Volume 29 (1874) (428 pages)

354 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. {December 5, 1874. Traps for Sewers and Water-Closets. The importance of trapping the communication hetween sewers, cess-pools and in-door water-closets, basins, etc., is generally appreciated, but information concerning the construction of traps, the circumstances which render them ineffsctual, aud the expedients, temporary or remedial, by which noxious gas may be shu ont of dwellings, shonld have more publicity. An elnborntion of the subject would require an illustrated treatise, but I will crowd asmuch as I can within a moderate compass, regardless of ronnded periode. Different Kinds of Traps. — We have box-traps, bell-traps, glohe-traps, ptraps, s-traps, how-traps, basin-traps, and a oombination of the last named with others. Some are made of wood, some of masonry or earthenware, some of porcelain, some of iron, some of brass, some of lead, nnd some of tinned iron or copper, Their names are suggestive of their several forms, My remarks will refer chiefly to tbose ordinarily used in dwellngs. The Depth of a Trap. Theoreticelly, the efficiency of a trap depends upon its depth; that is, the vertical distance between the surface of the water it will contain (in a state of rest,) and the ‘“‘drop” or ‘'dip” of thetrap. ‘Tecbnically, the water which is designed to shut out the noxious gas is called the ‘‘seal;"’ so, the depth of the trap, and the depth of the seal are convertible terms, and it is correct to say, ‘‘the deeper the trap the deeper and stronger the seal.”’ The Dangers. There are sundry contingenciee to which even good traps are liable, if not guerded, each of which will admit noxious gas into the house. First, the woter forming the senl may evaporate; eecond, it may be siphoned; third, it may be eucked out; fourth, it may he blown out; or, fifth, it may be forced back by the preasnre cf gas in tbe water-pipes. The first occurs when there is too little weter for the surface expcsed, or when tke receptacle, above, remains long unused. Hence, idle basins are sometimes dangerous. The se@ond is of very common occnrrence, and results from the most inexcusably bad conslruction. The trap and waste are made to form an infallible siphon which will empty the deepest trap when the plug is withdrawn froma tull basiu or tub, The third and fourth are likewise due to had eonstruction. Several basins, at different elevations, are made to discbarge inloa waete system so defective that the weter from one sucks the trap of another, by creating a partial vecuum in the intermediate pipe. Or, if the main waste becomes ‘‘air-bound,’’ which is not nncommon, a full pipe end a rppid flow will compress the retnined air sufficiently to blow out the contents of one or more traps, and leave them comparatively empty. Again, when a street sewer is full of rapidly flowing water, traps in houses communicating with it, through a defective waste system, are liable to be sucked; and, even when the seweris not full, if the wasts eyelem discharges beneath the surface of a rapid current, the liability is the same. After the current suhsides, houees with open traps sre liable to receive the henefit of the noxious gas from their own wostes, at least. Hill-side residents should remember thie. The fifth contingency referred to is, perhups, the most dangerous, for it frequently remains undiscovered until after the funeral. The pressure of gas which forces back the waster inn trap comes from well known sources, yet I will briefly enumerate them: First, pressure from accamnlation in vunvyentilated sewers, cesspools, or ‘‘air-bound’’ house wastes; eecond, pressure from choked sewers and drains; third, pressure from hack-weter in sewers, or the filling of close cess-poole with water. The pressure of the gas gently ‘“‘backs’’ the water in the traps, just enough to allow the meseenger of denth to sueak eilently into your house, in the form of infinitesimal globnles, which uoislessly escape from their watery film, and mingle with the breath of your noetrils. Coneidering our defective sewerage system, our numerous cess-pools, the contingencies nbove mentioned (which are by no meens small), and the fact that the eeal of the trap is the only barrier between the ges of sewers and cess-pools and our living and aleeping apmrtments, it is an alarming reflection that the grenter proportion of the treps in San Franciseo(nnd I doubt notin many other citiee) are liable to the contingencies referred to. Temporary Proteclion. The only temporary expedient available as a protection egainst unreliable baein traps ie also applicable to those of bath-tubs, When empty, turn the faucet a little, and let the water run slowly until there is au assurance of a full trap. Then plug the outlet and cover the plug with water. Finally cover the overflow holes with several thicknesses of wet paper, or its equivalent. This expedient, which expeso bas tnught tomany, should be known to all. Ii is almost impossible for a trap to be sucked with the air passages thueclosed, Evaporation ia retarded, and so ia the ingress of gaa —provided the overflow escape ia made seenre, The Remedy. Tne only remediel expedient which ie worthy of triel ia that of leading one or more air-pipes from the waste system to the