Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-27
SAYS 1NASSP|l[NO
8 G. Blake Arrested for Violating
the City plumbing
Ordinance.
Serves His Fine Out in Jail and Says
the Arrest Was Outgrowth Of
Spite Work.
Claims No Attempt Is Being Made to
Enforce the Lava Quar-.
antine Violator.

For the past year or more the city
has had on its statute books an ordi-
nance calling for the inspection of all
plumbing jobs done by the local plumb
ers and providing specifications which
they were supposed to follow. The first
time that the city has resorted to Wig
orous measures to enforce the provis-
ions of the ordinance was on Saturday
afternoon, when S. C.. Blake was ar
rested charged with violating the ordi-
First street
Information charging MIR. Blake with
not meeting the requirements of the
city laws in this regard was filed by
Superintendent of Mains Il. H. Mack,
who in addition to his other duties is
delegated with the powers of plumbing
inspector. Mr.. Blake was arrested by
Marshal Jones, was taken before the
mayor and after explaining the reasons
why he did not comply with the ordl-
nance in this instance said he would
plead guilty to the charge. Mayor
Pierce fined him $40 and costs. or three
days in Jail, and the plumber concluded
to take the Jail sentence. Mayor
Pierce later issued an order revoking
MIR. Biakes license and notifying him
that hereafter he would not be allowed
to do work in this city.
AT II o'clock today Mr.. Blake was
released from Jail, after serving a por-
ton of the three days sentence. Now
he is on the warpath, and charges the
whole proceeding as spite work and
claims that not plumber in the city is
living up to the requirements of the or
dinance and is not attempting to do SO,
and that the city officials know it, In
communication to this paper Mr.
Blake, among others things. says
The plumbing inspector exists by
name only. This so-called plumbing
ordinance has never been put in force
by the officers or compiled with by the
plumbers in any respect. Not only
have the plumbers violated the ordi-
nance, but the inspector by name has
failed to comply with his duties in each
and every rule coming under it. The
Inspector and city council caused to be
purchased a testing machine, but this
machine has been in the inspector Of
flee for months. The reason 1T has not
been used is because a certain plumber
was putting in job that would not
meet the test requirements, put OF
course this plumber was Smith ana
| not Brown In some cases the lnsIec-
| tor has been called to pass on work and
| in instances has condemned 1t and
/ ordered it overhauled according to his
| directions, and then the plumber and
the owner of the property have beer
unable to get test or inspection made
on this same work condemned by him
/ But still a plumber is subject to ilavt
/ this ordinance brought in force against
him if he objects to the inspector
| overbearing abuse, after the plumber
was placed in position that he couie
not comply with the ordinance and was
! doing the best he could under the cir
! cumstances. In my case the inspector
! is taking revenge for something for
eign to the plumbing business. In this
particular instance | was putting IN q
i water service on South FIRST street
| and during the progress of the work
/ when a point was reached Where tins
men needed city stop box as specihee
/ by the ordinance. they came to tins
shop for it. On finding that | did no
/ have one I sent the man to two othel
4 shops to secure one, but they said they
/ had none to spare on the mans re
/ turn / told him to put in temporary
box of two-inch pipe with a cap To-
/ the city shut-off. and TO explain tn
4 situation to the party having ne woft
4 done On the following day | was un
dsrgoing an insulting abuse from M
i inspector without any chance To eN
g. a r 1, Dyy1
/ plain the circumstances, ana pseahi
angry at the uncalled-for ABUSE am
1 told him to go to --- In few minute
was arrested by Marshal Jones unde
this ordinance for violating one Q
+ the rules / reported TO the mayor OF
flee, where sometimes kangaroo court
A are held, and made an explanation
showing that / had proceeded the pes
way under the circumstances. as
would not do to leave the ditch open un
Z iii a box could be secured from the rae
tory. owing to the uncertainty OF lh
weather Being unacquainted with IN
inside workings of the MAYORS coufl
ana beinp arrested for something whic
considered amounted to nothing
confessed being guilty of not putting !
a stop box as required IN the orui
nances. but did not think was con
fassinp a misdemeanor. The answer G
the court was $40 fine and costs Q
three days in Jail. and after considelln
the uniustness of this fine, which
think was Imposed simply to gratlfy N
inspectors anger, concluded to tax
the three DAYS in jail The fine an
costs amounted to sla.s5, and my refuse
to nav it evidently angered some oi''
as the mayor at once wrote out noeic
10 the effect that my plumbing hcens
had been revoked and forfeited, WINS
a plumber violates the ordnance J.
the rule to notify him and give MN tiiii
IN which to make the change 10 NEE
tho requirements. This was not done
my case. because of a desire TO get eve
with me on an old grudge All l ask
fair play. which think have not re
ca;ved The inspector has probably fol
got about the times he brought ~
wheel to my shop TO have ~ repaife'
, and instructed me TO send Dill 10 IN
CITY under the head of repairs, "hie
y,as done. and the bill paid by the cit.
This plumbing ordinance is the pes
ordinance the city has, as IT IS a meas
nra of safety to the health OF citizen
ord eve,y citizen should see that II
strictly enforced. I would like TO see
insnector called to look over the Wor
aone in Marshalltown since the piesei
a,,,,,,a was adopted. My charge