Evening journal., 1912-05-01
PLUMBING
CASE LEADS
INTO COURT
william N. Connolly Says bis
Employe Was Refused
License
MASTER PLUMBERS
DENY his CHARGES

ing rules against Richard Walsh, en-
ployed by the Modern Heating and
Plumbing Company. of which William
NJ Connolly is ecretary-treasurer
and manager was aired before Judge
Cochran this morning and decision
will be given next Tuesday morning
When Walsh was arraigned today he
was represented by Robert g. Har-
man. Judge Cochran said:
Pretty sort of rules. cannot en-
ploy plumber or get supplies. know
what | am talking about. have been
all through IT,"
Plumbing Inspector Mckay was the
first witness called. He told OF Walsh
doing work in DUPONT street without
taking out a master plumbers license
or filing any plans. The inspector said
he knew that Francis Connor had fall
ed twice in taking examinations be-
/ fore the Board of Examiners of Mas
ter Plumbers, and that Connor repre-
sented the Modern Heating and
Plumbing Company.
Leslie V. Christy, secretary Of the
Street and Sewer Department was
called. He told OF the Examining
Board being appointed May l6, last,
and while Connor had failed twice IN
passing examinations he understood
| he was a good mechanic and had held
a license twice before. The Board OF
| Examiners he said had no standing,
being used as an advisory body only.
/ Connolly then was called. He started
to read "A statement which caused OBJ
ection to be made by Mr.. Lynn. After
much discussion Judge Cochran saio
/ he wanted to hear it and it was or
dered that the statement be read.
Connolly said work on the houses
in dupont street had been left un-
done for some time He knew Walsh
10 be a mechanic and hired him to dc
the work. The Board Of Examiners
he said acted arbitrarily and Connor
the first time stood "A rs per cent
which was only slightly less than is
per cent, required. The second time
he stood less. Asked by Mr.. Harman
what the questions asked by the
board we're, the witness said he did
not know and Inspector Mckay had
iold him, when he asked for them
that he could not remember them
The statement prepared by Con
molly then was read. 1t was in part
as follows:
I "There exists today in the city OF
Wilmington an agreement between
the master plumbers and the plumb
ing supply houses. don't know
whether it is i'm writing or only YER
bal, but il is the most gullible agree
ment that any business man or mer
could enter into. and that is this;
plumbing supply houses will noi
-. .v,r-l,oJt+ anu ournpr nf 1arnnCr.
ty or any builder. any plumbing ma
teriaI of any kind whether It be an,
amount sufficient to connect a stove
or whether it be enough for a doze'
houses. unless you are a master il
censed plumber. Further, they VIII
not give you an estimate on list oi
material for hundred houses, If the
list does not come through licensed
master plumber. They go further in
an illegitimate way to squeeze th'
property owner for the benefit of the
plumber in this manner: Should the
plumber not be considered good
enough in the eyes of the supply
house to enjoy some credit, the ma
terial will be supplied to him only in
two ways, either by the plumber ac-
quiring the spot cash, or the Owner
of the property for whom the work
is being done. to pay for it in cash oI
stand security for the payment foI
the material to the supply house
which OF course. is only fair bust
ness But this is where that hurts
and where any sane man considers
IL a raw, illegitimate deal. Immedi
b ately upon the payment of that Sc.
curity the plumber, whom the sup.
: ply house would not trust, is pre-
sented with a rake-off.
THAT is true, Mr.. Connolly, every
word of it," Judge Cochran said.
Instead of getting a discount for
your cash bill you are charged a
premium" Connolly continued. Thaf
compact between the master plumber
and the supply house ia so complete
that it is impossible for any owneI
Of property or builder to buy ans
plumbing material in the city Of Will.
mington OF in any other city except
two large places in-Chicago, the Sears
Roebuck Company and the Chicago
House Wrecking Company. Should
you purchase a consignment Of plumb.
ing material from either Of these
houses, or any other supply house
outside of this compact no master
plumber in the city would install II
for you"
Judge Cochran again interrupted,
saying: THAT is true. II is time for
the people 10 arise. The attention of
the Attorney General should be called
to this. II is restraint Of trade"
Now isn't that a sad state of af-
fairs?" Connolly continued. "And that
agreement to gull the public is as
binding upon each other as the oath
OF this court is upon a witness And
why are they agreed to do this? Is
is for the benefit Of the people? Why
certainly not. It is to keep the price
of plumbing material unusually high
TO keep the profits Of the master
plumber higher and the wages OF the
lourneyman plumber to the lowest.
What mean by that, Your Honor
Is THIS; The journeyman plumber is
the most Insignificant mechanic about
a building. He is the poorest paid
not receiving near the wages that all
the other mechanics do. He does not
receive one-half as much as a brick
layer or plasterer, or there isn't any
man who works around building but
what is better paid than he is, even
TO a hod carrier.
THAT is because so to 20 per cent
of the plumbing work is put in by
apprentice boys who are paid from Sc
TO S. week. ! make this point tc
show the court that if plumbing is
such a great profession and that &
the health of the people is to be pro.
tected, il should be by mechanics do.
ing the work and not by apprentices