Magnificent Gold Room of the Congress Hotel, Chicago, Ill., in which the and 15, 1915. Modern Plumbing Installed in Residence By J. KEITH PETERS. A RECENT renovation of a plumbing system in a palatial residence of Larchmont Manor, N. Y., was successfully accomplished in time for its occupation by the owner, whose Spring and Summer months are now thoroughly enjoyed in this beautiful suburb, 25 minutes by express from the Grand Central Terminal, 42d St. After the lapse of nearly a quarter of a century it was found that the piping system was in fairly good condition, corrosion just beginning to set in. Most of the pipe consisted of cast iron and lead; the joints of the former were just about ready to break away, and the latter-wiped joints-just as good as ever. Twenty-five years ago bathrooms were not so numerously scattered about a house as they are to-day, but this residence had one exceptionally large bathroom, as indicated on the second floor plan, Fig. 2. It formerly contained a tub, basin and water closet, and adjoining it off the rear hall was a separate unventilated water closet compartment. At the time of the original installation boxed-in fixtures were in vogue, but the fixtures installed were the best to be obtained at that age, and all exterior woodwork was of solid oak and highly polished. The closet bowl in bathroom was of earthenware of the washout type, and closet off hall of iron with automatic flush arrangement; this latter closet resembling, in a large sense, certain automatic closets on the market to-day. The third floor contained an exceptionally large billiard room and two bedrooms, one of which has been remodeled into a modern bathroom. On the first floor the dining-room was provided with a lavatory in recess in wall adjoining built-in cupboard. The kitchen contained a large galvanized iron sink, copper range boiler which was still giving satisfaction, and in the laundry in basement, directly under kitchen, a set of three-part soapstone washtubs. All these fixtures, risers and branches, except the main house drain, were replaced by up-todate porcelain and German silver fixtures, and brass and steel pipe. The accompanying plans and sketches (except Fig. 6), prepared in conjunction with owner's architect, show only the new installation. The floors of the entire house were replaced by parquet flooring on first floor, except pantry and kitchen, which were tiled white with large square tile, and hardwood on the second and third floors (except bathroom on this floor tiled). In describing the new installation, by referring to Fig. 1, the pantry will be noted in center at rear. This was formerly a rear hall, with exit where window now is, to rear yard. The recessed cupboard and basin of dining-room were removed and a solid partition built up, and china dresser for all purposes, of any size and for any pres- L. O. KOVEN & BROTHER 50 CLIFF STREET, NEW YORK WORKS: JERSEY CITY, N. J. M Recent Supreme Court Decisions of Interest to the Trade. ECHANICS' LIENS. Amend ment of the petition in a mechanic's lien action, merely changing spelling of a defendant's name by adding a letter, or leaving out a letter or an apostrophe, is merely formal, as regards it, when made after time for action, not defeating the lien. Henry Weis Cornice Co. vs. J. B. Neevel & Sons, Kansas City Court of Appeals, Missouri, 174 Southwestern 159. Mechanics' Lien.-A subcontractor cannot file a single claim for material furnished and work done on two separate buildings under separate contracts between the owner and a general contractor, where the buildings are separated by fences forming separate inclosures and both properties abut on public avenues, to which they have separate access, and where either building, including its curtilage, could be sold without depreciating the value of the other.Black vs. Hartrick, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 98 Atlantic 638. a con Architect's Certificate.-Under tract providing that the architect's final certificate of the amount due the contractor should be conclusive evidence of his performance, and that final payment should be made 35 days after completion, his final certificate was, in effect, an account stated, or liquidation of the amount due the contractor, who was not required. in the first instance, to introduce evidence to sustain his claim, but was entitled to a judgment upon the face of the certificate, unless the architect's fraud or bad faith was shown. -Ferguson vs. Christensen, Supreme Court of Colorado, 147 Pacific 352. Lien and Mortgage.-Where defendant in an action to enforce a mechanic's lien had been surety for the owner and indemnified by a mortgage and had afterwards received a deed from the owner of all the realty included in his mortgage, solely in consideration of his release of the owner from personal liability on the indebtedness, which deed provided that the lien of the mortgage should remain unimpaired, the equitable estate did not merge in his legal estate, and the lien of his mortgage was prior to a mechanic's lien acquired subsequent to the mortgage.-La Grange vs. Greer-Wilkinson Lumber Co., Appellate Court of Indiana, 108 Northeastern 373. Acceptance of Work by Architect.Under a contract for a State building, providing for payments on estimates by the architect, the final payment to be made on completion and acceptance, providing that no certificate except the final one should be conclusive evidence of performance of the work, and giving the architect complete control of the work, though the build ing was constructed under the direction of the State Board of Control, the architect's final certificate made on Dec. 6, 1912, was conclusive evidence of performance binding on the board; and an unpaid materialman, desiring to perfect his rights upon the contractor's bond, was required to present his claim within 30 days after the issuance of the certificate.-McGowan Bros. Hardware Co. vs. Fidelity & Deposit Co., of Maryland, Supreme Court of Washington, 147 Pacific 44. Plumbers' License.