St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-07
cAN'TBUYF
CERTAIN MASTER PLUMBERS IN
ST. PAUL CANNOT SECURE
SUPPLIES.
MASTER PLUMBERS SOCIETY
SAID TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF
A COMBINE TO FREEZE OUT
NON-MEMBERS.
MASTER PLUMBERS SOCIETY
STATEMENTS OF ROTH SIDES
Men Disseminated Against Are
Very HOstiIe-SuppIy Houses
Are NOn-COmmittaI.

"You can't buy any stock of us
for cash, or otherwise, because you
are not members of the Master
Plumbers association
The above was the extraordinary
greeting which would-be purchasing
plumbers, who had not yet joined the
above mentioned organization, say
they received from the supply com
panies yesterday when they asked
for goods. The idea of an open store
for the sale of plumbers materials
declining to sell for cash was so far
out of the usual order of business
that the G proceeded to run
the matter down and obtained a
good deal of interesting and some
what startling information in conse-
quence.
About half of the master plumbers
of st. Paul and Minneapolis recently
organized themselves into what they
term a protective association for the
| preservation and advancement of
their business interests, but what is
also, If the statements of a large
true, an organization for the over
throw of non-members in that bust
ness, the advance of prices for
plumbing, and the creation of a
monopoly of which the members Of
the association and certain supply
houses are to be the beneficiaries
In order to get the facts as they
r~no iy4 or;,,
of the case, parties in the different
interests were questioned. The re-
suit will appear in the interviews
which follow:
One of the first seen was P. V.
Dwyer, on Third street. He was
asked if it was true that the supply
houses had made the refusal above
quoted.
''It is true he replied.
What does it mean?"
'It means a combine between the
local supply houses and the Master
Plumbers association for the pur-
pose of freezing out members of
the trade who do not belong to the
organization, or are not in the agree
ment which has been made"
Are you a member"
II certainly am not and will never
be in any such deal"
Have you beel refused goods on
application?
Yes, have, and by the supply
companies of this city, who up to
now have sold to me. I went to
the Crane-Ordway company this
morning to buy a bill of goods and
was told that they would not sell to
me. 1 asked why and they said be-
cause I was
NOT A MEMBER
of the master plumbers associat ton.
I then asked what difference that
made to them as long as I paid for
my supplies. I even rendered the cash
and it was refused. 1t was then ex-
planned to me that the company had
appointed agents to make sales for
them and that 1 would have to go to
them. Asked who these agents were
they gave me a typewriter list of
names which on inspection proved to
be the roll Of membership of the mas
ter plumbers association, indicating
what appears to be the formation of
a conspiracy for the purpose of affect
ing prices of material and labor, and
the control of the business in an un-
warranted and unlawful manner; in
other words a trade combine, which
our statute prohibits. The agency
feature is a f1imsy mask assumed to
hide the real purpose in view.
'I also applied to the Western Sup
ply company, the only other house
in town, and was refused there point
blank. / made a tender of money at
that place also, which was not ac-
| cepted. These facts can be substanti
| ated by others who have met with the
| same treatment today. 1t is due some
| of the members of the master plumb
ers' association to say that they deny
any knowledgs of such a plot and they
repudiate the characterize ton of
agency given them by the Ordway
| company. Prendergast Sons are
| among those who make this disclaim-
| er. Prices of materials have been ar
| bitrarily advanced right along lately
until they are over 100 per cent higher
| than they were a few months ago. Of
| course, the public will be the ultimate
| sufferers"
The list which Mr.. Dwyer received
| contained the names of twenty-eight
! firms, being the members of the asso-
citation referred to. They are as fol-
| lows: J. P. Adamson, Allan Black,
]. J. Dunnigan, B. Culliton, George
| Dempsey, P. Gleick, Hudner & Regels-
| berger, George A. Kees, H. s. Krause,
McQuillan Bros, McDonough & Bow
ers, M. j. O'Neill, J. H. Shea, Clark
& Barrett, F. B. Pomeroy, E. W. Null
rooney Charles A. Webber, S. A. Hill,
c. J. Conroy, F. E. King, Prendergast
Sons, John Rossman, Schaite Bros,
Holt & Dahlby, John Sniker, Erick-
son & Bailey, John Schiller, H. w.
Bowe.
Those not included in the above list
are understood to be persona. non
grata," and can't buy for love or
money.
JOHN ]. WARDS STORY.
Another plumber who had attempted
to buy goods and was refused, though
cash was offered, was John J. Ward
He said: 'It is q combine pure and
simple for the purpose of driving those
who are not in it out of the business
and plundering the public by exter-
tionate prices. The membership Of the
master plumbers association was
largely obtained through cajolery
threats and misrepresentation of its
real purpose. I am satisfied that g
large number of reputable men who
have Joined it would not be in it ii
they knew it's object and now thai
II IS known I expect to see them with
| draw from it. The sa11oe thing uas