New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-11
PLUMBERS AND Gas STOVES.
REPORT THAT THE UNION REFUSED TO
MAKE HEAT CONNECTIONS DENIED.

| H d. Macdona, counsel OF the consolidated
Gas Company. in discussing the gas situation
Yesterday, made one statement that stirred up
considerable excitement in labor circles. He
said that the Plumbers Union had decided
out of brotherly sympathy to make no more
connections intended to substitute gas for coal
| as a heating and cooking convenience"
This remark was talked over by the board of
| examination of the Plumbers and Gasfitters
Union at their meeting last evening in Manner
Choir Hall James Crotty. who is business agent
of the union with power of calling a strike. said
10 a Tribune reporter;
The statement is absolutely false I will
guarantee within forty-eight hours to supply
one hundred and fifty plumbers for any job OF
heat connection of any sort. We are not at
tempting to create corner in heat and the
only way we are aiding the strikers is directly
nv subscriptions. No person in the city is hav
ing the slightest trouble in finding union plumb
ers to connect pipes.
The explanation of such misrepresentation
is easy At the AnsOnia Hotel w. z. ID. Stokes
started in TO connect his 9S7 gas logs and his $50
gas stoves with their appropriate pipes by
means OF non-union labor He employed Con-
soIidated Gas Company men, whose minimum
wages are 81 % and whose maximum wages are
So % whereas the maximum OF the union is
81 % and there is no minimum
"On Tuesday called off my men, and gave
warning that all the mechanics i'm the building
would be called off in a sympathetic strike il the
situation continued. Mr.. Stokes decided not TO
proceed in the matter. And now comes this
statement from the company. / don't blame Mr..
Stokes for trying TO get work done cheaply
as ne can. but certainly dc blame him. when he
is caught for squeang. The Ansonia matter is
purely local. and has absolutely no connection
with the coal strike"
When Mr.. Macedonia was informed of what Mr..
Crotty had said. he replied;
Il am glad 10 hear Of this. If the plumbers
haven't gone out why. that relieves the situa-
ton Just So much, The authority for my re-
mark was this. man. purporting 20 be a
walking delegate OF the union. came TO the Con
solidated people and said that the plumbers
had gone out and asked the Consolidated peo-
ole 10 join them in refusing 10 make heat con-
nections | hadn't heard Of this detail about
the Ausonia. | had supposed the remark about
the plumbers WAS peaceabe statement about
something quite obvious. and certainly did not
expact il 10 become "A storm centre"
Charles n Hobbs. real estate agent for the
Ansonia said that he had not heard Of the
alleged trouble about the heat connections.
Mr. Macdoua's original statement in fun WAS
as follows.
The situation 50 FAR the gas supply FOR this
city concerned. has not changed. Inc t"uSNli-
dated COMPANY owing 20 the toreslght 81 us man
Ola customers and great army % new ones that
has Hooked IL during the last few months II
cannot. however max good t--' neat htCl'tl,y u.e
scarcity of anthracite coal. for two reasons
~ the unpreceient-d installations during the
three months. and. second be,ause plumbers unions
no more connections inteTded to substitute gas for
coal as a heating and cooking convenience.