only beautifed houses
and large buildings In surprising way. but re-
duced almost to a minimum the chances OF COM
municatins disease through pipes and fixtures.
In the plumbing Of the old style. when the laying
OF pipes through building was merely trade.
not the science 1t has since become the traps and
wastes were always likely to be the resting place
OF disease germs. while In the cupboards with
which every particle OF plumbing that was not
hidden by floors and walls surrounded. bac
terra were certain to urk Now pipes and other
appliances exposed to light and air, not
screened from sight by boards and planks. They
arc so arranged that not only they be seen.
but easily cleaned and polished each day. and
readily taken apart In of leak stoppage.
So far has this modern tendency OF exposing the
plumbing gone that the plan. quite popular three
or four years ago. of running up the pipes from
floor 10 ceiling in a recess chase and setting
boards over 1t In the form OF a PANEL to match
the woodwork Of tho room. has been discarded. and
In tho finest mansions built these last two years
every vestige Of the plumbing shows In shining
nickel. gilded bronzed pipes.
While Exposed plumbing Is OF the features
OF the new science 1t is by no means all that is
new. The entire system OF general house drainage
has in fact been turned literally inside out by tho
recent innovations. The main line OF pipe supports
itself independent OF the beams. walls and ceilings
of the house and thus cannot be affected by any
settling of the floors or the various dsplacements
to which every building is liable. In the tIde OF
the old methods pipes were frequently bent In this
way. and the entire plumbing OF dwelling dis
turbed. This construction is as little con-
cerned with the rest OF the building as. to use a
well-known example. the walls OF = modern office
building arc with It's steel frame Other improve
ments in general drainage are the perfection OF the
vent system and the substitution or wrought iron
for the old cast iron pipes.
These new pipes OF wrought iron are screw
threaded and form a solid. continuous piece Of tub
Ing doing away with the ancient cock joints. The
vulnerable part Of the plumbing OF house fifteen
years ago where Its pipes Joined. the junct-
ures being made by oakum and lead. There was
always the danger Of leaks and displacements. The
new method is. to say the least. far safer
So much for general drainage. An interesting
phase OF the plumbing Is It's water supply
The od-ime lead pipes have been to great ex-
tent superseded by pipes OF wrought iron
galvanized or porcelain lined. and wnere ex-
posed finished either in brass or the more valuable
metals such as nickel silver or gold. In the best
work the street pressure system Is not considered
sufficient and a tank on the upper floor Is added
Hot water supply has been studied carefully, with
the result that the old idea OF single boiler has
been discarded. and now houses are fiited out with
the twin boiler or the double boiler system Inc
former is in use in modern houses OF tho type OF
the Vanderbilt. Huntington and icrkes mansions
of this city and the West. In the best designed
apparatus OF this class there IS separate pipe
running from the boiler TO each hot water faucet.
each pipe ntied out with n stopcock near us Dc
ginning that in case OF any trouble 'hat pipe
may be shut off and hot water continue 10 be sup
plied 10 the rest OF the house. The double poHeF
Is placed by the side OF the kitchen range IN inc
usual manner but is boiler within boiler the
outer cylinder supplying the two lower floors. tho
inner those above or vice versa. The twin boiler
is simply two boilers standing side by side
Wash basins and closets. baths and tubs have
not only shared in the general advance rom Il
scientific point OF view. but have been made hiShy
decorative with rare marbles and costly metals.
The modern bathroom has hardly trace OF wood
in It, Closets built largely OF porcelain
and during the last ten years the s'phon jet mas
replaced, in all fine work. the former wash-out
system The greatest ingenuity along these lines.
however has been expended on the water supply
and the wastes Of bathtubs and basins Tho
bell supply" for tubs Is the most improved ana
successful device OF them all. II is so called be.
cause II il faucetIcss and the water springs out
hot cold or Tempered as fancy may dictate. from
behind piece Of Furnished metal. silver or niohr,-
plated generally In thu shape Of the top OF a bell
hell Is SET
flow OF the water Is n9seiess as the circular G o1
supplied with thise. but the more modern ones
have nearly all single orlce Just at the edgs ,a ol
perature may flow. In the place OF overhanging
faucets. The handles for turning on the water are
often set low on the slab. too, so that they may
not be in the way: .o. 49,. ,oo,, CANA on, of
The one most In to-day is devised that there
handle turned at the back OF the basin. by
mechanism OF many little rods, pushes mp thin,
the water Iow quickly out Hasins. by-the-way,
are much more elliptica than they were. and not
he peases the milIIonairs may rsadily spend sPenS
viii go for the tub The old copper bathtub; timed
and FURNISHED Is put in now only IN the cheaPGsi ne o
porcelain. steel clad Uhat is OF shell OF two
sheets of steel. with sheet OF asbestos in between;
ptH popceian n lined h VIII rom few have even been
made Of aluminium. The tubs are broader and
y s tn the 'ny seq o the S oo
prevailing styles are Roman straight AT both enns
and with It's waste pipe in the centre. and the
FRENCH with a slight slant and its waste pipe at
end Kitchen tubs no longer made or
wood but Of soapstone or cement
II is easy TO spend several hundred dollars a
single wash basin. The fittings were never so fino
as now. Onyx Is largely used and the choiccr
marbles as well The metal work Is silver. nickel.
aluminium and sometimes gold plating.
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WEALTHY HOTEL GUESTS THEIR PREY.
Many persons register at the leading hotels OF
the city TO become acquainted with the most promi-
nent and wealthy guests and later to induce these