The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-08-19
NO COMPETITION
AMONG PLUMBERS

Salt Lake City, Aug 1S.-Asserting
that the Master Plumbers association
of Salt Lake has entered Into con
bine to stife competition and to charge
extortionate prices for plumbing and
steam fitting work in Salt Lake. the
twenty nine journeymen plumbers
named as defendants in a recent suit
by the VIII Rees Plumbing company
filed a sensational answer in the Third
district court yesterday.
The VIII Rees Plumbing company
charged the men with interfering with
his work as a result Of the plumbers
strike. and asked that an injunction
be issued against them. The men
named are Ralph Evans. Charles F.
Cronlar. William Latey, Farley Burt
J. !. O'Connor. John S. Higham, j. D.
McAllister, Luke Dolan, James Gray.
Earl Gritton, Herbert Cromar, James
Clark Otto Osbridge, Charles Arnup.
Stephen Dangerleld. Heber Jarman,
Albert Simpson, Charles Heesch. Jr..
Stephen Stanford. William Coyey.
John Davidson, David Hurd, Roscoe
Anderson. Albert Green, Arthur Bur
rows. Arank Watson. John Walsh,
Rodney Davidson and Willie Duncan.
general demurrer to the complaint
of the plumbing company, asking that
the case against them be dismissed
They have combined their suits aud
will fight the case in body. The men
are members of local union No 10.
United Association OF Journeymcn
Plumbers. Gas Filters, Steam Filters
and Steam Filters Helpers of the
United States and Canada.
In the answer Of the plumbers 1t Is
claimed that the VIII ReeS Plumbing
company entered into an agreement
with the other plumbers of the state.
but especially of Salt Lake CITY, whose
object Is the destruction OF private en-
terprise and proper and legitimate
competition. and lin order to deprive
the public OF benefits from competi-
ton and independent service in the
matter Of plumbing and heating" 1t
is claimed that they have formed a
criminal monopoly and II is asked that
this be dissolved,
Pool Is Charged.
1t is further charged that the pool
was organized TO fix prices on plumb
ing and heating materials and work
and TO prevent those not members
from engaging In this work in Salt
Lake and 10 charge high, exorbitant
and cXtortionate prices" To carry out
this scheme. it is charged. the Master
Plumbers associations has fixed the
limit to the quantity of materials for
plumbing and heating which are
shipped in here. in order that they can
increase the prices and hold them up
In furtheTance of this scheme. II is
alleged. the plumbers association has
entered into combine with Crane C
Co and with the Joseph Nelson Supply
company, the two concerns which
handle most of these materials for Salt
Lake, to fix prices and not to sell ma
terials 10 others than members OF the
association of master plumbers. In
this manner. 1t is charged. the master
plumbers keep the defendants from
entering the plumbing business, as
they can not buy materials from the
jobbers. and thus competition Is
ruined.
That the master plumbers have en-
tered into another agreement to refuse
employment TO members of local No
10 and have followed them up and
threatened employers who have given
them work Is another charge of the
journeymen. They charge that In
some cases men have found work but
have been discharged owing TO the
threats and boycott established by the
master plumbers as a means of punish
Ing them for the strike in which they
asked for an increase in wages from
$500 10 Sc day