Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-12

THE EIGHT HOUR LOCKOUT.
A Statement from the Brtckiayers'
COmmittee-The Position Of the Car.
penters' Union.
The committee of.fve representing the Brick
layers union to-day prepared the following
official statement of the differences existing
between their union and the Master Masons'
association:
The latter part Of January, 1885, our organi-
cation adopted a resolution requiring our men
to work eight hours and demand - per day for
the same on and after May 8. Every employ
ing bricklayer was Immediately notified of the
action taken, q number of whom guaranteed
they would accept the conditions in good faith,
and they have honorably done So About the
LIST of May the union received a communion
ton from employers representing the Master
Masons' association that they would not
accept the terms offered, but they
agreed to grant hours per day, hours
on Saturday, the wages to be $4.5O per day.
Our Union could not honorably acQuiesce in
their proposition, because 1t would be An injus-
day, as 1t required them to pay each man SO
cents q week more than our demand. The con-
troversy extended for some time without any
attempt to bridge over the difficulty, the mas
ter masons endeavOring by every means to fill
our places by labor from other places. not only
TO our disadvantage, but to the disad ntage
of the public generally; and though the men
brought here have returned to their peaceful
homes, no one can dare say we used any violent
or unlawful means to send them back. After u
struggle OF tour weeks, the situation remaining
the same, the only apparent difficulty in the
way OF settlement being the difference of
an hour, and the so cents extra on each man
In the cost of construction according to the
master masons' proposition, our union came to
the conclusion that something should be done
to set the wheels Of industry in motion, and at
a meeting held on the 4th instant, in ac-
wa Vested
power and authority to arbitrate the
difficulty. The committee Immediately
Masons' associations: 'Deemiug it for the best
interests of the District we, committee of
five, duly authorized. vested with full power
and authority, were empowered to meet for the
purpose OF cOnciiiating the difference existing
between the master masons and our body we
assured them that We had no personal feeling
now or in the future. We received All answer
that the communication was received, and they
promised to comply with our request. On tie
9th instant the committee convened, COM
posed of David T. Cissel, Geo. Turton, Frank
sanner, and VIM. Il Carson, on the part of the
master maSOnS, and the undersigned on the
part Of the bricklayers. After q full statement
OF the difficulty, our committee promised that
no arbitrary measure would be adopted
against any individual member of the
Master Masons' association; that we would
work with any bricklayer they would employ,
provided he was member of our union
and that We would admit any man working at
the trade in the city who was not a member OF
they should employ men regardless OF the
union; that Of course could not be agreed to,for it
would virtually disband the organization-an
organization which in the past year disbursed
over $5, 900 for beneficiary purposes. We pro-
posed TO divide the year on the hour question
and receive SO cents per hour, hall the year,
hours, hours on Saturday and the remainder
hours This was rejected not because they
believed 1t unjust, but because their conscience
would not permit. It will be readily seen that
we endeavored to arbitrate The ditticulty. We
guaranteed them the good will and protection
OF our union; we offered to divide the difficulty
OF hours and admit every man working at the
trade in this city who was not a member OF our
union to our friendship and protection, but On
their part they were not willing to agree to
organization, for the reason that 1t could not
exist without our local card. Now we appeal
70 the public whether we are arbitrary or radi-
cal in our demands"
This statement is signed by Frank p. Carr,
Denis I; Ferry, J. 7. Lynch, Jonn Burch and
George BOSWELL.
THE POSITION OF THE JoURNEYNEN CARPEN.
TERs.
member Of the Journeymen Carpenters
union said to q STAR reporter to-day that the
carpenters were willing to compromise ON nine
hours, provided they could retain their cards.
The reason, he said, they had voted against
the proposition OF the eight hour Bosses last
Saturday was that they had no guarantee that
the master builders would abide by the PROPOSE
ton. " The journeymen carpenters" he said,
fore the public by various p0Si misstate-
Of the * inst sSas the pr1pos suan
hours and retaining their cards was rejected by
them,' The public was led to believe that the
bosses are willing to recognize our cards, when
the opposite is the true state OF the case. The
average wages of the journeyman carpenter
does not exceed S1.5O per day the year through.
Taking i'll consideration the cost of tools and
the loss aud wear OF the same 1t will be- think
easily seen that the condition OF the Journey
man carpenter is not an enviable one. The
m is told hat
business OF the master builders, which is not the
case. We want the recognition of our cards by
bosses, OF course, have the right to discharge
whom they please. The master builders state
that they have all the carpenters that they
need. 1t is true, as one of them stated in last
evenings STAR, that there is not village or
town in the country where you can not find
but MG ,ns
until they are to finish the inside Of houses I
think they will find they will have
If the bosses are disposed to act with any
thing like justice to the jOurneymen, they and
the public can rest assured that the Journey
men will make any concessions not inconsis-
tent with their honor and liberty. We could
not in justice to ourselves and the duties we
owe to our families accede 10 the terms proposed
to US, for by SO doing We would be yielding
the liberty and rights TO which; as citizens of a
free country, we are entitled to-
AT THE MEETING
of the Master Builders association this evening
the questions at issue between the master
masons and the journeymen will form the
principal subject of discussion.
How Samuel Fry Was Shot.
HIS BROTHER-IN-LAw HELD FOR THE GRAND
JURY.
John johnson, the colored man who was ar
rested by Officers Schultze and Jordan, of the
seventh precinct, for shooting his brother-in-
law, Samuel Fry, was taken to the Police Court
yesterday afternoon, where he was tried on a
charge Of assault and battery with intent to
kill, and the case was sent to the grand Jury
1t appeared from the testimony that Fry, who
lives at 149 Pierce street, was Quarreling with
his wife, who is JohnsOns sister. Thursday