The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-07-23
Probably Accounts for the
City Halls Smells
A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION
MORE TESTIMONY AS TO THE
OFFENSIVE ATMCGHERE
The Janitors Are Put to Work and
Lessen the Evil-Something
Radical Must Be Done

The article on the unsanitary condi-
ton of the city hall published in the
Herald of yesterday provoked universal
comment and commentator in and
about the building all day. Many peo-
pie visited the place and sought the OBJ
jectionabe quarters to make personal
inspection of the premises and few, in
deed, could be found who were not i'm
pressed with the fact that the hall needs
an entirely new system of plumbing
Yesterday morning the janitors were
put to work in earnest and they labored
faithfully to overcome the evil Soapand
water and acids were used without stint
The result was apparent, of course, and
there was noticeable decrease in the
volume of odor that is distilled in and
distributed from the down stairs offices
In some of the stalls kind of disn-
fectant is used that is placed so close
to the rim of the basins that its percola-
tions reach the hats and other clothing
of the unwary, and the traps used to
catch refuse, cigars, etc, etc, rust and
hold the smells and sicken all who come
into close proximity to them.
VICTIMS
Mayor RAIDER, Alex Caldwell, water
overseer, l.. M. Brown, deputy city
clerk, and c. C. Cook, deputy tax collec-
tor, lost their lives, it is believed, by
many, from sicknesses contracted or at
least aggravated, by the stencil in the
building while in official position in the
city hall. w. E. Dunn, the present incum-
bent of the city attorneys office, and
Henry Dockweiler, city engineer, are
sufferers from rheumatism, believed to
be the direct result of the unwholesome-
ness of the atmosphere, and there is a
long list of other sufferers.
MORE TESTIMONY
The genial street superintendent ex-
pressed himself as having frequently
noticed the odors and said: "It is my
opinion that the plumbing in the entire
building should be thoroughly over
hauled. They do not suffer greatly in
our office when the doors are closed, and
the entrance to the closets is shut, other
wise the unpleasant tness caused by the
smell is considerably exaggerated"
HERMAN SILVER
President Silver, of the council, had
decided opinion in reference to the mat
ter and was not slow to express it. Mr..
Silver said: MY opinion is that the
plumbing in this building is badly de-
fective. The doors are intolerable and
conducive to sickness constantly. OF
course the plumbing inspector is the
best authority on such matters, but my
personal opinion is that the plumbing
is responsible for the presence of these
noxious SMELLS
WATER OVERSEER CASEY
at is my opinion" said Mr.. Casey,
that the closets in this building are en-
tirely too small and are inadequate to
accommodate the great number of peo-
pie who daily use them. We do not no.
tice the odor particularly while in the
office, because our door opens out into
a side hall leading off from the main
corridor. Not being a practical plumber
l cannot say as TO the quality of the
plumbing, but I am of the opinion that
the closets should be of at least twice
their present capacity"
SECRETARY MENDENHALL
The secretary of the park commission,
Mr.. Mendenhall, said: THE city hall
seems to be poorly supplied with water.
There is not enough allowed to reach the
building. The faucets in the lavatories
as we'll as the pipes in the closets are
either too small or the service pipe does
not furnish it fast enough. The doors
are horrible. They permeate the build
ing in all the rooms, and the stencil
arises alongside of the heaters to that
extent that when the windows are closed
it becomes unbearable. 1 have seen
number of robust men, five or six at
least, come into official position and die,