Real  Estate   Record





AND BUILDERS' GUIDE.





Vol. XXI.





NEW YOEK, SATUEDAY, MAY 4, 1878.





No. 529.











Pidilished 'Weekly by

TERMS.
ONE YEAR, in advance....SIO.OO.
Communications should be addressed to

C. -wr. SWEET,
Nos. 345 AND 347 Broadway.





THE HYGIENICS OF BUILDING.
"VI.—ConrfwsiCP.

Gas Lighting.—The three sources of danger
in a modem d-cvelling which science is called upon
to deal -with are the invasion of sewer gas
through the house soil pipe, the invasion of coal
gas through the furnace flues, and the invasion of
illuminating gas through leakages in the gas
fittings.

We have already discussed two of these topics
and suggested means of prevention. We now
come to discuss the third and last one.

The fastidiousness of American taste calls for
the burying of gas .service pipes out of sight
In France the law compels the builder to place
these service pipes on the outside of walls and
ceilings without reference to appearances. Jf
the Health Board was aware to what extent the
modem dwelling house is subject to the invasion
of this poisonous illuminating gas from cracked
pipes and broken joints of gas fitting, probably a
similar law would be enacted in this State. These
fractures and dislocations of joints arise as much
from the manner in which they are introduced
into buildings as from any chance inferiority' of
pipe metal used for this purpose. Ordinarily
these pipes are suspended from ceilings by hooks
attached to the floor beams. These horizontal
pipes ai-e connected with vex-tical supply pipes
leading directly from the house meter. Probably
no more insecure method of introducmg these
pipes can be devised than the one now commonly
employed. The weights sustained by house beams
are unequal and unevenly distributed, and these
alone tend to produce the dislocation and crack¬
ing of such pipes. To these causes is superadded
the certain and unavoidable shrinkage of beams
which are often introduced into buildings in a
damp if not a green condition. In time they com¬
pletely give up their moisture tbrough the action
of artificial heat and the natural dryness of the
atmosphere which suiTounds them.

Besides leakage from pipes which are carried
over ceUings, under floors and within partitions,
there is apt to be considerable leakage about the
fixture joints, especially about the faucets which
turn on or shut off the illuminating gas. There is
no excuse for these leakages of fixtures, provided
the householder takes pains to purchase the goods
from the best manufacturers and there is certain¬
ly no remedy for them except the (watchfulness
of the housekeeper. It is important that all ex¬
posed fixtures should be periodically examined,
as even the best made joints are apt to become
loose, and the thread of the screw which holds the
fixtures to the pipe may corrode and rust The
plug or core of the faucet is also liable to wear away
like the core of a croton faucet and should be peri¬





odically renewed. All the devices of good work¬
manship may fail to protect us from ixissiblo leak¬
age in the supply pipes themselves. In a very
carefully executed job, it might be wise to intro¬
duce the gas by means of lead pipe which is more
tractable than the ordinary ii-on pipe, and the
joints can be securely and tightly soldered.

Another safe method would be to encase the
ordinary iron gas pipe in an outside pipe, say of
galvanized iron or cheap lead pipe. The enclosing
pipe would act as a container or receiver for any
gas which might escape from the service pipe.
It would be necessary to provide an outlet for
this enclosing or containing pipe into a ventilating
flue, or at some one acce.ssible point where the
fact of a leakage might be easily discovered. Tbe
proper distribution and protection of the.se gas
sei'vice pipes is a subject that deserves the atten¬
tion of sanitarians equally with that of sewer
pipes.

Escape of gas cften arises from the corrosion or
faultiness of the burner tips or nipples, and from
the imperfect combustion of the flame. The
central dark blue spot that is perceptible/ in
most jets represents uncombusted gas that finds
its way into the atmosphere of the dwelling.
The lava tip burner with automatic check valve
is the latest mechanical improvement in this de¬
partment. This fixture, coupled with the opal
glass globe, Avith broad flaring bottom, which has
been lately introduced, seems to afford the per¬
fection of result in gas lighting, to wit: a bright
steady flame of completely combusted gas, the
glare being softened by the color aud shape of the
new globes. Automatic gas lighters are now
attracting attention and exhibit meritorious re¬
sults.

