On November 24, 1954, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported a story titled, "Lower-Priced Homes Sought." Francis Casier appeared before the Village Board of Trustees to object to present Village ordinances that discourage, rather than encourage, building economical small homes. After discussing the number of permits then required (he fixed the number at nine!) and the cost of work by licensed electricians, "Mr. Casier went into the subject of plumbing, discussing what he termed the "Homer Boyer plumbing code." Mr. Boyer, a plumber, is the Village plumbing inspector. "The ordinance," Mr. Casier said, "was drawn to protect the plumbing trade and not the public. No other Village in Northern New York requires a licensed plumber to do a plumbing job," Mr. Casier said. "Plumbing in Saranac Lake costs more than in any other village in the area — possibly $100 extra for every small home erected. A man is permitted to do plumbing in his own property, but he cannot engage a real plumber to do it for him unless that plumber is licensed. Why? The job has to be approved by a plumbing inspector no matter whether a licensed or unlicensed plumber does the work. And the ordinance prohibits the use of modern, factory-made fixtures that would cut building costs. Why?"

It may be that plumbing codes and other laws in Saranac Lake (such as the $50 fine for spitting on the street) were more restrictive because of the nature of the community as a sanatorium village. It was imperative that plumbing be done correctly, so that no back-ups might occur that would expose anyone to tubercle bacilli from the many curing patients here. There was a United Association of Plumbing and Pipefitting Union 773 (See Richard Anthony Yorkey.)

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