Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-24
CITY HAS LOST
CONTEST ABOUT
LEAD PLUMBING
Order From United States Housing
Bureau to Contractor For
bids Installation.
MATTER CAUSES AN UPROAT
Only Recourse Now An Appeal to
Secretary of Labor W. Ii.
Wilson.

Rock Island city officials have
lost the hard won point whereby
lead pipe was to be used in the
streets in place OF iron in localities
where United States housing cor
poration residences are being
erected in this city.
Henry w Horst. head of the
Henry W Horst company. which
has the contract for building the
houses, and who on his own auth
ority purchased lead pipe from the
city last week, appeared at the city
hall this morning and informed the
commissioners that orders just re-
ceived from the United States
housing bureau forbade the use OF
lead pipe
This information caused an up
roar that did not subside for some
time and brought a statement
from Mayor william McConOehie
10 the effect that the city would
continue to fight the proposed in
stalIation of iron pipe
However, reading OF the contract
entered into between the city and
the United States housing corpora
ton showed that the city has but
one recourse in the matter, and
that is to appeal the case to W. B.
Wilson, secretary of the United
States department OF labor, which
action is stipulated in the contract
as the procedure to be taken IN
case of a difference. The contract
allows IS days for the appeal to be
taken. The city officials have not
stated whether or not thew will ap-
peal. but announce that they are
anXiOusly awaiting the arrival or
a sanitary engineer from the lii
nois state board of health, who the
city officials have been informed
by DR.. C. st. Clair Drake, director
of public health, has been recon-
mended sent to this city.
City heads do not contend that
unhealthfuI conditions will be
brought about by the installation
of iron pipe instead of lead. but
hold that the city plumbing inspec
tor has announced that other
plumbing provisions will create
unsanitary conditions The objec-
ton to the placing of iron pipe in
the streets is that it will rust out
necessitating the opening of paw
ing in order to put in repairs
Who is Who, Question.
The city is also anxious to know
with whom they are dealing, and
with this point in view a letter has
been dispatched to United States
Senator l.. Y. Sherman asking that
he obtain such information and
forward it to this city City offic-
ialS say in case the housing pro-
ject is a strictly government propo-
sition they wish to cooperate, but
if on the other hand a private com
pany is involved whereby profits
are to be made, the city believes
that its ordinances should be COM
piled with. as is being done in all
other construction.
The commissioners would like to
know If there is a difference be
tween the United States housing
corporation, with which they have
entered into contract, and the
United States housing bureau,
which has ordered the Henry W.
Horst company to cease the install
ing of lead pipe in the streets.
Signed Under Protest.
The contract entered into be-
tween the city and the United
States housing corporation, and
which was signed under protest on
the part of the city on the account
of the waving of existing city
building ordinances, sets forth that
provisions in violation of said oril-
nances regarding lead water ser
vice pipes, shall not be construed