Evening journal., 1912-07-20
Proposes Flowers for Masters,
Sewer Gas for Himself
as Test
SCORES REGULATIONS
GOVERNING BUSINESS


tractor last night addressed the
Journeymen Plumbers Union IN
The Plumbing Business and Plumb
ing Laws He was sarcastic in his
references TO the master plumbers,
and he made a plea for an interpre-
tation of the plumbing regulations
which he denounced. that would per-
NIT any competent man to do plumb
ing work Mr. Connolly recently had
a clash with the Street and Sewer
Department over the plumbing ques-
tion, and on the defense conducted
by Connolly in City Court a plumber
employed by him and accused Of yio
lating the regulations was dismissed.
In part Mr. Connolly said
Plumbing business is the most
overrated business in the country
1t is boosted and advertised by the
Master Plumbers Association, men
who are master craftsmen in the art
of bluffng. Dragging and bOasting of
their own importance and their most
important business. They are forever
asking for new plumbing laws and
regulations. they lobby every session
Of every legislature in the country,
nd continuously keep up such a
clatter of bedlam at the city authori-
ties about the horrible things that
will happen II something is not done
TO such and such a law, that it Is al
most impossible to keep on speaking
terms or even have meagre ac-
quaintance with the plumbing laws.
And all this is for the good Of the
public and the public health. To
guard the people against the fumes OF
that dreaded monster evil that would
kill more people in a minute than the
bubonic plague would in a year-that
terror Of combustion that is liable at
any moment to become a wild and tu-
rious volcano Of such proportions that
It would almost blow out the light of
candle-that awful unforeseen thing
that never was or never is-sewer
gas.
Sewer gas as they call II is an
odor which is very nasty and nause-
ating and q horrible thing to smell,
but we, the residents of the Eleventh
ward. smell it continuously. We have
the terminus Of all the big sewers and
the neurological conditions make ~
more unbearable some times than at
others. but it doesn't seem 10 cause
any great epidemic over our way, and
I am pleased TO say that we have the
healthiest ward IN the city.
FIirts With Sewer Gas.
"I venture to make this statement
that 7 will sleep In a cellar in which
the sewer pine or drain from the cell
lar is not trapped and let any other
man sleep in the most luxurious apart
ment and Ill his room with the
choicest overs and plants, which
pour forth fragrance and perfume in
profusion, and I will awake without
any IN effects while my flower gar
den friend will slumber into uncon-
seriousness and when awakened will
not be able 10 arise I make this as
sertion to show you that sweet odor Is
more iniuriaus to the health than bad
odor. r. is not always bad odor that
keeps people sick, for If it was there
would never be anybody well-you
will notice after tell you or ask you
How many times have you heard
anybody say. My that smells sweet.
But how many thousand times have
YOU heard people say. What Is that
that smells so terribleY Now to hear
me talk this way you may think that
am the apostle of filth and dirt-far
from it-I believe in the old proverb,
Cleanliness is next TO Goodness. by
that 7 do not mean that every laundry
should be next to a church.
when YOU organized your union
did you do it for the benefit of the
public. No. of course not nor does
any other union of mechanics. You
organize for the special benefit Of
yourselves and to protect yourselves
against cheap labor and to advance
YOUR trade and your wages 10 the
best and highest you can receive, you
publicly proclaim that and so does
every other union. The same thing
APPLIES to the Master Plumbers. they
are organized for the express purpose
of protecting themselves and to keep
iourneymen plumbers from doing
small jobs In their own time or from
picking up q contract job when ne i5
out of work. to keep him from max
ing a living in any other way than
by working for him or them when
they feel so disposed to employ him.
All of these rules and regulations
submitted by them, for the protection
Of the public health. Is scheme
whereby they can fortify themselves
more strongly behind another bolt
of red tape and add more expense
to the home owner, and instead OF
making a sewer a benefit. he makes a
person wish they never saw or used
one"
Mr.. Connolly then read the "Act in
Relation 10 Sewers and Drains, and
added:
"That means, in my mind, that the
Act Is very plain in saying that any
body can embark in the plumbing
business. for you viii notice il says
very specially to establish rules and
regulations for the proper government
of all persons or corporations who
may be engaged in the laying, repair
ing and making any connections with
any public or private sewer. &c.
He then read and dissected the
resolutions passed by the Street and
Sewer Directors for the regulation
OF plumbers and plumbing. and added
"The property owner must engage
master plumber, that he might or
doesn't want. and at the same time
he must exonerate and release the
city from All damages caused by a
man whom he does not want to do his
work. but they make him take this
Master Plumber 10 do the work for
/ the benefit Of the owners health
Scored Regulations.
Mr.. Connolly scored the regulation
that permits a Master Plumber from
another city or state 10 do business