(Published In 1894.)

In the Millard Hotel, Omaha, Neb., a prominent feature of the plumbing is the arrangement, in the main public toilet-room, of a central cluster of eight urinals which are grouped around an octagonal marble center, which was especially designed by W. H. Spelman, of New York, then of Omaha, Neb. These are arranged so as to comprise in a compact form in the waste space between the stalls all the supply, waste, trap, vent, and flushing pipes and gas and water pipes, symmetrically arranged and effectually screened from view or disturbance while completely accessible at will, and at the same time provide for flushing without the use of a tank, which was interdicted.

Figure 1 is a front view of the stalls, which are placed in the center of a room about 20 feet square, which is lighted by the four gas jets G G, etc., whose curved branches were made from brass tubes, bent and trimmed to correspond with the other exposed pipes, and connected to the supply main in the ceiling by a brass four-way piece A. To secure rigidity, the bottom of this piece was made continuous with the vertical riser from the floor. The copper pipe B was closed at both ends, and merely braced A to the top of the air chamber C, which cushions the water in the eight copper branches D D, etc., by which the different urinals are periodically flushed.

Figure 2 is a top plan from Z Z and shows the marble cover slab H, which is cut in two on the line F F so that either side is conveniently removable for access to the pipes below. I is a handhole commanding an inside flush valve.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section at F F, Fig. 2, through the pipe chamber, showing the characteristic features of the most important details. Some of these are magnified or displaced to avoid confusion or obscureness. The marble top H rests loosely on the wainscot panels J, which are keyed together and mortised to the wings W, both of which fit into filleted sockets K in the 2 ½-inch slate floor slabs L, thus securing very firm marble-work rigidly secured without bolts or metal clamps.

The special urinal waste is commanded in front by trap screw M, and enters, just inside the chamber, a brass Y, also special, that connects with the discharge and ventilation pipes. The former are slightly trapped to break up sound transmission, and the latter communicate with an air-tight metal box made of 24-ounce copper and having a continuous outward draft through the 5-inch exhaust flue. This arrangement is designed to secure the constant removal of all vapor, etc., directly from the bottoms of the urinals, where they originate, before they can rise or become at all diffused. The supply for the flush pipes passes through the box through stuffing-boxes N N, and has a small cock which is furnished with a rubber hose and bulb, so that if any obstruction occurs in any vent pipe O a stream of water can be easily forced through it. The 3-inch main waste pipe extends above the water line and is flanged out to fit a 4-inch vertical vent pipe, which is connected to it by a wiped flange joint which takes bearing on a ring Q supported from the floor by a brass tripod.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section at Z Z, Fig. 3. Figure 5 shows the connection of the vent flue to the main chimney so as to always secure a strong upward draft from the urinals. The draft is controlled by the sliding damper D, which is usually partly closed, and has a by-pass (not here shown) around it to prevent all ventilation from ever being stopped.

PLUMBING DETAILS IN AN OMAHA HOTEL.