(Published In 1889 )

In the Bank of America's new 10-story building in Wall Street, New York, the first floor is occupied by the bank and its offices and the other stories are arranged as single offices and suites, each of which is supplied with hot and cold water. There are also public and private water-closets, urinals, etc.

The architect of the building was Charles W. Clinton. New York, and the plumbing, some details of which we shall describe, was done by John Toumey, New York, whose foreman in charge of the job was John B. Donovan.

To prevent possible interruption of the supply and to insure its sufficiency, water is taken from two separate branches of the city mains - viz., from Wall Street, through the 2-inch pipe B, Fig. 1, and from William Street through the 1½ -inch pipe A. Both pipes deliver through ball cock C to the receiving tank T, which is on the cellar floor adjacent to the heating and distributing system. By opening valve D and closing valve E water is drawn from Wall Street only; by reversing the valves, from William Street only, and by opening both valves, from both streets. F is the 2 inch suction pipe to boiler, tank, and fire pumps, and G is the sediment pipe for emptying the tank. H is the overflow pipe, Figure 2 shows the heating and distributing system, in which portions of tank T and pipe A, B, H, and F of Fig. 1 reappear. C is a boiler containing a coil that receives live or exhaust steam from pipe G and discharges it through pipe I and trap E. J is the 2-inch pipe from the roof tank and its 1½ - inch branch K supplies cold water to the boiler C, N is the hot-water pipe from boiler to the different floors. O is the hot-water return-circulation pipe. M is a branch from tank pipe J and supplies distributor D, from which the 1- inch pipes P P, etc. supply the various upper floors. Q is a direct supply from street pressure to the bank offices. S is a pipe discharging all safe waste drips into a sink in boiler-room. U is a branch from Wall Street main direct to the suction pipe of the tank pump. V is a drip pipe draining the rising lines and discharging into tank T. R is a sediment pipe draining D. A sediment pipe hidden behind it empties the boiler C.

Figure 3 shows the arrangement of tank pump Z in the cellar near the receiving tank, A is its suction pipe that is supplied directly from the Wall Street main, through pipe U. or from receiving tank T, Fig. 1, through pipe F, B is the delivery pipe that is connected to the roof tank pipe E by branch G, and to the fire line pipe by branch J. Ordinarily valves C and P are closed and valve D is open, and the pump delivers to the tank, but in case of fire valve D may be closed and C opened, and the pump worked on the fire line. I I are branches from the fire and boiler pumps that connect by pipe H with the pipe E and provide for the filling of the tank if pump Z should be disabled. K is a drip pipe emptying the tank pipe. O is the hot-water return-circulation pipe (see Fig. 2 also), M and L are cold-water pipes supplying engine-room sink and water-closet. N is an extra supply for boilers to furnish water when pumps are not working. P is a valve to which hose may be attached for washing the floor, etc. Q is a check valve.

Figure 4 shows the engine-room sink that is supported by the polished-brass pipe frame and standard A, has hot and cold taps, H and C, and receives the drip and safe waste pipes and the overflow from tank T, Fig. 1.