, 1891-03-06
MAKING TAPS
The Strong Hold of CheyenEe's
City Plumber.
His Helper and His Horse Brought
into Requisition.
They Haven't Time to do Plumbing
Work on Public Buildings.

Plain citizens Of Cheyenne who are not
much versed in municipal affairs have no.
ticed for some time past in the published
proceedings of the city council, bills al
lowed such as the following: City
plumber. monthly salary aud keep of
horse, 1922; helper to city plumber, 500"
Ii they have paused to consider the mat.
ter they have probably concluded that
the city plumber, his horse and his helper
were being utilized by the city iu doing
plumbing work in the public buildings.
But this is all a mistake. What are the
city plumber, his helper and his horse
used for then? Why, they are used for
making taps.
The office OF city plumber is about the
best single handed snap within the gift of
the political clique which runs the city
council. His duties are much more
apparent than real. 1t is nominally the
city plumber who taps the water mains
when any householder is DESTROYS of
establishing a connection between his resi-
dence and the city water mains. 1t is
entirely beneath the dignity of the city
plumber to coudesnend to do any of the
manual labor himself. He contents him
self with the intellectual exertions of
giving his consent to the making of the
tap. II he did any more where would be
the use Of his having a helper and a horse?
OF course the horse and helper are no
small potatoes themselves and they draw
the line pretty closely as to the class of
work they will submit to performing.
Plebiap laborers are hired to do the
heavy work, such as excavating and cover.
ing over the pipe. and while the whole
city holds its breath in dreadful suspense
the helper makes the tap under the direct
supervision of the city plumber himself.
Sometimes the pipes at the city hall
get out eff repair. Somebody mildly
suggested that the city plumber fix them
up. THE city plumber fix them" ex-
claimed the authorities in open eyed
amazement, why he's employed to make
the taps" well let's try the helper
then" oh, we could never do that
because he helps the city plumber make
the taps" OF course it was out of the
question to call in the horse. He is a
pretty intelligent animal and while under
the direct supervision of the city plumber
himself and perhaps of some aid in max
ing taps, knows very little about fixing
pipes in the CITY hall. Aud so an ordi-
nary. everyday plumber is called in and
be fetches his helper along. The city is
charged and gr~aciouslY pa Us 'steen dollars
for the lob, proudly conscious the while
that the city plumber, his helper and his
horse have net been reduced to the de
grading necessity of communicating
themselves with manual labor.
At the present moment some repair
work is necessary at the hook and ladder
horse. The city will pay some plumber
and his helper $40 or $50 for doing it.
The city plumber, his helper and his
horse can't do it, Tor they are making city
taps. This is all the public should de
mand, Tor the trio are making a good
many taps, sometimes as high as one a
month. The intellectual exhaustion which
follows the making of a tap is so great
that it sometimes brings on slow fever, it
Is said.
1t has been suggested by some sordld
people hat it is a ridiculous waste of
money for the city to pay cut SlS2 a month
for a city plumber. a helper and Il horse
and that the town has just about as much
use for them-as a toad has TOR a vest
pocket. OF course these people NAV be
mistaken, but there seems to be an awful
lot of them in the community.