The Washington herald., 1910-01-16

the line OF what IS known as the hanging
sewer. This is accomplished by placing
the drainage pipes along the cellar walls
on proper supports where they can be
seen and inspected al any time and not
covered at all until they reach the front
Of the house and dip into the earth below
the freezing line. Some such plan would
save much IN the cost Of the average
house
Strength Of Construction.
Again. the building regulations re
quire that the walls shall be Of a certain
thickness. the roof must be sufficiently
strong TO hold up the weight OF any
snow that falls in the District. Il all
costs money. and often the buyer does
not even know that such things as these
mean the addition OF hundreds OF dollars
10 the cost OF his home
II am sometimes amused that the re-
strictions are put on so thick IN some
directions and are so lax In others. For
example. the regulations are practically
silent on the heating OF the house. No
official estimate is made Of the probable
radiation Of the building and no require
ment made relative TO the type OF heat
ing apparatus or It's power.
Many houses are not properly heated,
though we have less trouble now with
the hot water heating systems than we
formerly did with the latrObe stoves and
hot air furnaces. If the regulations reIa-
tive 20 the heating Of houses were as
strict as those laid upon thu plumber the
coal bills Of the city would soon be much
reduced. AS matters stand the heating
plant IS the smallest. the lowest estimate
OF radiation Will admit OF. and generally,
must be driven to the maximum 10 heat
the house. This requires a larger
amount Of fuel and hastens the destruc-
ton Of the plant and the time when it
must be renewed.
Better Tin on the Roof.
AT another point big loop hole IS
left IN the regulations. They require
that the roof shall be strong enough TO
support the snow, but no stipulation Is
made as TO the covering, and the practice
Of some builders IS 10 use tin that can
not be made 70 last more than three or
four years. might multiply these illus
trations. but they are sufficient 10 show
what I am driving at and they prove
to my mind that both public opinion and
official opinion IS not well Informed upon
the real things at issue IN q code Of
building regulations.
Building houses Is slowly being re-
duced TO an exact science. Most con-
tractors have large and elaborate plant
to sustain. As q result, Il becomes neces-
sary to construct about so many houses
q year so long as they can be sold. II
Is a constant study with us 20 produce
a type OF house that shall meet the re-
quirements Of the building rules and
satisfy the increasing ideas Of luxury
common among those buying them. The
result is more and more expensive con-
structlon and greater cost to the ultimate
owner.
Probably as long as he pays the cost
the builder should not complain, but I
cannot help wondering how far the thing
can be carried on without reaching the
prohibitive price or running the builder
Russian State Bank Reorganization.
The State Bank of Russia is revising
its statutes, and the following changes
are to be introduced The stock capital
is 10 be increased 10 100, 200, 900 rubles (s51.-
50O.Oc0) by yearly appropriations to the
same Of certain part OF the revenues;
loans on mortgages on real estate TO be
suspended: decrease In the number of
members OF the bank commissioned by
the ministry OF finance, and attracting
the officials OF trade and industry and
representatives OF rural economy to the
mana cement Of the bank.