The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-19

public" was put in force, and the three
supply houses here put on tile screws.
They refused to sell any piece of
plumbing material to anyone bit
master plumber
An outsider, house owner or work.
! ing plumber. an Oriental or skillful
= mechanic. cannot buy a washer or
spigot. The veriest trifle in the plumb
ing line can be bought only by the en-
ploying plumber, a member OF the con-
spiracy to defraud the helpless people.
The tourneyman plumber, the work.
'ingman, though with the usual different
interest from the employer, yet Is
bound in the scheme to hold up the
public and does his share.
Today there are three supply houses,
fifteen. employing plumbers and two or
three score working plumbers in Homo
lulu.
/ The employers pay their full fiedged
more. and demand for S. day has
been made. The employers say they
will refuse. They assert that they will
close down rather than pay Sc day.,
J But the working plumbers laugh at
this. They know that their bosses
charge the poor devil of house owner
$40 or $40 a day for the time of the
employee. and have the public on the
| hip.
J If the man who has pipe TO fix or
n leak to stop wants a bit of solder, or
a spigot, or anything else. he cannot
4 get IL.
This seems ridiculous, but 1t is true.
Go today to any of the three firms
In Honolulu which keep on hand
plumbing materials and ask for a wash
er. petition for section of pipe, or inn
plore the boon of a spigot.
! You will not get any OF them.
I They will tell you they haven't them
on hand, or will come out fiat-footed
and say they won't sell them-that you
must hire plumber.
Here is what a prominent Honolulan
has written about his attempt to obtain
material:
a representative of an important
= concern called at one of the large
i hardware establishments yesterday
u for the purpose of purchasing sorie
pipe necessary for use in the pre-
liminary plumbing work in their
new building, now in course of con-
struction. He was politely advised
that he could purchase no supplies
of that nature unless he was n
member of the Master Plumbers
Association. As he was in a posi-
. ton to obtain what Ire wanted from
other sources, of which he at once
availed himself IL caused him 20
. Inconvenience. Skilled men were ct
work on this job. more compatent
that the large majority of plumbers
!, to GO u first-c ass job. but carrying
out the principle of the association,
these men would be obliged to stand
around while the association en-
ployees did the work at ten times
the cost"
2 II ever there was n barefa0ed rob
berry, an unlawful and dishonest adj
vantage taken of the individual it is ii
THE nefarious banding together Of III,
: plumbers.
4 But the remedy is II .ac paop-e'
2 hands.
l n wei known Honolulu jobber, VIII
D is thoroughly familiar with the plumb
Y ing business. says that in San Fran
I cisco there are two houses, and in tn
4 whole United States many others win
I have kept outside the rapacious ring
r and that he will send at once for
supply Of materials. and will sell then
: to all Corners.
I He viii dispatch an order by the mex
Z steamer, and will announce in a few
: days his ability to fill all orders here
pl The Board of Health will rescind tn
= plumbing regulations; the courts ma,
{ be asked to declare Illegal the trus,
g and the people may be depended upo
Ito do the rest.
el The plumbing trust must go.