El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-11-24
WORK OF MA TER PLUMBERS.
1t is Causing Dissatisfaction i'll Other
Cities

Cities
The local plumbers association, that
was lately organized in this city, caus-
ed considerable comment, pro and con,
when first organized in this city.
NOW comes the San Antonio EX-
press and shows of some off the work
ings of the local Plumbers Union in
that city. The Express says:
"There is considerable discussion
and complaint about prices charged for
the plumb ing work and the efforts of
the local Master Plumbers ass Ocia ton
to enjoy a monopoly CT the plumb. ng
business.
"The prices charged are, as a rule,
| very much higher than the people eX-
pecled and several instances OF sharp
/, prac tees in making out bills have come
john has in mis- possession bill rem
dered by a LEGAL plum bing firm for
some work done for one of Mr.. Mickle-
| Johns friends. The bill amounts to
$3.50 snd is for cor Meeting closet
| with a drain that had b en- brought to
the curb line. L. included laying fifty
; feet of six inch pipe a1d twelve feet Of
six inches below the surface a9d in soft
black SOIL The bill for the pipe put
in is Sl7.40, but further along in the
bill separate charge are made for ma
| terial used in putting in the pipe,
such as cement and other items, run
Mug the bill up to $50 90, which, how
ever, does not include the cost Of the
closet, or tie connection from the cur D.,
| to the sewer. The most startling item
in the bill, however, is a charge of 81
for Inspection fee. when the books
of the plumbing Inspector show that
| only 81 was paid.
The price of the cheapest water
clos.t being used in new work in the
city is about SIS, which, taxing the
figures in the foregoing bin for the
draio laying ana plumbing, would
make the cost of u closet connection to
the curb line about $5I 90. To this is
to be added the cost of making the
connection from the curb line to the
sewer in the street.
"Mayor Callaghan has been for some
time making an Investigation of the
various kinds Of p ices of Plumbing
material with the view Of cheapeninx
for the public generally and for the
public buildings of the city. One OF
the most expensive parts of the plumb
ing fixtures at present being used is
what is known as ID .ck vent, de-
vice for keeping sewer gas from enter
ing the house through the sewer fix
lures. AS very few OF the fixtures
vents the cost of tearing them out
and either adding the vent or substitut-
ing new fixtures entirely is very
heavy.
"Msyor Callaghan has procured
samples of new device which, it is
claimed, makes back venting wholly
unnecessary, and which can be atfiXed To
old fixtures at very slight expense.
The mayor has conferred with Plumb
N,,,,, l,n, hn
new device and both reg ard it with
great favor. Mr.. Cumberland will
subject 1t to practical test and if it |
proves satisfactory Mayor Callaghau
will recommend change in the
plum bling reg ulatiOns to permit of It's
use.
THE local asso i4tion of master
plum bers is having consi era BILE |
trouble ia hold ng some of lis members |
in line. Some OF the firms openly !
! ebelled against some OF the regula- |
tiOns and practices of the association, |
and have withdrawn. The msiu cause !
of the trouble is The sssO>i a5iOn re- |
quirement that all members add 10 |
per cent to their bids On compe. tive |
work, which sum goes into special |
fund 10 be equally divided among the
reference to the work done by each, or
the amount paid in 20 the fu.d
One, at least, of the firms that wi b.
drew from the local as .vciat Oh, is a
me N bcr Of the state assoc alton aud is
therefore enabled to buy plumbing sup
plies, which would not bs the case if
they were not M IN bers o. tn state as
5 cation. VIII this firm wi,h1rew
from the local association, some of the
members of the la, ter made an effort
to have the firm barred from the state
association. As it IS ve'y difficult. if
not inpossi BILE, TO- any cody OF a MEM
be- of the State Plumbers association
TO buy all the material and suppl es
used in the plumbing BUSINESS the i'm
Dortance and animus Of the effort to
BAR the Withdrawing firm from the |
sta e association becomes apparent.
''One firm avOwed Y in sun+ers with
ne local unoo confidently declare tn it
The strength and righteous, ess of the
position tbey have taken will insure for
hem tue sup. ort of the state and ma
,ional associations of plumbers should
.he matter be put to a tsst. But they
ID not sem 10 think ther opponents
will de N it ad visabie to carry the co.,
ention to the high tribunals of plum
1e~s.''
We are standing pat and we ere not