Henry,

I would direct this person's inquiries to the Office of the Architect of
the Capitol. They have an extensive collection of historical photos of
every aspect of the Capitol, and probably details on its plumbing history.
Also, the Senate Historian's office has always been helpful on all sources
of questions (even offbeat ones like this).

Jim

On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 9:00 AM Henry Wiencek <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> A friend of mine, a biographer, is earnestly trying to describe the exact
> appearance/equipage of a toilet room/bathroom/water closet of the 1890s in
> a boarding house on Capitol Hill. This is not a joke; she seriously needs
> to know. I suggested dialing up LOC Prints and Photographs "toilet,
> Washington 1890s"; or searching 1890s architecture journals; or emailing
> the Architect of the Capitol for suggestions for sources. Can anyone
> suggest a plumbing history source (a toilet expert?) with specific
> knowledge of Capitol Hill plumbing? I say again: this is not a joke. Years
> ago, on this list, the question was asked: what would George Washington
> have used as toilet paper in his outhouse and the answer came -- corn
> husks. So this list can answer anything.
>
> HW
>
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