The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-24
The Journeymen Plumbers Reply.

The Journeymen Plumbers Reply.
To the Editor Of the indianapolis journal.
Dear Sir-In view of the publication of the
lengthy communication from the State house
Commissioners feel that, in justice to the State
Board of Health and to all parties concerned,
it is my duty to reply to at least part of the
latest production from the august body who
rule at the new Capitol building.
l will frst consider the accusation that the
Journeyman Plumbers Union notified the con-
tractors to discharge their non-union men, and
employ union men in their stead" This state
ment is the one in which am most concerned
and 1 here pronounce it to be outrageously false
There is not a semblance of truth in
it. I care not who makes the statement
and I hereby invite the party who is re-
sponsible for it to produce the proof that the
union, or any of its members, ever made such
demand or request Neither the contractors nor
the men in their employ will say that the nnion
ever made such demands. The union did not
commence a species of 'sboycotting" on any per-
or persons. The union had, and has, trust,
better sense than to do So But just at this
time the Commissioners think it is quite the cor
rect thing to accuse the union of boycotting.
We do not boycott; we don't have to. We are,
do work for living. We not paid So per
day for doing nothing We have, with the great
mass of other workingmen. to help pay for the
new State-boue We help pay your salaries.
Then why have we not right. as citizens, to
examine the work which we help to pay for2
Again, the Commissioners say that they sex
posed my false statements" and that still Il was
not satisfied that sit usually does not satisfy
any man to be convicted Of falsehood." If this
be so, then truly the Commissioners have abund-
fan1 ,oHa ~
convicted of falsehood. / have not altered my
opinion in regard to the system of plumbing in
the State house, for which the Commissioners
are alone responsible. neither have [ changed
my opinion in regard to the ability Of the Com
missioners, their architect or their superintend-
ent to supervise. plan or pass upon sanitary
system Of plumbing / think that they know
very little about the matter, as their last effusion
indicates. The Commissioners continue that
/. finding public opinion gave me little
credit for my newspaper attacks next appeared
at the conference of the city. township and
county health boards. held in this city. and in
duced that body to call upon the State Board of
Health to come to my aid; that then formed an
alliance with the State Board of Health. Now
let me demolsh these statements, not Gas eff
fectually as cyclone demolishes Minnesota
village" perhaps, but sufficiently to demon
strate to the public that both of the charges
are maliciously false. I did not go TO
the conference mentioned. neither did / see
alliance with the State Board of Health, the
members of which have been subjected to so
much insulting annoyance from these very gen.
tlemanly Commissioners. ! did not even call
upon the Board of Health until summoned by
DIR. Metcalf to point out the defective system of
plumbing in the State house. One of the State
house Commissioners attended the conference
mentioned above. and sought by misrepresenta-
TINS to prevent the adoption of the resolution
offered by Dr. Hibberd. of Richmond, calling
For ipvo Oatin pf fho y,I,r
vention, however, saw fit to adopt the resou-
ton, much to the discontinue of the jealous
Commissioner, and the investigation was carried
out.
The State Board of Health secured the serv-
ices of Mr.. j. G. Dunn TO aid them in making
practical examination of the system of plumb
ing. MIR. Dunn is well-known, practical
plumber and gentleman who thoroughly I'M
derstands the principles of drainage and ventila-
ton. He has been established in business in
this city for more than quarter of a century,
and can doubtless find large number of friends
who will willingly testify as to his ability and
integrity. Because much of his report was
necessarily the same as my own, the Commits
sioners assume that it is valueess. The assump-
ton is simply ridiculous in the light of all the
facts. The Commissioners still con-
tinue. and proceed to attempt to
mold poblic opinion in their favor by
saying, "that the public. knowing these facts
will form correct conclusions as to the value of
of the State Board of Health of Indiana" Prob
ably may hear next that the Statehouse
Commissioners have decreed that the public
shall accept their statement of the case as con-
elusive. and forever drop the matter. But it re-
mains to be seen what conclusions the public
will form when it will be demonstrated-as it
certainly will be-that the Commissioners are
wrestling with a problem which they cannot
solve. and which never will be solved until the
men who have made plumbing the study of their
lives finally pass their opinion, which even the
Commissioners will have to accept 1t may
suit the convenience of the Commissioners and
others to insult labor organization: but we
cherish the fond hope that the day is coming
when the workingmen of every organization will
see to it that the right men are placed in the
right places
The policy of passing by intelligent and
skilled mechanics, and selecting figure heads to
DO work of which they know nothing, will be dis
continued one of these days and then the public
will not be obliged to shoulder the expense Of
keeping secretary almost constantly employed
in defending his inefficient employees.
1t makes little difference to me what Mr.
Greene said in relation TO the matter. 1t sounds
big to tell about the system of sewerage and
ventilation of the English Houses of Parliament
That huge chimney was constructed ljust out
side. bear in mind. and not inside the buildings)
into which were run the vent pipes and In the
bottom of which was built a huge fire for the
express purpose Of accelerating the motion of the