"The writer of this letter recently submitted a bid on the plumbing-work of an eight-story and basement building, having water-fixtures on all stories. There are fifteen stacks of cast-iron pipes extending through from cellar to roof (eight of 4-inch and seven of 2-inch pipes).

The fixtures consist of 159 wash-stands, fifty-five water-closets (cistern), about the same number of bath-tubs, together with other fixtures. One of the features of the specifications is that the traps of the water-closets alone are all the traps which are required to be back-vented in the building. Many of the other fixtures, particularly the wash-stands, are remote from the upright pipes into which they discharge. One 2-inch pipe receives the waste of fourteen, and two other 2-inch pipes receive the waste each of twelve wash-stands. The specifications state that no back-vent pipes are to be put on these wash-stand traps, and no other means are devised to preserve an equilibrium of pressure between the inside of said pipes and the atmosphere. The writer suggested that the lead-safe pans, four pounds per square foot, be changed to three or two and one-half pounds per square foot, making a saving of nearly two tons of lead, the value of which could be applied toward back-venting fixtures. The suggestion was not favorably received by the architect. The proprietor of the building is desirous of having the best class of work. The writer will be pleased to read any criticisms on the above, or any recommendations you may think called for."

The above letter has a somewhat melancholy and discouraging effect upon all who have been laboring to convince the public that it is useless to expect traps to serve any good purpose when placed on such small waste-pipes as two inches, unless every trap is vented to the open air by a pipe as large as the waste itself. The experiments of Messrs. Philbrick and Bowditch proved this most conclusively. We can only regret that such an architect as is above referred to should have neglected to read that report to the National Board of Health. No one who had read the clear statements contained therein could fail to appreciate the risks incurred by placing traps under fixtures on 2-inch waste-pipes with no air-vents. Such traps are mere "man-traps" and not water-traps, for they give a sense of security to the owner or occupant of the building when in reality none exists. If the plumbing should be executed in the manner above described by our correspondent, it will not be many weeks after occupancy before the traps can be found empty for about half the time under the wash-basins and the whole length of their waste-pipes ventilating into the rooms which they are intended to serve. No better contrivance can be devised for supplying foul gas in a constant stream to the interior, after artificial heat is applied in winter, than the methods above proposed. The large number of basins draining into single lines of pipe will add to the risk by the frequent draughts of air which will rush down, gurgling through the traps of these wastes to supply the vacuum created by the discharge of other bowls connected with the same line. The remoteness of some basins from the vertical lines constitutes another element of danger, as every plumber will appreciate who has had occasion to open and clean out the horizontal waste-pipes used in such cases. The 2-inch wastes used in such lines, under the flows, will soon become nearly filled with a putrid, slimy lining, which by its constant fermentation will supply gas enough to contaminate a whole block. We hope the proprietor of this building will be invited to read the record of the experiments alluded to on this subject, even if the architect he employs does not find time to do so. In these days of cheap printing the great trouble is to know how much to read and what selection out of the plethora of current literature. But however difficult it may be for all proprietors of buildings to keep well posted on such subjects, there is less excuse for the architects, who should at least be able to attend to the specialties connected with their professions and make proper use of the facts placed before them from reliable sources.