The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-02-23
Amenities Of Landlords.


An interesting case illustrating the
Importance to property owners, as well
as to other classes of citizens, of observ-
ing the do-as-you-would- be-done-by
rule occurred few days ago. In a
row OF dwelling-houses in the upper
part of this city three contiguous build
lngs, owned by as many persons, re-
celved their water supply through a
single half-inch pipe connecting with
the main on the opposite side of the
street, which is one hundred feet wide.
They We're old dwellings, and the pipe
mad been thus connected many years
ago, and before any of the present
owners had come into possession. No
one of the three knew into which house
This pipe entered, from which ran con-
Meeting pipes diverting portions of tho
water supply to the other houses. Nor
could this be ascertained without dig
glng in the frozen ground.
One morning about q week ago il
suddenly and simultaneously happened
to the tenants of the house in question
that they could not draw drop of
water from their several faucets. After
few minutes in two of the houses a
portion of the supply returned, but the
liquid trickled slowly, and it was
matter of time and patience to fill a
pail. In the third house no water could
be procured at all. On complaint OF
the tenants the owner of the latter house
went to see the other owners and pro-
posed that the damage should be re-
nsred at their joint expense. But the
Tother two said: "Nay. Our tenants
have some water and can get along
with it. Go thou and mend the leak at
thine own expense"
The lady to whom this was said
turned away with forebodings of heavy
expense at this unseemly season for
delvin9 in the earth after pipes of I'M
known ealibre and location, with rents
of uncertain size in what portions of
their circumference could only be con-
jectured. But the thirsty and unwashed
occupants of the dwelling Indignantly
and with one accord declared that as
the hart panteth for the water-brooks
so painted their souls for the Croton,
and that if they did not have it without
delay the Board of Health, the Depart
ment of Public Works, the Coroner's
office, the keeper of the morgue and
the undertaken should be summoned to
make short work of the offending land
lady and all the property that she held
most dear. Succumbing under this
baptism of ire she sought the mildest-
hammered plumber that she could find,
yielded to his utmost demand, and told
him to go to work. He did so, and
soon to her establishment and delight il
was discovered that the pipe connecting
with the main was carried directly to
her house before the invigorating rills
that were dripping into the sinks of the
contiguous dwellings were diverted to
them by connecting pipes. This put
a new complexion upon the matter
The supply to the other houses was cut
off, the leaks speedily soldered, and the
lady's house had a direct and exclusive
connection with the main, while the
other houses were left in the condition
in which hers had been at first. And
the lady's expense was trivial.
Then came the other landlords il
sackcloth and ashes and directed their
plumbers to dig them graves extending
from one side of the 100-foot street tc
the other and to bury therein $3.50
apiece in narrow leaden collins. AnC
1t was done even as they commanded
And the plumbers danced upon the
new-made graves, and when they re-
turned to their families the fatted cali
was killed. and they were prodigal Of
their i'll gotten gains.-N. Y. Tribune.