Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-30
URGE ADOPTION OF
PLUMBING ORDINANCE
MASTERS AND MEN WORKING
IN HARMONY
pronosed Measure Provides for Exanl-
inatlon by Board Appointed by
Mayor and Confirmed
by Council

Two hundred and more plumbers,
members of the Master Plumbers asso-
citation. members of the journeyman'
union, Independent master and employ
ing plumbers and non-union Journey
men appeared before the building COM
mittee of the council yesterday morn
ing to plead for the adoption of an or
dinance regulating the plumbing cratt'
fractional differences were forgotten
between the association and indepen-
dents and union and non-un1on men,
and one and ALL with uplifted hands,
asked the building committee to recon-
mend the ordinance to the council for
passage. r,.,u
There was but one dissenter. This
was J. w. Hellman, who, through ms
attorney, Oscar Lawler, told the COM
mittee the provisions of the ordinance
would work hardship on his business.
A clause in the ordinance provides
that after one year master ana EN-
ploying plumbers should undergo an
examination at the hands of plumb
ing board, to be appointed by tne
mayor and confirmed by the council.
Mr., Lawler said that Mr.. Helllnan,
while an employing plumber, had ne
technical knowledge of the trade, ana
at the end of the year would be COM
PEELED to go out of business.
To show that the promoters of the Or
dinance intended to be fair to everyone,
Attorney 1. B. Dockweiler, who repre-
sented the plumbers association, SAID
Mr.. LAWYERS point was well taken and
instructed the clerk to add the quaAfy-
ing clause, Except employing plumb
ers." This corrected the most serious
objection Mr.. Hellman made to the or
dinance, but Attorney Lawler declared
he believed the competent plumbing IN
spector could be depended on to see
that good plumbing was done without
the license ordinance.
Mr.. Lawler declared the Master
Plumbers association was in con-
spiracy against Mr.. Hellman, and that
he could not buy material from any
wholesaler In Los Angeles.
The ordinance provides for the estab-
lishment of board of plumbers, to be
composed of four master plumbers and
the plumbing inspector of the city, who
shall act as secretary of the board. The
master and employing plumbers now In
business will pay a license fee OF $50
a year. At the end of the first year the
master plumbers are to submit to an
examination. The journeymen plumb
ers are under the same provision, but
their fee is only 81 a year. All who
seek to enter the business after the
to an examination If they are masters
and pay $25 therefor, or pay the S25
as an initiation fee If they are en-
ploying plumbers and not technically
familiar with the trade.
The necessity for this ordinance was
shown by many talks made by masters
and journeymen before the committee
yesterday. They told of numerous
cases of incompetent work performed
by plumbers who, while they will be
given a license in the first place if en-
gagged in the trade when the ordinance
takes effect, will have it revoked for
cause if proved incompetent. The
plumbing inspector, 1t was shown, had
been forced to make ten or more in
spections of some of the work done,
whereas but two should be required.
Plumbing Inspector Bennett is much
in favor of the ordinance. He says
it should be given at least a trial, and
believes that, if judiciously used, it
will prove of immense benefit.
The committee decided to take the
matter under advisement and consult
with the city attorney, the plumbing
inspector and the board of public
works.