roof of the building. This is a device well known to intelligent architects, end to plumbere. Its adoption in the building of a house involvee only a trifling cost, and rendere every good trup infalible; yet it ie not commonly noticed in architects’ specifications, or in plumhers’ work, A ventilating shaft huilt in conjunction with a kitchen chimney, is a most valuable aid in telieving a wa-te syetem, and in default of that the chimney can thus be utilized. The Way They Do It. Remarkable to relate, wash-basin traps, as eupplied by plnmbere in San Frencisco, vary jn depth from balf an inch to thres inches. By far the larger number in use are made by bending a section of lead pipe in the form of a horizontal S, or a horizontz! loop. The caliher of the pipe is generally contracted in bending. By filling the pipe with sand, hefore hending it, the liahility of contracting the caliber is decrensed; hut even that is too much trouble, in cheap work, and the difficulty in avoiding the coutraction is the incentive to make shallow trapa. Ae n rule a gentlemnn’s stable is trapped more securely than hie bed-chamber. I will not deserihe the severel kinds of traps made of cast-iron or brass, lest I should extend my remarks too far. The cast-iron traps imported from the East are vhout one inch deep. They are adopted hy some plumhers and rejected by othere. Reliable Basin Traps. The most reliable indoor traps are of sheet lead, made of two pieces, hammered into form, matched and soldered. For waah-baein, kitchen and laundry traps, they should never he shallower than three inches. Plumhere disagree concerning the proper depth, but it is conceded that San Francisco requiree deeper traps than Now York. Closet Traps. Soil-pipes should be double trapped. Four inches is the approved caliber of the pipe and msin trap, and the depth of both traps should be one inch and a-half. No single-trap closet should he nllowed within a dwelling, What ie known as a ‘‘baein closet’’ is the best. A general description of one will suffice. Say the porcelain basin is encircled by an_ outside flange, abont midwey of its depth. It is set partly into an iron bowl that has a flanged rim which fits the flange onthe basin The two are festened together with some intermediate putty, so thet no gas can escape, The mnin trap is attached to the bottom of the iron bowl, The second, or auxiliary trap, ie the movahle one formed of the metal hnsin which ie in sight, and which is under command of the lever-rod. It traps the vant of the porcelain basin, and is a ‘‘basin-trap”’ in the donble sense, It may be termed an ‘inverted belltrap.”’ It works within the iron bowl, and thue the double trapping is accomplished. Tho apparatus which governs the basin trap is outside of the iron bowl; and, beiug complex, it shonld alwaye be sccessible, and generally is. The raising of the lever-rod removes the metal baein, and flushes both basins and the iron howl; and the same water flushes the mein trap. The flushing ceases so gradually that it insures fnll trnpa, even if a mass of paper, etc., escapiag from the main trnp, causes a momentary euction; nor isthe supply of water eufficient to siphon it. Asa rule. a double-trap closet, if kept clean, ie lese dangerous than a wash-basin that communicates with the same sewer or cess-pool. The noxious gas from such closets emauates from the filth which is allowed to ec :umulate abovethe main trap. If the basin is cleaned daily, and tho iron howl and the soil-pipe. as far down as the trap, vre cle nsed twice nu week, there will be no offensive smell. The best cleansing implement is a common hearthbroom, which ehould be kept for the puroose. Nevertheless, it is a wise precaution tornn an air-pipe from every soil-pipe. The bnth-waste sbould not enter a soil-pipe. The alternate expansion and contraction caused by the use of alargeamouut of hot wnter at one time, fol lowed by a eudden rush of cold water, is particularly injurions, in Sau Francisco experience. Trapping the Drain. Where a waete system concentrates into one draiu-pipe, itis well to trap the drain before connecting it with the sewer, rememberiug always that two lrpps on the same pipe or drain will not opernte without an air-pipe. It ie to he hoped that my remarks will contrihute toward popularizing the fact that there is no economy in chenp plumbing, if the cost of repaire, doctora’ bille and foneral expenses are considered. In conclusion, I will add that much cheap plumbing is attributnble to the paraimony or ignorance of those who build houses '‘For Rent;’’ much is dune to competition among architggts and contractore, and the failure of urchitects to drow specifications clearly and fully; and much to the tricks of dishonest plumbera, who rely upon their ability to cheat nine-tenths of the architects and 99 hundredths of the owners.