The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-20

form an OrBanlzutioH 10 ~s
t,ou % the trade. About three hundred
names were enrolled, and q committee OF
organization was composed Of Messrs Theodor
Reeker. President; Carl Sass Treasurer; Carl
Kempf Secretary; and Oscar Phemcl and
Carl trustees sr the o object OF shs
hour eystem-atnough their hours OF labour
are longer than In most Of the other
OF their wages in peaceful way and without re-
sortlng TO such harsh measure AZ strike. 1t was
reported that the employers In general are disposed
10 meet the demands OF the men.
The Granite Caters ArraiSncsl.-A CONF
munication from the Builder OF the
Masonic Temple.
The following communication Is In answer to the
statements made by the granite cutters at their
Putnam Hall meeting, Monday night
HARTFORD, June IS, 1872.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The statements In the HERALD this morning
touching the granite cutters i'm my employ at
rance With the facts that feel constrained to give
you short history Of the case. In 1880 the men IN
Westerly struck against the employment OF o
journeymen. compromise was effected by making
the number one to seven; the difficulty was thus
settled and the agreement was reduced to writing
There Ia no dispute but that the agreement then
made has been rehglously kept by me. Some time
Marns y notice of SnS by
law making the number one tQ ten, direct viola
ton OF the written agreement made IN 1869. That
agreed to by me, though we did not employ ieater
nnaber Of apprentices than one 70 ten, and never
had In December 1871 we discharged some a men
These discharged men Immediately set about
stirring up strike, claiming that We had more APP
prentces than were allowed by the new bylaw.
they were invited to Inspect tic hooks, and in a
proper way to determine whether we had more
than We were entitled to or not but they re-
pcremptory demand for tho dismissal OF
six apprentices, or submit to strike Being en-
tirey in the right we refused to submit to any such
arbitrary dictation and the men struck. Then
commenced series OF outrages which continued
for three months, during all OF which time the
the strikers; the quarry aud workshops were
guarded to prevent the employment OF new men.
Insults and violence were resOrted to until the mid
die of March, when 10 became necessary to do
something for selfprotcction and In selfdefencc. !
and brought suits against them for moety OF the
damages sustained. That ended the strike, and the
civil suits are still in Court
The westerly society, during the strike, appealed
granted, Mr.. Gblin, the President, visiting West
were driven away rom the Masonic Temple,
corner Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue,
and the work stopped. ] sent Iresh men rom
Westerly and asked protection from the police au-
thorities which was granted The men, however,
were attacked in their boarding house and beaten
ana also upon the platforms Of the building but
they continued work, protected by the police At
this point Of the proceedings, on the 9th OF June,
found Mr. Ginn before 81 mentioned zen OF ts
which would follow IL they continued work. ! In.
CURED his name, and then asked why he interfered
with my business. He replied that the Westerly
Society charged me with having violated my agree
ment with them In regard to apprentices, aud with
having also arrested and sued them for damages.
His business was to aid them. He admitted that
Westerly was out OF his jurisdiction, but,
nevertheless, his society had voted to stand by
them then told him that If 1t was true that
had violated my agreement made with the men
as to apprentices that would at once withdraw
ana asked how il could be decided. told him I
would meet him or a committee at Westerly any
day he might appoint and refer the matter to In
different persons to find the fact. We agreed upon
the next Saturday, ana also upon the submission,
in the following words, which were in writing:-
Twill submit to indifferent the question az to
agreement made with the society in Westerly Of one az
ena has sf been Sioatsd Win ali the suits
and ask for f2 claim hat have KEPT
wrong IN not respecting the agreement made in writing
and kept by me.
We met in Westerly as agreed, but the Westerly
men positively refused to submit the question even
to committee which finally agreed they might
appoint themselves. That ended the conference,
but before we left the house Mr.. Gblln and myself
sSh ar psr ges aaat ms %
| pay nay own costs that they would "let
| me have as many apprentices as wanted.''
would pay the simple costs incurred by the suits
and let me alone would withdraw the suits. This
other proposition for settlement l told him
would think over the matter, and II !
could %%,sn find any way out 10 Of al the po difficulty
would make another proposition for compromise:
Gblin complained that the New York Society had
been mlsrepresented; that he had not said that the
stone cut by non-society men in Masonic Temple
should be cut over; that no threats had been made
OF damage to the building, &C., &c This
disclaimer l reported to- the architect and
committee as agreed. The assertion that
the granite cutters have been "caumniatedn
by me is untrue. did inform the President tMr.
Olmstead) OF the Park Commission that / feared
injury to the great basin of polished granite if sent
during thus excitement; but when Gblin informed
me that my fears were groundless reported that
to Mr. Omsted and shipped the basin on the faith
put In his disclaimer.
In regard to the merits Of this question i hand
you herewith statements OF men and apprentices
employed from the time of agreement to the dat G
OF the strike last December lHere follows state
mcnt showing that from October, 1862 to Decenl-
Der, 1871. there were employed by the writer on an
average nine apprentices less than he was entitled
to under the agreement.)
At no time were we In excess Of the number
agreed upon. In August last there were 2d1 cut
tiers; at to seven were entitled to fourteen
more apprentices than we had At one to ten even,
we were two short OF the quota. No additions were
made and no complaints preferred during the next
trumped up the apprentice question again as an
excuse for a strike. And now comes President
Gblin again, with orders to my men
threatening fOrcble measures when Others fail.
/ have paid higher wages all this time than re-
quired by the society," and now claim the right to
manage my own business. admit the right OF the
men to work not, as they please; but deny their
right to prevent by force or intimidation any one
from working who desires to do So or to dictate to
me how many apprentices may employ or where
'''' = - s'''' ]. G. PATTERSON.
LABOR STRIKE IN LONG ISLAND CITY.
Yesterday afternoon the mechanics and laborers