Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-05
MASTER PLUMBERS Asso.
Asks Legal Affairs Committee for Uni
form Plumbing Laws.

| Representatives of the Association
of Master Pllnbers of Mainei appeared
| before the committee on legal affairs
Thursday afternoon in favor Of an act
| relative to the licensing of plumbers
and the supervision of the business Of
plumbing. This act provides that no
person shall engage in the business OF
plumbing without a license or certlfi-
| cate, and also for board Of examiners
| of plumbing in every town OF 5000 in
habitants or more, and in every city or
town, where there is a system of wat
| er supply or sewage, dashboard to con-
| sist of a member Of the Board of
HEALTH the inspector of buildings and
inspector of plumbing.
John E. Nelson of Waterville con-
Quoted the case for the proponents of
the measure and J. B. Smith of Lew
iston, president of the association and
G. l.. Learned of Watervile, it's Sec
| rotary, spoke in favor of the measure.
When President Smith said that the
proposed law was just like the Massa-
chusetts law, Chairman Hamilton of
the committee Interrupted him with:
please don't graft anything from
Massachusetts, onto u.s."
AlCpI SHALL VI VI
asked the champions of the measure,
where they expected to find their in
spectors of plumbing in the smaller
towns
Mr.. Nelson-"The system has work.
ed well in Waterville. l believe that in
every town having system of water
works one or two practical plumbers
can be found.
After the discussion had gone along
a Bit further Senator Hamilton said:
According to your argument if some
of the plumbers don't plumb better,
they will die
fMr. Nelson-No doubt if they don't
plumb better, some Of the rest of us
will"
Mr.. Marshall-"Why not simply Il
censc plumbers and cut out the inspec-
tors altogether?'
Mr.. Learned-"Then you might as
we'll cut out the bill altogether Men
will not be honest unless you make
them So
Senator Hamilton-'If the bill was
passed wouldn't it discriminate in fav-
or of your organization"
Mr.. Learned-"It would simply make
the plumbers do better work
Mr.. Marshall-"Why MOI appoint IN
| Inspector for the apothecary bust
ness"
FIR. Lcarned-"We ought to. Some
of them sell me water and charge ne
50 cents an ounce for it,"
Mr.. Learned finally stated in re-
Spouse to further inquiry from Mr..
Marshall that an expert carpenter or
Mt, or ob hn n
inspector of plumbing in the smaller
towns in accordance with the proposed
| ordinance to be passed by towns in
connection with the law.
O. b. Frost of Augusta asked what
| the bill proposed to do with men not
| joining the Master Plumbers Associa-
| ton and Mr.. Learned replied that it
| would simply compel all to live UP to
| the provisions of the law
J. H. Cogan of Augusta spoke in
| favor of the proposed plumbing law
and said that now that Augusta had an
| inspector of plumbing the greater part
| of the work done in the city was good.
| The greatest trouble was with the for
| eign residents, who after purchasing
a proper closet did not employ a prac-
tical plumber to install it.
| P. A. Mahoney of Portland, Charles
G. English and Eugene Goss of Lew
iston spoke in favor of the law Fl. w.
| Turner of Bath objected to the pro-
| vision in Section s, which he said re-
! quired the presentation of plans and
! the passing upon them by an Inspector
| il he wished to simply change a faucet
| in the water system at his residence.
Mr. Nelson c1lppe sted that this section
might be changed so that there could
| be no doubt of it's simply applying to
pipes through which sewage passed.