— Pacijic Medical and Surgical Journal. Tar mill at Reuo will herafter oharge $35 per ton for redneing silver ores, allowing in hullion eighty per cent. on ores, the assay value of which ia $400 per ton or loss. The Boston and Colorado Sme!ting Works. A correepondent of the Colorado Demucrat says: The Boston and Colorado smelting company handle more ore and ehip more bullion than any other establishment in Colorado, The older and main worke, containing three fnrnacee, are at Blsck Hawk, while the newer ones, conteining two furnaces, are located at Alma, in Park county. The process is thatof Swansea, Walea, and such close and reliable results are obtained, that all of the high grede ores that can he treated are constantly received from all parte of the Territory, over half a million dollars’ worth of ore beiug curried on hand throughout the year. We are informed by the head of the company, Prof, N. P. Hill, that ‘the product of both worke would aggregate $2,000,000 for the year 1874. Of this amount ahout $500,000 ie obtained from the gold minee of Gilpin connty, being from the high grade ores not treated by the stamp mill process, The remaining million and a half is maiplr from the silver mines of Clear Creek county, and frem Mount Lincoln and Caribou districts. The latter furnishes over $20,000 per month to the Bleck Hawk works, while Mr. Church, the compnny’s agent, paid out $80,000 in September, in Georgetown, for silver oree for the same institution, From Fehruary 6th to October 81st the purchases at Georgetown amounted to $312,033.95, but would hnve been much larger but for the injunction on the great Dives end Pelican mines. From September 22d to Octoher 10th, $129,000 worth of silver bricke were sent East, one shipment amounting to $75,000. Previous to October, 1873, the precious metals were shipped to Swansea, Walee, in the form of matte, where the gold, eilver and copper wero extrncted, but the eilver is now turned out at Black Huwk, both for these works and those at Alma, in the shape of beautiful hricks 999 fine, while the gold is sent to Boston in alloy for parting, Dnting tbe past year tweuty-four tons of silver bricks (29,966 ozs.) were produced. The Black Hawk works hendle twenty-nine tons of quartz and thirty-five cords of wood daily, giving employment to seveuty men, who are puid from $3 to $6 per doy, while an equal number are engaged in cutting and hauling wood for fuel purposes. Duriog the next week about 400 tons of copper will be shipped. These works are monuged and couducted hy thoroughly competent men, and hnve proved eminently successful, hut the process is too expensive to smelt the lower grade ores. Derp Sea Sounnincs.—The U. S. steamship “Narraganset’’ hns heen mekiug an experimental cruise outside the Goldeu Gate, in deep sea soundiugs. The sounding apparatus is of the Thompson pattern, but of heavier metal, and the specimen cups are known as the Belknap Cylinder, the invention of Commauder Belknap, of the United States Navy. The heavy shot, weighing 58 pounds, specimen eup and Cassill’s thermometer, were nttached to 25 fathoms of Alhecore line, aud lowered into the water until the strain came upon the wire, when they were let goto the bottom of the ocean, which was reached at a depth of 2,199 fathoms in 26 minutes and 41 seconds. The drum containing the wire was then connected with a large balance wheel hy msans of nn endless bend, und this great leucth of line was recovered in 33 minutes and 24 seconds. The temperature of the bottom, regiatered by the thermometer, was 31 degrees, which agreee with the results of previous experiments. A quantity of green matter was hrought up, which, when put under the microscope, was found to be composed of diatornavea and their debris. The experiment was atteuded hy highly satisfactory results, nnd at one P, M. anothel cast was taken ata point twsive miles nearer the Sonth Farallon hght-houee, iu 1,993 fathoms, with satisfactory resulte. A $500,000 Suir 1v Nevana.—A very important lawsuit, involviug the title to mining ground worth ovor a hnlf million of dollnrs, is at present being tried in the District Court. It is eutitled Sol Weil vs. the Lucerue Mining Company and the Silver Hill Mining Compauy. The action ie bronght to recover possession of “all that portion of mining gronnd and quartz lode commencing nt the south boundary of the Juatice claim, and running thence southeasterly upon and emhracing said lode a distance of 927 fect, and lying wholly in Gold Hill mining district.’? In other words, the suit ie for the whole of the Silver Hill mine, which comprises nearly a thousand feet of ground, extending south from the line of the Justice mine, Weil’e claim is based on a location made in 1859. The Lucerne company appliad for a United Siatea patent for the ground in 1872, which application Weil resiated, and brought the present suit. The Lucerne company subseqnently sold their intereet to the Silver Hill company, hut are joined with them as defendants. The trial is before a jury, and the case will prohahly not be finished for » week, as it is progreasing alowly, and alarge numher of witnesses are to be examined. Stone, Lewis and Deal are attorneye for the plaintiff, and Meeick, Seely & Wood for defendants.