Ulsinfectants.—Probably the commonest am¬
bition iu this country-, and the subject about which
the American intellect is most actively exercised, is
to devise some useful and valuable invention by the
patent of which the inventor may expect to de¬
rive a comfortable fortune. It may be safely
said that not more than five or ten out of every
five hundred curreut inventions are of permanent
utility. The rest have either an ephemeral value,
or fail entirely to satisfj' any actual want. We
regard as a benefactor of the race any one who
exercises his inventive faculty to devise methods
and appliances calculated to promote household
convenience or healthfuluess. There is no field
more in-viting for such exploits than the human
habitation, and certainly none where the efforts
of genius might rely upon ampler rewards. We
have no terror of inventions and no morbid
sensitiveness about alluding to them. Next to the
credit of perfecting meritorious inventions, honor
belongs to whoever will take pains to find out the
honest and useful ones, and give the public the
benefit of his experience and research. We in¬
tend, as far as our limited opportunities -will per¬
mit, to inform ourselves upon the efficacy of
current inventions in the sjihere of building im¬
provements, and from time to time we -will give
our readers the benefit of cm- information. We
will expressly stipulate that no inventions shall
be mentioned in our editorial columns except
such as have been thoroughly examined and tried,
and then we shall aim to confine our criticisms to
those which we'consider practical and praise¬
worthy.   We have no fear of taxing the credulity





of our readers, but shall rely upon their intelli¬
gent discrimination to rightly estimate the weight
aud value of such criticisms as wo may olTer.
Unwillingne.ss to test improvements, to be the
first to take the new departure will account for
much of the stereotj^ped character of our New
York buildings. A more liberal aud enlightened
spirit is beginning to prevail. Any pi-udent and
painstaking buflder or house holder can well af¬
ford to mn the risk of encountering a few fail¬
ures in alleged improvements, for the sake of se¬
curing one that is of permanent practical benefit.
Such notices as we shall offer, it may be proper to
saj-, will be un.solicited, .gratuitous and independ¬
ent.

The special device to which we invite attention
at this time, is called a disinfector, but its tittle
hardly conveys any adequate idea of its
method or mechanism. It is designed principally,
if not solely, for application to water-closets; and
consists of an earthen tank or jar, which holds a
disinfecting fluid intended to lie automaticly
injected into the bowl of the closet. It is simply,
then, an appliance for introducing disinfecting
fluid into water-closets. The advantage of this
device is, that it is sure and regular in its opera¬
tion, delivering into the water-closet pan a fixed
quantity of fluid every time the handle of tho
closet is raised. Such a service is avast improve¬
ment upon the irregular and spasmodic efforts of
servants or house-keepers to attend to the disin¬
fection of sinks, by mechanically depositing
proper fluids from a hand bowl or pitcher. To
be of any lasting and useful service, the operation
of disinfecting must be performed with certainty
and regularity.

We will endeavor to describe the ingenious
contrivance of Mr. Jennings' for accomplishing
this important object.

The principle of the'apparatus is the well
known one in hydraulics of the siphon, and it is
thus applied:—A large earthen jar, capable of
holdmg two or three gallons of fluid, is placed
upon a shelf about four feet above the closet seat.
Through a hole in the bottom of tliis jar, a glass
bulb or vial, about an inch in diameter and hold¬
ing three ounces of fluid is suspended. The ouly
connection between tlie vial and tho bowl is a
small feeder about the size of a quill, thi-ough
which the fluid passes into the vial. A quarter
inch pipe leatling from tho bowl of the closet
pierces the bottom of the jar and cranes over near
the top, passing into the glass vial underaeath,
thus forming a conduit pipe between the vial and
the water-closet bowl. Half way between the
seat and the jar containing the disinfectant, this
conduit pipe is pierced by another pipe connected
with the Croton service that supplies the water-
closet bowl. The joint is .so formed that water
passing up this pipe from the service impinges
against a plate at this joint and is so forced down
into the water-closet bowl through the first-
mentioned conduit pipe. After the handle of
the water-closet is dropped and the Crotou sei-vice
shut off, the last gush of water that passes
through this pipe produces a vacuum of sufficient
suction power to draw the charge of disinfecting
fluid that is in the glass tube through the con¬
duit pipe, discharging it into the pari'of the water-
closet bowL As fast as the vial is emptied, it is
promptly supplied from the jar of fluid.    The