the duties of the inspector to be of as much importance as those of the superintendent. The main pipes should receive frequent inspection, as well as the service supplies. His method of examining the main pipe for leaks was to shut off a designated section between 12, midnight, and four o'clock, A. M., then slowly open one gate in the section placing the ear to the gate key. Should there be any leak of magnitude within the section the noise of the water rushing through the gate can be plainly heard. After having closed the gate in question, proceed in turn to all the gates in the section and having decided at which point there is apparently the most noise, the location of the leak can then generally be determined with considerable accuracy. He had detected some serious leaks on the mains at Cambridge. On soft territory, they were common and he expected them, but he also found them on high ground where it would not be supposed water could fail to appear at the surface. Yet, such was the case. As an example of a hidden leak of this character, Mr. Nevons gave the following incident:-In a part of Cambridge, where the land is high, the soil of clay, a serious leak was discovered as follows: An inspector entered a house in this location, and in examining the fixtures, could hear a noise like that made by a leak. He failed to detect anything wrong on the premises. He reported that a noise could be heard at this place and was accordingly directed to return to the locality and carefully inspect each house in the vicinity. The supplies to the houses were all found to be in good condition, but still the noise continued. It could be plainly heard at a gate 300 feet away. He had a hole dug at a low place in the street, near where the noise was. first detected, and a drain was found in which a large stream of water was flowing. This line of drain was followed up a short distance, when it was found that a joint of a four-inch pipe had entirely blown out. While the section

was shut off for repairing the leak, a gentleman living in a house in the vicinity came out and said that he had heard the noise at a faucet for over eight years, and that it had now ceased. Mr. Nevons supposed of course there would be no more trouble, but to his surprise the next day the same gentleman complained that the noise still continued. Mr. Nevons caused each service supply in the vicinity to be carefully sounded, and selecting the one that was loudest, made an excavation near that point, which was about 200 feet distant from the leak previously found. Having dug through two feet of solid clay they broke through into a stream of water. So much water was running that they were obliged to shut off the section, when a channel was found to have been washed out sufficiently large for a man to crawl through. It followed the line of main pipe for fifteen feet to a house drain, thence along the trench of this drain to the sewer, and finally up the sewer trench twenty feet, where it found an entrance. The water had been flowing through this tunnel for so long a time that its walls were found crystallized throughout its extent. The leak was caused by a four-inch pipe being broken and drawn apart. After this leak was repaired, the noise at this location could no longer be heard. Such a large amount of water was flowing from these leaks that after they were stopped the engineer at the pumping station notified him that he could detect the difference in the consumption.

MR. NEVONS described another leak which was found near the engine house of the Boston and Lowell Railroad at East Cambridge. At this place when the tide was low, he had noticed that a constant stream of water was flowing from a crevice in the dock wall. He supposed that it was caused either from a pocket back of the wall, which was filled when the tide was high, or from an old aqueduct. He was informed by the employees of the corporation that

the stream had been flowing for fully twelve years. When the corporation built their round house, some fifteen "or eighteen years ago, they were troubled with water while. laying the foundation of the turntable pit. Not feeling fully satisfied regarding the matter, the corporation was notified that the stream might be caused by a leak in the pipe on their premises. They investigated and replied in the negative. He went down one night, and found by shutting off, that the flow of water decreased. The next day he closed in the sections and finally found the leak to be caused by the blowing out of a joint of a flush hydrant located on the premises of the corporation. After this leak was repaired, the difference in consumption was at once noted by the pumping engineer.

MR. DARLING.-What kind of pipes do you use?

MR. NEVONS.-Cast iron pipes. Mr. President, I hope he will be called up. He has brand new works and they have not yet had time to grow old.

MR. DARLING said that the only leaks that he was troubled with were those about the faucet. Sometimes a consumer, finding his bill larger than usual, states that he has not used an increased amount of water. On examination the meter is found to be correct, and the trouble is discovered in the shape of leaky fixtures.

MR. LYON said that eight or nine years ago, he caused a meter to be placed upon the supply pipe of a tannery and soon after a complaint was made that it registered more water than was used. An inspection was accordingly made, and at a point some 200 feet from the tannery a piece of the pipe was found to be eaten entirely off by the liquors of an old abandoned vat. Another case was at the Salem Lead Works. They had a bill of $400 for one quarter, where formerly they had averaged only $100 for the same period. They insisted that the meter was not recording rightly, but the speaker claimed that the trouble was

caused by a leak, and an examination proved that he was correct, the leak being caused by a corrosion of the lead service pipe.

MR. BILLINGS thought that meters gave very good satisfaction. It was easy to take care of them, because they didn't talk back and people did. A house in his city changed hands and the new owner was presented with his bill of some thirty odd dollars. The owner protested. In August there had been a consumption of 10,000 feet, next month a little less, and so in the fall as no leaks were discovered, the meter was changed. The new one showed practically the same result and the house owner was then shown that the meter had proved itself correct. A new meter was placed side of the old one, and the owner was told to use the water as freely as usual, and if it should result in a large use nothing would be charged. But from that time the consumption has been very small, and both meters show the same result. He had not been able to find any leak, but an intermittent leak seemed to be the most plausible explanation.

MR. BALDWIN, who for nine years had been in charge. of the shutting off and letting on department of the Boston Water Works, said that it was his custom to have complaints of this kind recorded and a report rendered in writing by the officer who investigated. He believed the meter system a grand thing to stop waste. The system of house inspection is just as good. The two should be combined. Competent inspectors should be employed. Such an inspector could find one or more leaks in a majority of houses. In Boston, whenever pipes are found leaking, the owners are notified to repair. If they do not, a fine is imposed, and if they do not pay the fine the water is shut off, and they are compelled to make repairs. A meter will make the owners or occupants pay for all the water that is wasted. Let an inspector go to a house and inspect the

fixtures thoroughly, and then go to the cellar and shut the stop-cock, and by placing the end of a little iron rod a foot long upon the shut-off cock any leak on that service pipe. can easily be detected. The speaker did not think that because the gentleman from Pawtucket had new works it was any sign that leaks might not be found. It is well known that when a pipe from a main to a house lies upon a layer of fine stone there is liability of a break in the spring when the frost works out of the ground or the earth settles from any other cause. There are many cases in which pipes that have been laid a short time are cracked. Many think that whenever there is a leak, it will appear at the surface. His experience had been different. He had

found leaks which, as Mr. Nevons said, had been running many years and were detected by some trifling occurrence. There was trouble in Boston with very bad water. Everybody had the spring water craze. A certain spring was noted for its good water and they that used it were delighted with its purity. Suddenly this spring stopped flowing. About a thousand feet distant there was a leak in the water main which had been detected and repaired. The water from this leak had been running underneath the ground where there was a hollow, and supplying the supposed natural spring. Many leaks in iron pipes are caused by their being built across culverts. The water from leaks may run into sewers and not show on the surface at all. The hopper closet is responsible for much waste, as the water in such cases is often turned on and left running for an indefinite time. By discriminating and charging hopper closets $10, unless provided with selfclosing faucets, they had been driven almost out of existence in Boston. The speaker thought a proper house to house inspection and a meter system would reduce the consumption one half.

MR. NEVONS said he would like to make one explana