![The Plumber Who Saved Washington](https://cole-mswmag.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mswmag.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2Falex_shepherd_plumber-web_171030_110606.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=620&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=75&w=1024&s=a6d429a1b3a5bcdbf6f9888eabfe5fd4)
“See how they used to do this?” said my father a long time ago, pointing to an old framed invoice hanging in our shop. He was explaining an old trade tradition. The invoice was for plumbing work done from Christmas Eve 1864 through December 1865, in Washington, D.C., by plumber...