— Virginia Chronicle. A corRESPonDENY at Tybo saya: Mines of enrbonate ore have been discoverad in Rattleanake canon. They are not yet fully developed, but at present open a fine field to the prospector, A considerable amount of bullion has heen shipped lately, and a lerge amount ie still on hand awaiting traneportation, Gilpin County, Colorado. A correspondent of the Colorado Democrat, writing from Cential eays:; The bullion productof this, the leading gold region of Colorado, has been steadily increaeing during the paat three months and the gold shipments of the year will considerahly exceed those of 1873, which were lese than usual. During the nine months ending October Ist, $793,800 worth of mill gold was shipped Hast through the Central express office; the B. & C. smelting works sent forward during the eeme time ahont $375,000. ‘These fignree are as neerly eccurate as can be obtained at the present time and foot up for nine monte a total of $1,163,000, or at the rate of $1,461.000 for the year. But as the last quarter's shipments will,.from present indications, fer exceed thet of any previous one, we can eefely put down the gold shipments of Gilpin at over $1,500,000 for 1874, outaide of a cousiderable amount of the precions metal that remains here or finds an ontlet throngh other channels. Theeilver shipments which pass through this county or are sent East from the smelting works do not enter into the above figures, Nineteen stamp mille with 518 stamps are now running in Gilpin county and quartz ie much more plentiful than during the past enmmer, causiug eevernl idle mills to he set in operation. The new dressing works of Collom & Co., at Black Hawk, erected for the purpose of coucentreting low grade ores nnd thus rendering them marketable and profitable, are shut down for the present, hut, the owners assert will be going again as soon ns smelting works cnn be erected. Many mines that have been idle for months or years are again resounding with the drill, pick and shoyel, and are often proving quite remunerative to the owners or leseees, While no such massee of precioue metal are met with just at present ae have lately been found in the Sherman, yet old Gilpin can show many minee that are yielding hendsome profits to their operatore. Among them is the 900 feet of property of the Burroughs lode, of Qusrtz hill, leased by Roherts & Co. This mine previous to 1873 had remained idle and filled with water for years, but in little over a year ending with last June, $75,961.55 had been obtained from it, while the amount of gold now produced is douhle that of the year above mentioned. Prohably the last half of 1874 the mine will yield over $75,000. The lesseee began working out the levels and drifts, bnt, emboldened by their succese, begen siuking until they are pow down 800 feet below surface, being the greatest depth attaiued in any mine in Color At the bottom of the shaft, as well ae in fhe various levels, is found the same width vein of ore, yielding from $40 to $50 per ton in the stamp mills, while the more valuable ie sold at the smelting works nt $100 per ton and over. Thirty-five men are employed, and about the same number of tons of ore are raised every twenty-fonr houre. Thie is the same mine that the famous Put Casey once made his ‘big raise’ and sale on, in the days of ’60 and '62, and of Casey's night hands, nnd its late history has proved that Colorado mines do not ‘“‘play ont” in deep workings, a fact that will encourage many a doubting and dieconreged miner to push on through ‘‘cap”’ to the riches that lie stored beneeth. . The old nnd relinble Gregory is agair being worked extensively, end is generally mnintaining its record as the grandest miue in the country. Something over 100 men are empioyed upon it, and the recent coneolidation of the Briggs and Black Hawk intereete eucovrage the hope that another eeason will see as many men at work there as in the prosperoue timee of days gone by. The Briggs property bas been paying large, dividends during the past year. The Leavitt mine is yielding as largely as ever, carrying p very wide crevice, and employivg from 80 to 100 men. Thie lode ehowe what careful, economical management will effect in mining operations, for the owner. Bela 8. Buell has been enabled to reap a stendy profit on a class of oree that were considered worthlese but a few years ago. The sixty-stamp mill, immediately over the mine, was completed over a month ago, at an expense of over’ $100,000, being the most expensive and fiuest nffair of the kind in Colorado, and is working most eatisfactorily. From ‘fifty to eeventy tons of quertz are raised daily, being something over the capacity of the mill. Rock yielding but $7 per ton is here mined and milled, and mnde to yield a steady profit. Work has acain been reeum: don the Batee, Butes & Hunter, Sudeberg, Smith and other valueble lodes, while the Kansae and Gunnel ere extensively worked in several places. The Kanens has yielded about $100,000 during the past year, und is still in pny. Rye VaLvey Mines.—A Boker city letter to the Oregon Slatesman eays: ‘‘Rye Valley, in thia county, is just now the excititg point among the people, rich atrikes having lately been made. Green's discovery, at water level, actually nssayed $10,000 to $35,000 eilver to the ton. Complete and extensive reducing works are now in course of erection on thia and other minea in the district, which will all be in working order in the apring. Workmen will be engaged undergronnd all winter in getting out ore from the Green discovery mine. Many new and interestiug discoveries are being made daily, prospectors being out in large numbers. A mountain of gypeum hae lately heen found which, after being teated by competent bands, ia pronounced equal to the best imported plaster of Paris,”

