The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-11
THE DISTRICT PLUMBING
Annual Report Of Inspector {. B.
Ball Filed.
Large Increase in the Work of His
0mee-NumerOus Convictions for
cred Too Light-Designs APPROX
Ell for Inny Notable buildings.

AlISiiSS D. DAHL li.S lhSfSNSOA $500
Ing for the District, today forwarded TO the |
Commissioners his annual report for the |
fiscal year ended June 80, 1900. He says: |
THE amount of Office work performed |
shows a considerable increase, largely due |
to the added work connected with hydrant |
inspections and notices. The numbers of
letters, orders, and endorsements amounts
to 3,25S, the detail of which includes mis-
cellaneous letters GA; letters to master
plumbers 127; orders to repair plumbing
or gas fitting, SO; hydrant replacement !
orders / 1872; endorsements on eommuni-
cations forwarded 700, and letters to the
Engineer Commissioner and other District
officials, 113.
The total number of inspections under
the direction of this office was 23,015, OF,
excluding 5,S00 inspections of hydrauts,
7,405, a decrease of 1877 from those of the
previous year. These comprise 1929
aminations OF existing plumbing. 3.S41 in
spections OF remodeling. extensions and
repairs; 3,2I3 inspections of plumbing IN
new buildings; 194 peppermint tests; 1853
inspections of gas piping or gas fixtures;
sol Inspections of lead water service pipes;
5S7 sewer laterals tapped into main sew
eTS; 90 new terra Gotta house sewers, and
796 repairs to terra Gotta savers inspected.
upon property owners prpara tory TO prose-
cution was Is.
The number of buildings for wink
plumbing designs have been approved s
1856. Including some rot worthy structure
sucn as the new Wizards Hotel, the Bond
Office building, the municipal library,
| Trinity College, and the elegant res!d ances
of Herbert Wadsworth, Wayne MacVeagh,
! and Beriah Wilkins.
The amount of supervision exercised in
| the Design of the NV District buildings
was greater than in past years, attention
! having been given TO the plumbing pro-
posed for the two manual training higl
| schools and numerous other new schools
and fire engine houses, as well as to the
preparation OF special plumbing applianS es
! for the new workhouse.
| ION December 6, 1899, this office wa.
| by order OF the Commissioners, charged
| with the work of inspection of yard ny
drants previously performed by The Water
| Department and the service and execution
Of notices upon defective hydrants OF TIE
| Eclipse type
IN each of the cases referred 10 this of
| fee. aggregating 1924 the hydrant had
been previously inspected and found TO be
In defective or leaky condition. Each ny
drant was reinspected under ny direction
and notice to repair the fixture or to
place it with a hydrant of the non-wasting
| type mailed to the owner or agent.
The number of hydrant inspections was
| :. soc; of repair notices issued, l,a93; of re
placement orders. ], 1872. The new hydrants
| Installed. of which this office has informa
ton. number 933 and the hGdrents re
| moved. 100-
The Plumbing Regulations.
90 general revision of the plumbing
regulations having been undertaken since
their PRONUNCIATION on February 10, 1888,
although a few changes were made in the
third edition published in 1Ss7,s the Plumb
ing Board was directed by sthss, Engineer
Commissioner to give consideration to GER
tain obvious and necessary changes TO
bring them into conformity with the best
practice elsewhere and the, later plumb
ing laws involving licensing of master
plumbers AS the revision proceeded. the
board found ii necessary TO make material
| changes il about one-fcurth OF the reguia-
lions. comprising mostly thoaearelating to
house plumbing. AS these amend nents do
not take effect till January /. 1901, their
! force viii not be felt upon the work Of the
| Office until the latter portion of the cur
rent year but it is certain that they viii
somewhat increase the number OF inspec-
| tons.
The introduction of important sche3-
ules of sizes for soil, waste and vent pipes
| is a notable advance upon pre- 9ious regu-
| have been imposed upon the size Of pipes
| used. The prohibition of the construction
| and maintenance of indirectly connected
plumbing fixtures will tend to prevent
many constant sources of nuisance The
| practice of this office has under the old
, | regulations not been equal tC the best in
other cities in respect TO the examinations
i, and tests required of completed plumbing
work, but the new requirements in this
regard will add an assurance now lacking
as to the security of new plumbing and
, | piping systems. The indefnite.ess which
has existed as TO the applicability 10 cases
of repairs and remodeling of regulations
primarily intended 10 govern new con
struction will be, in a measure, removed
by the new requirements. The provision
that an approved bathtub shall be installed
in each suite Of family apartments in ev-
cry new brick building, marks a distinct
advance.
E S.The appropriation of $25. OO0 for repairs
: TO the plumbing in the public schools has
resulted during this year in material in
cerase in the work of this bureau which
has had charge. under general direction OF
1 the Engineer Commissioner OF the max
ing of plans and the letting and execution
: | of the contracts involved The renovation
of plumbing done under this appropriation
was mainly in the Central High the Sum
ner the Banneker. and the Grant schools
"A defective yitrifed sew was rem &
from the basement of the Central Higi
[ | School. and cast iron line substituted
: | One basement toilet room was entirely r.
fitted. and the defective system of vase
n | pipes from the chemical laboratory re-
/ placed with exposed ones. Numerous nee
. essary small fixtures were provided on Va.
| rious floors. At the Summer school, the
e Objectionable and inadequate outside SAM
: Iaries were replaced with two-story anc
( cellar toilet room building fully equipped
: with fixtures of advanced type and pro
2 vided with satisfactory ventilation ara
g steam heating apparatus. At the Bannek
: | school a terra Gotta sewer was replaced
| with iron. and toilet facilities of high grad,
introduced into basement rooms to reD,ac
, | lures. During the summer an extensiy,
contract involving the replacement of tn
: | thin metal urinaIs In fourteen building
with an approved type of slate ,Yentilate
fixture was carried out.
In addition to the other work OF plan
ming and supervision, there was prepare
! a set OF 100 tracings showing the school
s house sites. with the buildings locate
s thereon. the sewer. water. and gas come
= tons and the surrounding payements an
: enclosures. -
q The work proposed for the present yea
= includes rev toilet facilities at the Gran
building, new rear building and iron sew
ers in the Force. and replacement Of an
: tiduated plumbing In the Gales and Gar
> net schools, as well many repairs OF mi
nor nature and the instaila lion of addition
al small fixtures.