New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-21
pECULT4PJTY OF PLUMBERS.

Piracy and Highway robbery have been so often
condemned by both press and pulpit that were
we TO speak dsparagngly Of either, no doubt an
opoloey would he in order for the trlteness ol
the observation. So, too, perhaps, before saying
ANYTHING OF plumbers and their ways the indui-
oence of the reader may very properly be asked
The plumber, like the pirate and the brlgand Is
invariably looked upon with suspicion by people
in good society the world over Much OF TINS
SUSPICION in regard to all three but more especially
in the case of the plumber we believe to be I'M
deserved OF course the plumbers bills are al
WAYS prcposterous. and the time he will consume
ON a small piece of work is simply outrageous,
hut otherwise he may be very worthy member
of society and worse perhaps, than the Ice
man. 1t is at this season Of the year that the
plumber is particularly active, doing more rob-
bing-that is to say. plumbing-doing more plumb
ing than ut any other time in the twelve months.
II is for this reason that we desire to say
word on one peculiar point of the plumbers
ways, namely, his trick of holding job" as he
is pleased euphemistically to term it.
The plan Of holding job" is not we believe,
confined exclusively to the plumbing fraternity.
IL is also, understand, known TO sign and
house painters carpenters and others more or
less closely connected with the building trades,
but the plumber has doubtless brought 1t to a
higher state Of perfection than any other crafts
man. lie puts it into operation when
business is good-in fact. when he has
more work than he do On such oc-
casons he takes every order that comes ID
and proceeds to hold" them. We will say, for
instance, that George Francis Train goes to
plumber and informs him that he has some plumb
ing which he wishes done Immediately. Now
the plumber knows that he has work which will
keep him busy for at least three weeks, but never
theess he unhesitatingy takes Mr.. Trains order
and assures him that the work will be done the
next day. Early the next morning he sends a
man to Mr. Trains house, who proceeds TO tear
ND Mr. Trains floor and disconnect Mr.. Trains
pipes, after which he chucks Mr. Trains servant
girl under the chin. eats piece OF Mr.. Trains
pie. and goes away down the street. He returns
the next morning, tears mp another board in the
floor pounds the pipes a little, eats another piece
of pie consuming altogether ten minutes of time,
and then goes away. This he repeats every morn
ing for three weeks. until his employer gets
the other orders OF his hands and can attend
TO Mr. Trains. This daily plumber is, in short,
holding" Mr. Trains job. In fact he probably
does nothing else but hold Jobs, going from house
10 house all day aud ripping up floors and pound
ing on the pipes. Many plumbers have made the
matter OF holding jobs really fine art. 1t is
related Of a Sixth-ave. plumber that he once held
job for three months by simply going in each
morning hitting the pipes two resounding blows
with a monkeywrench. swearing twice. and then
going away.
As we remarked in the first place, we have
not a word to say against plumbers. The are
| a most excellent class Of citizens. for whom we
| have the highest respect We simply wished u
note this little popularity of theirs OF the
| curosities OF human nature. When a plumber
| is holding your job IN the way We have indicated
there is redress for you. You can do absolutely
| nothing. An appeal To what you may consider
| a rival plumber will avail you nothing. There
| are no rival plumbers. \ line sense of hcnor
| prevails among plumbers, which prevents one
] Of tho m from ever interfering with Job while