354 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. {December 5, 1874. Traps for Sewers and Water-Closets. The importance of trapping the communication hetween sewers, cess-pools and in-door water-closets, basins, etc., is generally appreciated, but information concerning the construction of traps, the circumstances which render them ineffsctual, aud the expedients, temporary or remedial, by which noxious gas may be shu ont of dwellings, shonld have more publicity. An elnborntion of the subject would require an illustrated treatise, but I will crowd asmuch as I can within a moderate compass, regardless of ronnded periode. Different Kinds of Traps. — We have box-traps, bell-traps, glohe-traps, ptraps, s-traps, how-traps, basin-traps, and a oombination of the last named with others. Some are made of wood, some of masonry or earthenware, some of porcelain, some of iron, some of brass, some of lead, nnd some of tinned iron or copper, Their names are suggestive of their several forms, My remarks will refer chiefly to tbose ordinarily used in dwellngs. The Depth of a Trap. Theoreticelly, the efficiency of a trap depends upon its depth; that is, the vertical distance between the surface of the water it will contain (in a state of rest,) and the ‘“‘drop” or ‘'dip” of thetrap. ‘Tecbnically, the water which is designed to shut out the noxious gas is called the ‘‘seal;"’ so, the depth of the trap, and the depth of the seal are convertible terms, and it is correct to say, ‘‘the deeper the trap the deeper and stronger the seal.”’ The Dangers. There are sundry contingenciee to which even good traps are liable, if not guerded, each of which will admit noxious gas into the house. First, the woter forming the senl may evaporate; eecond, it may be siphoned; third, it may be eucked out; fourth, it may he blown out; or, fifth, it may be forced back by the preasnre cf gas in tbe water-pipes. The first occurs when there is too little weter for the surface expcsed, or when tke receptacle, above, remains long unused. Hence, idle basins are sometimes dangerous. The se@ond is of very common occnrrence, and results from the most inexcusably bad conslruction. The trap and waste are made to form an infallible siphon which will empty the deepest trap when the plug is withdrawn froma tull basiu or tub, The third and fourth are likewise due to had eonstruction. Several basins, at different elevations, are made to discbarge inloa waete system so defective that the weter from one sucks the trap of another, by creating a partial vecuum in the intermediate pipe. Or, if the main waste becomes ‘‘air-bound,’’ which is not nncommon, a full pipe end a rppid flow will compress the retnined air sufficiently to blow out the contents of one or more traps, and leave them comparatively empty. Again, when a street sewer is full of rapidly flowing water, traps in houses communicating with it, through a defective waste system, are liable to be sucked; and, even when the seweris not full, if the wasts eyelem discharges beneath the surface of a rapid current, the liability is the same. After the current suhsides, houees with open traps sre liable to receive the henefit of the noxious gas from their own wostes, at least. Hill-side residents should remember thie. The fifth contingency referred to is, perhups, the most dangerous, for it frequently remains undiscovered until after the funeral. The pressure of gas which forces back the waster inn trap comes from well known sources, yet I will briefly enumerate them: First, pressure from accamnlation in vunvyentilated sewers, cesspools, or ‘‘air-bound’’ house wastes; eecond, pressure from choked sewers and drains; third, pressure from hack-weter in sewers, or the filling of close cess-poole with water. The pressure of the gas gently ‘“‘backs’’ the water in the traps, just enough to allow the meseenger of denth to sueak eilently into your house, in the form of infinitesimal globnles, which uoislessly escape from their watery film, and mingle with the breath of your noetrils. Coneidering our defective sewerage system, our numerous cess-pools, the contingencies nbove mentioned (which are by no meens small), and the fact that the eeal of the trap is the only barrier between the ges of sewers and cess-pools and our living and aleeping apmrtments, it is an alarming reflection that the grenter proportion of the treps in San Franciseo(nnd I doubt notin many other citiee) are liable to the contingencies referred to. Temporary Proteclion. The only temporary expedient available as a protection egainst unreliable baein traps ie also applicable to those of bath-tubs, When empty, turn the faucet a little, and let the water run slowly until there is au assurance of a full trap. Then plug the outlet and cover the plug with water. Finally cover the overflow holes with several thicknesses of wet paper, or its equivalent. This expedient, which expeso bas tnught tomany, should be known to all. Ii is almost impossible for a trap to be sucked with the air passages thueclosed, Evaporation ia retarded, and so ia the ingress of gaa —provided the overflow escape ia made seenre, The Remedy. Tne only remediel expedient which ie worthy of triel ia that of leading one or more air-pipes from the waste system to the roof of the