The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-15
Will Shoulder Kits and
Take Strikers Places.
PLAN TO DEFEAT employees
Will Wipe Joints Until Journeymen Re-
turn to Work-Bosses to Work in Con-
cert as Mechanics to Complete Large
Contract Work on Hand.

Master plumbers will don oyeralIs.
shoulder kits. and work as journeymen
again, as in the days Of their youth. when
their grievances were against their en-
ployers. They are to do their own work
in the stead Of their striking journeymen
pending settlement of the trouble or a
/ change of mind
They will set pipes, wipe joints. make
connections, set fixtures. fix leaks. put
! washers in faulty faucets. do jobbing all
teration, and new work, and everything
in the line Of the labors of the mechanics
whose places they propose to fill.
This move. which they anticipate wifi
enectually block the efforts of their dis
contented former employees, was decided
upon last night. The meeting held at
oppenheimer's Hall, on Ninth Street was
protracted. but all the steps to be pur-
sued by the bosses were decided unon-
The master plumbers again affirmed rheir
agreement not to grant a single one of the
demands made by the strikers.
Will Stand Together.
President Robert B. CaverIy. of the
Master Plumbers Association. said sf,or
the meeting that the EMPLOYERS vouIa
s'ahd together in this matter. They Will
not give in.
There is considerable work TO be done
throughout the city. The strike might
have seriously interfered with the COM
pletion Of large contracts at this time OF
the year, when business is brisk. This
phase of the situation was thoughtfulIy
discussed
1t was settled out of hand by the mas.
tiers that they would take UP journeymeu's
Kits until the strikers shall see fit 10
return to work under the old scale of
prices, and at the old hours.
For the next few weeks, or at least.
until the journeymen capituiate. or dis
cover some other means TO impress thu
validity of their claims upon their bosses.
the proprietors of the big plumbing es.
Establishments will don overalIs. sally
out in the morning with gasoline torche,
and soldering irons, and get busy on their
own accounts.
A Start on This Plan.
They have already started to work upon
this plan. Yesterday, before the meeting.
a number of the bosses banded together
for the purpose, went to building in
course of erection on Eighteenth Street.
Plumbing work was here at a stanJstill
The bosses got their hands dirty, but they
set the pipes; they made the necessary
connected tie water mains,
ifixed the fixtures, and became veiy tired.
This plan worked SO successfully that
asst night all the employers in the city
anne to the conclusion that the scheme
vas worthy of general adoption. To-
lay, all through Washington the dignified
POSSES Will return temporarily to the
abors of their younger days, when they
we're journeymen themselves with griev-
noes against masters.
house out in Columbia Heights, which
S standing idle, waiting .aT the plumbers
o complete their work before other
rades can have a show al it, will be
ackled first. The bosses expect 10 finish
his one in short order. Then a resi-
ence on one of the big uptown thorough
ares will be treated in the same fashion.
The bosses will unite on each building
n the city. They will finish each one in
urn until all are completed. This course,
hey believe, will make it unnecessary for
he Importation of outside journeymen to
axe the places of the strikers.
Central Labor Union last night Endorsed
he plumbers strike.
Today the employers will issue state
lent to the public in regard to the stand
hey have taken.
Master carriage makers are also holding
ut all along the line. So are the strik-
lg journeymen of this trade, and 10
ettlement has been reached.
The action of the plumbers will proba-
ly inspire the boss carriage makers to
ursue the same tactics. Strikers in both
-ades still declare they are confident OF
lcceSs.