The times., 1897-08-27

The annual report of Plumbing Inspector
Ball was submitted to the Commissioners
| yesterday. hit Mr. Palirefers especially 10
the dangers of asnhyxiation from escaping
gas, and the menace to health from the
presence of sewer gas in dwellings; Civ
! ing valuable suggestions as TO the best
means OF dealing with these two insidous
evils. Many other points of interest are
touched upon and remedying measures
taken. The report is in part as follows:
The Operations of the division OF plumb
! ing inspection during the fiscal year ended
/ June 80, S37, show marked Increase in
| The number OF inspections over those made
| IN any pre- vious year, the total being
4,1l3 recorded insI ections, the details
! OF which include 3,3l 3 examinations or
eAIsiIHG plumDng ard 2,el1 inspections
! CI new buildings.
The increase during this PAST year has
/ teen due TO four principal causes tie in
! PRODUCTION, through the compulsory act, or
house sewers and water supplies into many
Residences heretofore unscw cred. the
greater facility OF movement afforded the
assistant inspectors by their equipment
VITA bicycles the increase Of one-siNtn
! III Lhe force OF inspectors, and an added
attention To the fuilness OF the record Cuadc
The examination and approval of plans
ana sPecifIcatloiis for new buildings mas
! teeu conducted as heretofore, the total
nGlnEeT considered having decreased from
5b4 in the previous year to T2l for
/ tie year Just tast. The present record in
clIdes SIX a aIarLlnent buildings, IN which
arrangement and completeness or their
/ plumbing compare ia yora bly, with that
class OF structures erected elsewhere.
| mr.. Bar recommends that frame build
ings should not be permitted as 1T present,
to be added to brick buildings, as it is
i.apossibIe To adequately protect the waste
4 faI In,
Elementary structures against the effects
| of frost and the settlement of walls and
| floors. He refers to the publication dur
ing the year OF the third edition Of the
| plur1bng regulations with eighteen amend
ments. He mentions some of the changes,
which. he says. arefor the most part minor
ones. Under the new rules it is provided
that all exterior stopcocks on water
service lines are 60 be supplied by the water
department; that all tapping OF main
sewers shall be done by District EN-
ploye, and that a terra Gotta fresh-air Inlet
| pipe shall be terminated at the ground
level with cast iron.
Further on IN his report the inspector
says:
| IL has frequently come to II Y notice that
| well-informed citizens have no knowledge
/ of the willingness of this office 10 render
/ assistance without charge to such as desire
| TO know whether the plumbing in their
/ houses is in safe condition or otherwise
| Indeed, many who understand in vague
way the dangers arising through the adj
| mission of sewer air into their dwellings
| faileither through apathy or fear OF expense
| To oDtaln any assurance or protection
| against H. suggest the qesirapillty or
| issuing q carefully prepared circular let
! tel, 50 phraSed as not to excite undue alarm
| III oVer-cautious minds, but In dicating
| where common defects in old plumbing
/ no lOAE p1 for and The nntUFp of
defects, as well as the readiness of this
! bureau TO afford expert evidence by adj
| vice or examination, and rendering its full
| cooperation In making tests of house
| plumbing.
Some study was given during the winter
OF IS94-5 to determining the best practical
| method of obviaung the dangers of acci-
| dental asphyXiation through the escape
| OF Illuminating gas due to defects in Old
| fixtures and pipes, and this investigation
has been continued during the period COW
| cred by this report. An opinion was eX-
| pressed by the coroner in June, 1885, that
| deaths which occurred about that time
| al houses Nos 922 q street southwest and
| 3S FL street northeast were due entirely 10
plumbing. He at that time recon-
| mended tnat thoroughinvestiga cation of all
buildings, especially sleeping apartments
| therein, benade relative TO the condition OF
| the gas fixtures.
| In February, 1897, list of the principal
| hotels and boarding-hOuses was collected
and forwarded to the Commissioners, with
| a request that IL be determined IL au-
| appliances in the building. The opinion
| rendered by the attorney was an adverse
one and no further action was taken. l
consider that the conditions jus tify the
enactment OF a statute allowing the en-
trance or my assistants for such an eX-
animation and compelling repairs after the
| service or notice. l consider IL entirely
| feasible to make public inspections Of d
very large number OF gas fixtures if the
requisite authority can be secured.
The report states that a complete ex.
animation Of all the public school build
ings U the District has been made, and tn at
the results have been tabulated for the use
of the official in charge OF repairs TO public
schools. ITO maintain a proper stand
ard in school plumbing" the report in this
connection reads, Ill should be periodically
examined and tested by an expert, and it
is hoped that g. system for such an examina-
ton may be devised and kept in force. "