building. This is a device well known to intelligent architects, end to plumbere. Its adoption in the building of a house involvee only a trifling cost, and rendere every good trup infalible; yet it ie not commonly noticed in architects’ specifications, or in plumhers’ work, A ventilating shaft huilt in conjunction with a kitchen chimney, is a most valuable aid in telieving a wa-te syetem, and in default of that the chimney can thus be utilized. The Way They Do It. Remarkable to relate, wash-basin traps, as eupplied by plnmbere in San Frencisco, vary jn depth from balf an inch to thres inches. By far the larger number in use are made by bending a section of lead pipe in the form of a horizontal S, or a horizontz! loop.. The caliher of the pipe is generally contracted in bending. By filling the pipe with sand, hefore hending it, the liahility of contracting the caliber is decrensed; hut even that is too much trouble, in cheap work, and the difficulty in avoiding the coutraction is the incentive to make shallow trapa. Ae n rule a gentlemnn’s stable is trapped more securely than hie bed-chamber. I will not deserihe the severel kinds of traps made of cast-iron or brass, lest I should extend my remarks too far. The cast-iron traps imported from the East are vhout one inch deep. They are adopted hy some plumhers and rejected by othere. Reliable Basin Traps. The most reliable indoor traps are of sheet lead, made of two pieces, hammered into form, matched and soldered. For waah-baein, kitchen and laundry traps, they should never he shallower than three inches. Plumhere disagree concerning the proper depth, but it is conceded that San Francisco requiree deeper traps than Now York. Closet Traps. Soil-pipes should be double trapped. Four inches is the approved caliber of the pipe and msin trap, and the depth of both traps should be one inch and a-half. No single-trap closet should he nllowed within a dwelling, What ie known as a ‘‘baein closet’’ is the best. A general description of one will suffice. Say the porcelain basin is encircled by an_ outside flange, abont midwey of its depth. It is set partly into an iron bowl that has a flanged rim which fits the flange onthe basin The two are festened together with some intermediate putty, so thet no gas can escape, The mnin trap is attached to the bottom of the iron bowl, The second, or auxiliary trap, ie the movahle one formed of the metal hnsin which ie in sight, and which is under command of the lever-rod. It traps the vant of the porcelain basin, and is a ‘‘basin-trap”’ in the donble sense, It may be termed an ‘inverted belltrap.”’ It works within the iron bowl, and thue the double trapping is accomplished. Tho apparatus which governs the basin trap is outside of the iron bowl; and, beiug complex, it shonld alwaye be sccessible, and generally is. The raising of the lever-rod removes the metal baein, and flushes both basins and the iron howl; and the same water flushes the mein trap. The flushing ceases so gradually that it insures fnll trnpa, even if a mass of paper, etc., escapiag from the main trnp, causes a momentary euction; nor isthe supply of water eufficient to siphon it. Asa rule. a double-trap closet, if kept clean, ie lese dangerous than a wash-basin that communicates with the same sewer or cess-pool. The noxious gas from such closets emauates from the filth which is allowed to ec :umulate abovethe main trap. If the basin is cleaned daily, and tho iron howl and the soil-pipe. as far down as the trap, vre cle nsed twice nu week, there will be no offensive smell. The best cleansing implement is a common hearthbroom, which ehould be kept for the puroose. Nevertheless, it is a wise precaution tornn an air-pipe from every soil-pipe. The bnth-waste sbould not enter a soil-pipe. The alternate expansion and contraction caused by the use of alargeamouut of hot wnter at one time, fol lowed by a eudden rush of cold water, is particularly injurions, in Sau Francisco experience. Trapping the Drain. Where a waete system concentrates into one draiu-pipe, itis well to trap the drain before connecting it with the sewer, rememberiug always that two lrpps on the same pipe or drain will not opernte without an air-pipe. It ie to he hoped that my remarks will contrihute toward popularizing the fact that there is no economy in chenp plumbing, if the cost of repaire, doctora’ bille and foneral expenses are considered. In conclusion, I will add that much cheap plumbing is attributnble to the paraimony or ignorance of those who build houses '‘For Rent;’’ much is dune to competition among architggts and contractore, and the failure of urchitects to drow specifications clearly and fully; and much to the tricks of dishonest plumbera, who rely upon their ability to cheat nine-tenths of the architects and 99 hundredths of the owners.— Pacijic Medical and Surgical Journal. Tar mill at Reuo will herafter oharge $35 per ton for redneing silver ores, allowing in hullion eighty per cent. on ores, the assay value of which ia $400 per ton or loss. The Boston and Colorado Sme!ting Works. A correepondent of the Colorado Demucrat says: The Boston and Colorado smelting company handle more ore and ehip more bullion than any other establishment in Colorado, The older and main worke, containing three fnrnacee, are at Blsck Hawk, while the newer ones, conteining two furnaces, are located at Alma, in Park county. The process is thatof Swansea,

