The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-14
CRIMINAL. PLUMBING.
Same OF tn. Changes IL May Bring to an
Otberwi-. Enod House.

II is only now and then that some
accidental rev"iaIinn eNluseS WORK OF
The criminally careless ur incompetent
plumber. Sometimes IL IS fatal diseases
in families which lead to critical ex-
animation of his work and in rare
eases the official Inspectors Of buildings
dc,eet il: bui IL is II fact known gen.
crolly 10 physicians ami to all who
have given tue subject careful study
that one-half or more Of the fevers and
other malarin naladies which are so
common in Philadelphia are the logic
nj results of lhc criminal plumber.
In point of fact the sanitary plumb
ing proclaimed aud professcd 10 be
pracliccd hy the n.ganiHel Master
PIumb bers is seldom enforced. The
keen competition in trade compels
active undertaking for work. and
that causes plumbing contracts to be
taken mt such low prices that the con-
tractors must choose between doing
bad work where it is concealed. or
losing money on the contract. Few
are willing to do good work at less
than its actual cost. and plumbers are
eminently human in that regard. Most
of their work is hidden from ordinary
notice. and they largely make their
profits oy dishonest practices.
The one part of Il residence that
should not be offered to competition
bv contract is the plumbing. Only
the most experienced skillful and
honest men should ever be employed
TO do the plumbing in home; aud
then il is safest 10 watch it with care.
The ignorant or dishonest plumber
will sow the seeds of death in every
home if he is allowed to do the plumb b.
inc, no matter how we'll he is watched
or paid: and the only safe rule is TO
employ thoroughly honest and compc-
tent men. to pay them fair prices for
their work aud then require them to
guarantee it for live years subject to
srmi-annnals tests. This rule would
be likely TO assure first class plumbing
and it would drive the incom petent aud
| The criminal plumbers out OF the busi-
ness.
There is no excuse for ignorance of
| poisonous gases in home. The in
tegrity OF the pipes can be as easily
| and as certainly tested us the leaks in
a roof when it rains. By closing the
| pipes and applying sulphur vapor
under pressure, il will not only find
every impcrIection in the plumbing.
| bnt it will declare the exact point of
tie defect alike by its visible color and
by its odor. II it enters the house
anywhere, it ut once exposes the
negligent. incompetent or criminal
plumber This test. or some one
equally effective If there is such,
Shon'd be applied To each home at
least every spring and fall; and it
! should bc part of the plumbers con.
tract TO repair for term OF years all
defects thus exposed mt his own cost
The plumber who deliberately puts
imperfect work in the hidden parts of
IA house. and thus exposes family to
disease and death. is rs mnch a
criminal rs any burglar or murderer
| He knows that the diffusion of poison
Gus gases destroys i,caih and imperils
life. and when he deliberately leaves
hidden vents in plumbing for sewer gas
To carry lis deadly fumes into homes
he is a criminal and he should be
treated and punished rs criminal.
A recent report of the official Inspect-
nr of House Drainage, wherein be re-
ports the plumbing in house as
done in the most incompetent ana
dangerous manner" offers an oppor-
tuuiiy for the master plumbers To begin
by dismissing che criminal plumber
and demanding his prosecution for his
crime. The criminal plumber can be
driven out OF business if the people act
with common fidelity To themselves.
aud il is high time that the good work
shnuld be begun in earnest iAiicdeG-
pAta Times.