Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-04-28
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 Bing house extension, at prices
above all precedent, to be done as
soon as he could get to it on his re-
turn. The butcher and grocer had i'm
proved the opportunity to raise their
prices, for Bing never questioned a
bill. He set the pace. Prices stuck
where he put the peg. So, unwitting-
ly, the millionaire had created condi-
tions of life that were extremely diff
ficult.
Since prices had gone up the viii
lage Of Bingville had been running
down at the heel. 1t had been at best
and, in the main, rather shiftless
and inert community. The weather
had worn the paint off many houses
before their owners had seen the need
Of repainting. Not until the rain
drummed on the floor was the average
drowsy intellect of Bingville reused to
action on the roof. 1t must be said,
however, that every one was busy,
every day, except Hiram Blenkinsop
who often INDUCED in ante mortem
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 k ,eping the hay
off the lawns, or building, or teaching
in the schools. The gardens we're
largely dependent on the spasmodic
industry Of schoolboys and old men.
So it will be seen that the work of the
community had little effect on the sup
ply of things necessary to life. In
deed, a 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.
It was wet summer In Bingville
The day after the rains began, Pro-
fessor Renfrew called at the louise Of
the sniffy Snodgrass-the nouveau
richie and opuleDt carpenter. He sat
reading the morning paper with a new
diamond ring on the third finger of his
left hand.
my roof is leaking badly and It
will have to be fixed at once" the pro-
fessor announced.
"Pm sorry, 1 can't do a thing for
you now," said Snodgrass. "Tve got
so much to do, l don't know which
way to turn"
"But you're not working this rainy
day, are your" the professor asked.
"No, and don't propose to work in
this rain for anybody; if 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 it rains, intend to rest and get
acquainted with my family"
He was firm but in no way disagree
able about it.
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.
It was q more serious matter when
Judge Crookers plumbing leaked and
flooded bis 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 horse of himself and even If
he could the time was past when he
had to do 1t. Judge Crooker brought
plumber from Hazelmead, sixty
miles in a motorcar, and had to pav
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 a bursting of
pipes and flooding of cellars. That
little lake up in the hills which SUD-
piled the water of Bingville 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 and after a weeks pleading got
pair Of young and inexperienced
plumbers to come to Bingville.
"They must "a plugged 'em with
gold," said Deacon Hosley, when the
bill arrived.
New leaks were forthcoming, but
Hiram Blenkinsop conceived the no.
tion of stopping them with pouItices
of white lead and bandages of canvas
bound with fine wire. They dripped
and many Of the pipes of Bingville
looked as if they were suffering from
sprained ankles and sore throats, but
Hiram had prevented another deluge
The price of coal had driven the
people of Bingville back to the wood.
for fuel. The old wood stoves had
been cleaned and set up in the sitting
rooms and kitchens. The saving had
been considerable. Now, so many men
were putting m their time on the
house and grounds of ]. Patterson
Bing and the new factory at Millerton
that the local wood dealer found II
impossible to get the help he needed
Not twenty-five per cent of the orders
on his books could be filed.
Mr.. Bing's house was finished in Oc
tober. Then Snodgrass announced
that he was going to take II
easy, as became man of his opu
lence. He had bought a farm anG
would only work three days a week al
his trade. Sneed had also bought 6
farm and acquired a feeling of opu
lence. He was going to work wher
he felt like Il. Before he tackled any