We desire to call the attention of our readers to the above heading, under which we invite questions on all matters of general interest to the engineer, the architect, the mechanic or the municipal officer. Answers will be carefully prepared by members of our staff or by specialists, and it is our purpose that these answers shall in all cases be as accurate and reliable as human care and skill can make them.

Of course questions of purely local or personal interest would be out of place here, but all those likely to attract the attention or be of value to others in the same profession or occupation will be very welcome, and we wish the writer to feel that he rather confers than receives a favor by sending such to us.

The chief value of a technical journal lies in furnishing to its readers just the information that will assist them in their work, and in no way can we so well discover what information is most desired by our readers as to have them ask for it, as we hope they will always feel free to do.

It is because we have realized in the past the value and importance of this friendly discussion of matters of common interest, to which our columns have long borne testimony, that we propose to make it even a more prominent feature in the future, and to that end we cordially invite your co-operation.

Pancoast & Rogers, General Agents for Reading Iron Works, Pig-Iron, Wrought-Iron Pipe, Boiler-Tubes, Artesian And Oil Well Tubing, Casing, Line-Pipe, Etc.

Chapman Valve Mfg. Co., Straight-Way Valves And Hydrants Manufacturer's Agents for Cast-Iron Water and Gas Pipe, Special Castings, Etc. Water and Gas Works Supplies of every description Estimates of cost given on application, for Stand-pipes for Water-works, Boilers, and other Wrought-iron Work, Sugar Mills, Etc.

Special attention is called to our Asphalt-coated Wrought-iron Pipe for Water Service.

Office and Warehouse:

28 Platt Street and 15 Gold Street, New York.

Gorton's House-Heating Steam-Generator.

The best and most economical self-feeding, base-burning, wrought-iron boiler now on the market. It is first-class in its construction, perfectly safe in use, generates steam quickly and rapidly; is compact, taking small floor-space, requiring no brickwork in setting; economical in the use of fuel and costing much less than any other wrought-iron boiler of like capacity now in use.

Gorton Boiler Manufacturing Co., 110 Centre Street, New York.

Send for Illustrated Catalogue. showing various designs, with prices.

Committees intrusted with the erection of Public Buildings or the Construction of any Engineering Works, should advertise for proposals in The Engineering and Building Record. They will reach Contractors in every State and Territory, likewise in Canada. The advantage of competition thus secured is obvious.

Contractors for Municipal and Government Work and Manufacturers of Engineering and Building Supplies will find every week in the Proposal advertisements and Contracting News columns of The Engineering And Building Record important items indicating the wants of U. S. Government, Municipal Authorities, Water Companies, and Building Committees of Public Buildings. Information will be found there each week not elsewhere published.

The Universal Float-valve.

The Most Perfect Valve Ever Devised For Flushing Hoppers and Wash-out Closets.

Possessing the following advantages over any other valve yet invented__viz.it is simple and durable, having no parts that are affected by grit or corrosion, and no sensitive parts, such as springs, small air-vents, etc., to get out of repair.

It can be adjusted to give a certain amount of water at each operation. insuring an absolute prevention of waste.

It can be attached so as to work by every known method, such as by pull or automatically, by seat or door, giving a single or double wash, as desired.

It can be applied to tanks of any size or depth.

Dalton & Ingersoll, Importers, Manufacturers, And Wholesale Dealers In,Plumbers' Supplies, 17 & 19 Union Street, Boston, Mass.

N. B. - Illustrated Catalogue showing various methods of adapting the Float-valve sent on application.

The Plumbers' Brass-Work Supply House Of The West Union Brass Works, Nos. 50, 52 and 54 Plum Street, Cincinnati, O.

Established in 1846.

Powell's Patented Specialties: Star Globe Valves, Star Lubricators, Oil, and Grease Cups, Star Rub->er Plugs, IXL Jet and Spray Hose Pipes. All kinds of Plumbers' Brass-work.

New styles of Self-closing Bibb And Basin Cocks, Brass, Nickel, and Silver. Sim-ple, Strong, and Durable. Phosphor Bronze Springs. Will not let down or break, and are Very Cheap, tut fully equal to any Self-closing Cock in the market. See cut.

Architects all specify them. Everybody prefers Powell's Rubber Plugs, For Bath-tubs And Wash-basins. No cracking of Basins. No denting of copper Bath-tubs. See cut.

William Powell & Co., Manufacturers and Proprietors.

Some Details of Water- Works Construction.

By W. R. Billings, Superintendent of Water-works at Taunton, Mass. With Illustrations from Sketches by the Author.

Introductory Note.

Some questions addressed to the Editor of The Engineering am Building Record and The Sanitary Engineer by persons in the employ of new water-works indicated that a short series of practical articles oi the Details of Constructing a Water-works Plant would be of value and, at the suggestion of the Editor, the preparation of these paper was undertaken for the columns of that journal. The rask has been a easy and agreeable one, and now, in a more convenient form than i. afforded by the columns of the paper, these notes of actual experience are offered to the water-works fraternity, with the belief that they ma-be of assistance to beginners and of some interest to all.

Table of Contents.

Chapter I

Main Pipes Materials - Cast-iron - Cement-lined Wrought Iron - Salt-glazed Clay - Thickness of Sheet Metal - Methods of Lining - List of Tools - Tool-box - Derrick - Calking Tools - Furnace - Transportation - Handling Pipe - Cost of Carting - Distributing Pipe. Chapter II. - Field Work Engineering or None - Pipe Plans - Special Pipe - Laying out a Line - Width and Depth of Trench - Time-keeping Book - Disposition of Dirt - Tunneling - Sheet Piling.

Chapter III

Trenching And Pipe-layingcaving - Tunneling - Bell-holes - Stony Trenches - Feathers and Wedges - Blasting - Rocks and Water - Laying Cast-iron Pipe - Derrick Gang - Handling the Derrick - Skids - Obstructions Left in Pipes - Laying Pipe in Quicksand - Cutting Pipe.

Chapter IV

Pipe-laying And Joint-makinglaying Cement-lined Pipe - "Mud" Bell and Spigot - Yarn - Lead - Jointers - Roll - Calking - Strength Joints - Quantity of Lead.

Chapter V

Hydrants, Gates And Specials-chapter VI - Service Pipes Definition - Materials - Lead VI Wrought Iron - Tapping Mains fo Services - Different Joints - Compres sion Union - Cup.

Chapter VII

Service-pipe And Meters Wiped Joints and Cup-joints - Th Lawrence Air-pump - Wire-drawn Sol der - Weight of Lead Service-pipe-) Tapping Wrought-iron Mains - Ser: vice-boxes - Meters.

Handsomely Bound In Cloth Sent (post-paid) on receipt of $2.00.

Address, Book Department, The Engineering and Building Record, 277 Paerl Street, New York E. Baggot, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in Fine Chandeliers, And All Kinds Of Plumbing Ma Terial Brackets, Store Pendants, Cut And Colored Globes, Brass Fittings and Patent Burners.

Practical Plumbing And Gas-Fitting In All Its Branches Sewerage Ventilation a Specialty.

132 Fifth Ave., 195 and 197 Madison St., Chicago.

Thomas maddock & sons, manufacturers of plumbing and sanitary all specialties pertain-ing to the plumbing business, or for other purposes.

Illustrated Catalogue Will Be Packed. If Desired, With First Order Earthenware of Every Description, Office And Warerooms 273 Pearl Street, New York.

W. W. Perrine, Manager.

Some Details of Water-works Construction.

By W. R. Billings, Superintendent of Water-works at Taunton, Mass.

With Illustrations from Sketches by the Author.