Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-03-25
CHAPTER TWo--continued.

Israel Sneed, the plumber, was
working with his men on job at Mil
lerton, but he took on the plumbing
for the Blng house extension, at prices
above all precedent, to be done as
soon as he could get to 1t on his re-
turn. The butcher and grocer had i'm
proved the opportunity to raise their
prices, for Blng never questioned a
bill. He set the pace. Prices stuck
where he put the peg. SO, unwilling
ly, the millionaire had created condl-
lions of life that were extremely diff
ficult.
Since prices had gone up the viii
lage of Bingville had been running
down at the heel. II had been at best
and, In the main, a rather shiftless
and inert community. The weather
had worn the paint Off many houses
before their owners had seen the need
of repaintings Not until the rain
drummed on the floor was, the average,
drowsy intellect of BingvJe reused to
action on the roof. Ii must be said,
however, that every one was busy.
every day, except Hiram Blenkinsop,
who often INDUCED In ante norton
slumbers In the graveyard or went out
on the river with his dog Christmas,
his bottle and his fishing rod. The
people were selling goods, or teaming.
or working In the two hotels or the
machine shop or the electric light
plant or the mill, or keeping the hay
off the lawns, or building, or teaching
I'm the schools. The gardens were
largely dependent on the spasmodic
industry of schoolboys and old men.
SO II will be seen that the work of the
community had little effect on the sup
ply of things necessary to life. In
deed, n general habit of extravaganza
had been growing In the village Peo-
pie were not so careful of food, fuel
and clothing as they had been.
IL was wet summer In Bingville.
The day after the rains began, Pro-
fessor Renfrew called at the house of
the sniffy Snodgrass-the nouveau
richie and opulent carpenter. He sat
reading the morning paper with new
diamond ring on the third finger of his
left hand.
my roof is leaking badly and II
will have to be fixed at once" the pro-
fessor announced.
"Fm sorry. / can't do thing for
you now" said Snodgrass. T've got
so much to do, / don't know which
way TO turn"
"But you're not working this rainy
day, are you?" the professor asked.
mo, and don't propose to work in
this rain for anybody; II did I'd fix
my own roof To tell you the truth,
don't have TO work at all | calculate
that I've got all the money need. SO,
when 1t rains, l intend TO rest and get
acquainted with my family"
He was firm but In no way disagree
able about II.
Some of the half-dozen men who, in
like trouble, called on him for help
that day were inclined to resent. his
declaration of independence and his
devotion to leisure, but really Mr..
Snodgrass was well within his rights.
II was more serious matter when
Judge Crooker's plumbing leaked and
flooded his kitchen and cellar. Israel
Sneed was in Millerton every day and
working overtime more or less. He
refused to put hand on the judges
pipes. He was sorry but he couldn't
make a horse Of himself and even If
he could the time was past when he
had TO do II. Judge Crooker brought
plumber from Hazelmead, sixty
miles in motorcar, and had to pay
seventy dollars for time, labor and
materials. This mechanic declared
that there was too much pressure on
the pipes, a judgment of whose ac-
curacy we have abundant proof in the
history of the next week or so. Never
had there been such bursting of
pipes and flooding of cellars. That
little lake up In the hills which sup
piled the water of Blngvile seemed to
have got the common notion of moving
into the village. A dozen cellars were
turned into swimming pools. Modern
improvements were going out of com
mission A committee went TO Hazel
mead ana after a weeks pleading got
pair of young and inexperienced
plumbers TO come to Bingvile.
"They must "a plugged 'em with
gold" said Deacon Hosley, when the
bill arrived.