Walea, and such close and reliable results are obtained, that all of the high grede ores that can he treated are constantly received from all parte of the Territory, over half a million dollars’ worth of ore beiug curried on hand throughout the year. We are informed by the head of the company, Prof, N. P. Hill, that ‘the product of both worke would aggregate $2,000,000 for the year 1874. Of this amount ahout $500,000 ie obtained from the gold minee of Gilpin connty, being from the high grade ores not treated by the stamp mill process, The remaining million and a half is maiplr from the silver mines of Clear Creek county, and frem Mount Lincoln and Caribou districts. The latter furnishes over $20,000 per month to the Bleck Hawk works, while Mr. Church, the compnny’s agent, paid out $80,000 in September, in Georgetown, for silver oree for the same institution, From Fehruary 6th to October 81st the purchases at Georgetown amounted to $312,033.95, but would hnve been much larger but for the injunction on the great Dives end Pelican mines. From September 22d to Octoher 10th, $129,000 worth of silver bricke were sent East, one shipment amounting to $75,000. Previous to October, 1873, the precious metals were shipped to Swansea, Walee, in the form of matte, where the gold, eilver and copper wero extrncted, but the eilver is now turned out at Black Huwk, both for these works and those at Alma, in the shape of beautiful hricks 999 fine, while the gold is sent to Boston in alloy for parting, Dnting tbe past year tweuty-four tons of silver bricks (29,966 ozs.) were produced. The Black Hawk works hendle twenty-nine tons of quartz and thirty-five cords of wood daily, giving employment to seveuty men, who are puid from $3 to $6 per doy, while an equal number are engaged in cutting and hauling wood for fuel purposes. Duriog the next week about 400 tons of copper will be shipped. These works are monuged and couducted hy thoroughly competent men, and hnve proved eminently successful, hut the process is too expensive to smelt the lower grade ores. Derp Sea Sounnincs.—The U. S. steamship “Narraganset’’ hns heen mekiug an experimental cruise outside the Goldeu Gate, in deep sea soundiugs. The sounding apparatus is of the Thompson pattern, but of heavier metal, and the specimen cups are known as the Belknap Cylinder, the invention of Commauder Belknap, of the United States Navy. The heavy shot, weighing 58 pounds, specimen eup and Cassill’s thermometer, were nttached to 25 fathoms of Alhecore line, aud lowered into the water until the strain came upon the wire, when they were let goto the bottom of the ocean, which was reached at a depth of 2,199 fathoms in 26 minutes and 41 seconds. The drum containing the wire was then connected with a large balance wheel hy msans of nn endless bend, und this great leucth of line was recovered in 33 minutes and 24 seconds. The temperature of the bottom, regiatered by the thermometer, was 31 degrees, which agreee with the results of previous experiments. A quantity of green matter was hrought up, which, when put under the microscope, was found to be composed of diatornavea and their debris. The experiment was atteuded hy highly satisfactory results, nnd at one P, M. anothel cast was taken ata point twsive miles nearer the Sonth Farallon hght-houee, iu 1,993 fathoms, with satisfactory resulte. A $500,000 Suir 1v Nevana.—A very important lawsuit, involviug the title to mining ground worth ovor a hnlf million of dollnrs, is at present being tried in the District Court. It is eutitled Sol Weil vs. the Lucerue Mining Company and the Silver Hill Mining Compauy. The action ie bronght to recover possession of “all that portion of mining gronnd and quartz lode commencing nt the south boundary of the Juatice claim, and running thence southeasterly upon and emhracing said lode a distance of 927 fect, and lying wholly in Gold Hill mining district.’? In other words, the suit ie for the whole of the Silver Hill mine, which comprises nearly a thousand feet of ground, extending south from the line of the Justice mine, Weil’e claim is based on a location made in 1859. The Lucerne company appliad for a United Siatea patent for the ground in 1872, which application Weil resiated, and brought the present suit. The Lucerne company subseqnently sold their intereet to the Silver Hill company, hut are joined with them as defendants. The trial is before a jury, and the case will prohahly not be finished for » week, as it is progreasing alowly, and alarge numher of witnesses are to be examined. Stone, Lewis and Deal are attorneye for the plaintiff, and Meeick, Seely & Wood for defendants.