The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-03-19

For once the Spokane plumDlnS
trust, officially known as the
Master Plumbers association, has a
fight on that it is not able to beat
out or buy out. AS result a num-
Der of builders have been relieved
of the exorbitant and unjustified
charges for plumbing that the mas
ter plumbers have been able hither-
to to exact through conjunction
with firms selling Plumbing supplies
in this city. incidentally an addi-
tional source of information as to
the methods of the trust is re-
vealed.
The opposition fight is being
made by the c.. ". Roberts firm on
Bridgeport av., managed by G. e.
Marks. Two weeks ago this firm
launched into the wholesale supply
business in face of the fact that
the trust had every supply house
in this city under it's control. The
trust also aspires to shut out sup
plies from every outside source to
Independent plumbers, practice
that makes it clearly combine in
restraint Of trade.
When the Roberts firm went into
the Independent plumbing business
its representative were told frank
ly that they could not buy supplies
here unless they affiliated with the
master plumbers. The Crane Co.
told them they were not legitimate
ly in the plumbing business unless
SO affiliated. They would sell an in
dependent for cash. but the price
would be such that the independ
ent could not do business in COM
petition with the master plumbers
at their preferential rates. The
Holly-Mason Co confines its plumb
ing supply business exclusively to
the master plumbers. The Hughes
Co, sold Roberts some articles, but
finally shut off entirely. Roberts
was able to promise $4,000 worth Of
business per month. but this was
not sufficient to overcome certain
prospect of boycott by the master
plumbers on any firm selling to an
Independent.
The courts have recently declared
labor boycotts illegal. How about
this kind?
Then the Independent company
ordered from Seattle. That is what
took James Smyth, Of the master
plumbers, to the coast recently, 1t
Is alleged. for the Roberts firm re-
ceived long distance call from
the supply house in Seattle asking
for assurance of enough business
to make 1t worth while to fight a
master plumbers boycott here.
Smyth is said to have been in the
Seattle office at the very time the
Spokane Independent order was be-
ing filled.
The guarantee of $4,000 per
month from Spokane was sufficient
for the Seattle people, however, but
the orders are filled from different
houses in order that the masters
will be unable to trace the ship
ments and bring additional pres
sure to bear through their state
organization.
Even in paying the Seattle prices
and freight addional the independ-
ent firm Is able to do business at
price so much under the trust rate
that it Is crowded with work. AS
All instance it took one job for 5000
and made satisfactory profit The
lowest trust bid was 1910. Another
piece of work taken at SEAS and
yielding an unusually good profit
was $50 under the trust price.
1t Is conservatively estimated
that the trust shops are charging
an excess of 500 over legitimate
profit on each job. which would
make the total trust exaction per
year for this city about 100000
Recently the trust offered to buy
out the Roberts firm for $4,000, a
means that has put more than one
independent out of the running
when force failed, but this was re-
fused. Efforts to secure the offer
in writing also failed. There are
certain chances the trust cannot
afford. te
Then cutthroat competition was
resorted to and that has failed.
One builder who had $160 con-
tract with the Independent received
an offer from the trust of $l25 on
the same work. He declined to
take 1t.
Here is an instance of how the
trust Is favored through its ar
rangement with the hardware men.
The trust gets lead pipe at 81 cents,
the independent pays 81 cents. The
scale In favor of the trust runs in
about the same proportion. Yet the
Independent, when he can get the
Rupplies, can make money under
bidding the trust. When the build
er kicks on his trust plumbing bill
he hears something about the out
rageous eXactions of horned and
hoofed organization known as the
plumbers union, which makes
business of snatching the bread out
of the master plumbers mouths
hence the high prices.
Lately resident whose house
plumbing was broken was told by
trust shop that the work could not
be replaced for less than $50. He
went to the Independent and found
that the work would cost him
$500 with material supplied and
man to put 1t In
In the past two weeks the indie
pendent has done a SO 600 bust