-Plaintiff sued to recover for services rendered as a master plumber, and showed that in 1912 he had received a license from the examining board of plumbers, which was revoked in May, 1913, for fraud in the examination and application, but that in April, 1914, the board's minutes recited that, plaintiff having submitted to a new examination in March, the board having gone over his examination papers and found him qualified, it authorized the issuance of a certificate, "and rescinds its prior action in refusing to issue the same." Held, that such action was, when read with the context, not a rescission, giving the certificate any effect during the period it was voked, and he could not recover for services performed as a master plumber during such period. Gottesman v. Barer. Supreme Court of New York, 152 N. Y. 128. re Property Subject to Lien.-Under Rev. St. 1908, section 4027, providing, relative to mechanics' liens, that such liens shall extend to and cover so much of the lands whereon the building or improvement shall be made as may be necessary for the convenient use and occupation of the building or improvement, and that the lien for work or materials done or furnished for any entire structure shall attach to the building for or upon which the work is done or materials furnished in preference to any prior lien, incumbrance or mortgage, that any person enforcing such lien may have the building sold, and that the lien shall extend to and enbrace any additional or greater interest in any of the property acquired by the owner at any time subsequent to the making of the contract or the commencement of the work, and before the establishment of the lien by process of law, the land upon which a building or improvement is erected or placed cannot be subjected to a lien unless the owner of the land has some ownership in the building and acts affirmatively relative to its construction. Stewart v. Talbott. Supreme Court of Colorado, 146 Pacific 771. Injury to Servant.-A bricklayer at work on a scaffold was ordered by the superintendent to go on the wall and adjust an iron plate, which could not be ad justed while standing on the scaffold. While on the wall at work, a stone forming part of the coping fell, and he fell with it. The stone was not so loose as to be noticeable to a casual observer. The superintendent knew the danger, for he had been reminded that the coping was to be anchored. The place of work was dangerous. Held to authorize a finding that the danger was known to the superintendent and unknown to the bricklayer, so that the superintendent's direction was evidence of negligence for which the employer was chargeable under the Employer's Liability Act (Consol. Laws, c. 31 Secs. 200-204). Wittgren v. Wells Bros. Co., Court of Appeals of New York, 108 Northeastern 213. Extras.-Where a contractor to install a heating plant in a building demanded compensation for extras orally ordered by the architect and showed that the general specifications, stipulating that no claim for extras could be considered unless the price was agreed on in writing, and that the architect's decision in case of any misunderstanding should be final that he made his bid and contract on special heating specifications containing no such provisions, while the owner contended the contrary, the court properly submitted the issue to the jury, with a direction that if they found that the general specifications were delivereed to the contractor prior to the making of the contract, he could not recover. In an action by a contractor for extras orally ordered by the architect, notwithstanding an agreement that claims for extras should not be considered unless the price therefor was agreed on in writing, evidence of other extras arranged for orally by the architect was admitted to show a waiver of the contract. Wenzel v. Kieruj, Supreme Court of Michigan, 151 Northwestern 641. Injury to Servant.-Act. March 6, 1911 (Acts 1911, c 236) Sec. 2 provides that flooring, staging or protection shall be laid on the second-story beams of a building before proceeding with construction work on the third story, etc. Held that, where plaintiff was precipitated from the third floor of a building under construction by the fall of insufficiently supported concrete, and fell to the first floor because there was no floor on the second-story beams, his right to recover because of a violation and such statute did not appear that the failure to protect the second story was the proximate cause of the injury in that plaintiff might have suffered just as serious injuries had he fallen only to the second floor. Suelzer v. Carpenter, Supreme Court of Indiana, 107 Northeastern 467. Lien for Repairs.—A person who had not substantially complied with his contract Will not harden or deteriorate in the joint. It is always ready for use; don't try to improve it by mixing with oil. Careful economical application is preferable to a careless liberal one. It will go three times as far as red or white lead. Send 10 cents for sample can, Chard & Howe 250 Front Street, New York The Mark of Service Until now, the utmost which the careful buyer of Plumbing Specialties could make his purchases include have been skilled workmanship, worthy materials and honest prices. A new and additional value is now possible-SERVICE. And so that you may know that the goods you purchase surely possess this additional value we have adopted the symbol represented by the trade-mark pictured above, as an identifying mark. It will serve as your guarantee that the goods and packages on which it appears are in reality products of The American Pin Company, than which no finer thing can be said about any plumbing specialty. ¶This Mark of Service is a concise way we take to tell you that we have been making goods in brass for nearly 75 years; that our plant and equipment comprises every modern improvement that makes for perfect manufacturing; that our factory methods are based on the most modern standards of practical efficiency; that each separate product which leaves our factory must have passed the highest critical tests for material, workmanship, finishing and packaging. ¶And this SERVICE-though priceless in the satisfaction and confidence it guarantees you-costs you nothing. THE AMERICAN PIN COMPANY Waterbury, Conn. |