— Virginia Chronicle. A corRESPonDENY at Tybo saya: Mines of enrbonate ore have been discoverad in Rattleanake canon. They are not yet fully developed, but at present open a fine field to the prospector, A considerable amount of bullion has heen shipped lately, and a lerge amount ie still on hand awaiting traneportation, Gilpin County, Colorado. A correspondent of the Colorado Democrat, writing from Cential eays:; The bullion productof this, the leading gold region of Colorado, has been steadily increaeing during the paat three months and the gold shipments of the year will considerahly exceed those of 1873, which were lese than usual. During the nine months ending October Ist, $793,800 worth of mill gold was shipped Hast through the Central express office; the B. & C. smelting works sent forward during the eeme time ahont $375,000. ‘These fignree are as neerly eccurate as can be obtained at the present time and foot up for nine monte a total of $1,163,000, or at the rate of $1,461.000 for the year. But as the last quarter's shipments will,.from present indications, fer exceed thet of any previous one, we can eefely put down the gold shipments of Gilpin at over $1,500,000 for 1874, outaide of a cousiderable amount of the precions metal that remains here or finds an ontlet throngh other channels. Theeilver shipments which pass through this county or are sent East from the smelting works do not enter into the above figures, Nineteen stamp mille with 518 stamps are now running in Gilpin county and quartz ie much more plentiful than during the past enmmer, causiug eevernl idle mills to he set in operation. The new dressing works of Collom & Co., at Black Hawk, erected for the purpose of coucentreting low grade ores nnd thus rendering them marketable and profitable, are shut down for the present, hut, the owners assert will be going again as soon ns smelting works cnn be erected. Many mines that have been idle for months or years are again resounding with the drill, pick and shoyel, and are often proving quite remunerative to the owners or leseees, While no such massee of precioue metal are met with just at present ae have lately been found in the Sherman, yet old Gilpin can show many minee that are yielding hendsome profits to their operatore. Among them is the 900 feet of property of the Burroughs lode, of Qusrtz hill, leased by Roherts & Co. This mine previous to 1873 had remained idle and filled with water for years, but in little over a year ending with last June, $75,961.55 had been obtained from it, while the amount of gold now produced is douhle that of the year above mentioned. Prohably the last half of 1874 the mine will yield over $75,000. The lesseee began working out the levels and drifts, bnt, emboldened by their succese, begen siuking until they are pow down 800 feet below surface, being the greatest depth attaiued in any mine in Color At the bottom of the shaft, as well ae in fhe various levels, is found the same width vein of ore, yielding from $40 to $50 per ton in the stamp mills, while the more valuable ie sold at the smelting works nt $100 per ton and over. Thirty-five men are employed, and about the same number of tons of ore are raised every twenty-fonr houre. Thie is the same mine that the famous Put Casey once made his ‘big raise’ and sale on, in the days of ’60 and '62, and of Casey's night hands, nnd its late history has proved that Colorado mines do not ‘“‘play ont” in deep workings, a fact that will encourage many a doubting and dieconreged miner to push on through ‘‘cap”’ to the riches that lie stored beneeth. . The old nnd relinble Gregory is agair being worked extensively, end is generally mnintaining its record as the grandest miue in the country. Something over 100 men are empioyed upon it, and the recent coneolidation of the Briggs and Black Hawk intereete eucovrage the hope that another eeason will see as many men at work there as in the prosperoue timee of days gone by. The Briggs property bas been paying large, dividends during the past year. The Leavitt mine is yielding as largely as ever, carrying p very wide crevice, and employivg from 80 to 100 men. Thie lode ehowe what careful, economical management will effect in mining operations, for the owner. Bela 8. Buell has been enabled to reap a stendy profit on a class of oree that were considered worthlese but a few years ago. The sixty-stamp mill, immediately over the mine, was completed over a month ago, at an expense of over’ $100,000, being the most expensive and fiuest nffair of the kind in Colorado, and is working most eatisfactorily. From ‘fifty to eeventy tons of quertz are raised daily, being something over the capacity of the mill. Rock yielding but $7 per ton is here mined and milled, and mnde to yield a steady profit. Work has acain been reeum: don the Batee, Butes & Hunter, Sudeberg, Smith and other valueble lodes, while the Kansae and Gunnel ere extensively worked in several places. The Kanens has yielded about $100,000 during the past year, und is still in pny. Rye VaLvey Mines.—A Boker city letter to the Oregon Slatesman eays: ‘‘Rye Valley, in thia county, is just now the excititg point among the people, rich atrikes having lately been made. Green's discovery, at water level, actually nssayed $10,000 to $35,000 eilver to the ton. Complete and extensive reducing works are now in course of erection on thia and other minea in the district, which will all be in working order in the apring. Workmen will be engaged undergronnd all winter in getting out ore from the Green discovery mine. Many new and interestiug discoveries are being made daily, prospectors being out in large numbers. A mountain of gypeum hae lately heen found which, after being teated by competent bands, ia pronounced equal to the best imported plaster of Paris,”