Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-04
TALKING 1T OVER.
bOsses and Journeymen Considering
the Eight-HOur Movement.

-
the Eight-Hour Movement.
MEETINGS OF THE BOSSES LAST NIGHT
MASTER BUILDERS. sToNE-cUrrKRs AND
| PLUMBERS EXPRESS THEIR DETERMINATION
TO RESIST THE JoURNEYMENs DEMANDS.
After the first day OF the eight-hour contest
employers and mechanics talked the matter
over last evening. At the headquarters OF the
| workingmen every one was confident and in
clined TO be rather gleeful over the victory that
| they claimed was almost won. About the
| rooms where the employers met in the Cor
| coran building one would get an entirely
| different impression. The remarks that were
| made expressed just much confidence and
determination on their side the working
| men manifested on theirs. The District As
| sembly, Knights OF Labor, held a session last
| evening and considered matters In connection
| Win the contest. The Carpenters union con-
unued Its session during the evening. and
| otner trades organizations held conferences.
ABOUT the hall corner OF Az street and Penn
| savanna avenue, and the carpenters hall, eth
situation.
The master builders, the boss stonecutters
| and the Master Plumbers association held
| meetings last night at the Corcoran building
| ana the Master Plumbers Protective associa,
| tlon held a meeting at German hall on 1 In
| street These meetings were all unusually well
attended. In each case members declared
their purpose OF resisting the eight-hour de-
THE MASTER BUILDERS
| talked the matter over until quite late at
! hiShI A STAR reporter was introduced To the
meeting through a mistake as a delegate from
the master plumbers. AS he wore no diamonds
SUSPICION iG was directed towards him and, his
identity being fully established, he was Invited
outside. While he was present master builders
declared their intention OF sticking out against
sne demand OF the men. \ member of the
Master Plumbers association announced that
lne members OF that association were "stiff for
nine hours"
I'VE see you and go you one better" said an
olncer OF the master builders.
Mr.. Iost, builder. who was present. an
nounced that he had not conceded eight hours
.oIWitustdnuing his maine was published by
the Carpenters union among those who had
| granted the eight hours.
THE BOSS sToNECUrTERs.
Inc meeting Of the Boss Stonecutters' union
called out nearly all the bosses i'm town. The
meeting considered, a STAR reporter was in
formed, other matters beside the eight-hour
question. The members, however decided to
stand out against the demand
our men have been working nine hours and
eight hours on saturday." said Mr. Acker sec
retiify ol the association, to a STAR reporter
we lhink We pay them very well-S3.6u a
DAY, or 40 cents an hour We have offered TO
give thein eight hours at $50, or ten hours II
they want ii, at 81. Ii this demand for eight
hours had been made by the stonecutters alone.
think 1t Is probable they would have got it,
by granting it,
l
tion oI Mr.. Mullett, the architect of the Sun
Guiding, the Flannerys, and the Boston
t hah building Mr.. b. ii. Warders house,
miu embarrassed the association somewhat
Inc boston firm that has the contract for Mr.
W, W araers mousse autographed yesterday To have
the men put To Work at eight hours The asso.
ciation concluded to take no action I'm the case
ol the boss stone cutters on the Sun building at
present. This association will stick together
now" said Mr.. Acker. ave are bound together
by many ties"
THE MASTER PLUMBERS JOKE ABOUT 1T.
Inc meeting OF tie Master Plumbers asso-
cation was more of an informal conference
Than meeting. Mr.. X. L. Campbell pre-
sided. Nearly all OF the eighteen men,
beers were present They were inclined to
lie jycular. Plumber R.,gan was late and
the report was started in "a joking way, that
ne hau been captured by the journeymen and
heiu Tor ransom. All fears OF this nind how
ever, were dissipated when Mr.. Ragan appeared
ANA began TO talk baseball instead of plumbing
Plumber Daniel Haunan was Quite incensej
over the action Of journeymen in taking the an
prentices away. He declared that not one of
These apprentices should ever 20 TO work again In
his shop. Other members eX presied tkem selves
TO the same effecL. Mr.Caverly called atten.
no, .ion 10 the TACT that the tourneymen plumbers
themselves mad insisted In the arbitration last
year that the bosses should agree not to .'Iay
OH an apprentice during the period of three
business .Now,h said Mr.. CayerIy .the
Journeymen themselves have laid off the an
prentices." The members of the association
discussed at some length the list OF plumbers
ANNOUNCED by the journeymen yesterday as
having conceded eight hours. With the excep-
ton OF three firms, the members said there
was no one on the list who employed any CON.
siderable number OF men. Six OF them were
aescrioed as Iourneymen who, when not work.
account. The Master Plumbers association
claims that their eighteen members employ a
large Ia majority OF the lourneymen OF the city,
as the members last night declared The
members We're especially hilarious over the
proposition that they would have to pay men
Tor The time they were "lOcked out"
There is one thing about it," said Mr. Raglan.
lit would not make much difference TO tine
men ii we granted eight hours, for there is very
little work TO give them. Our work is pretty
nearly all done, and we can lock up for six
months il necessary, and Will do it rather than
grant this thing. 1t is not question of hours
SO much as it is a question Of principles cues
ton whether We are to run our own shops or
not
Mr. E. ]. Hannah said that nearly all the
views on the eight-hour question he saw pub
lished were the views vi politicians or labor
leaders. The boss plumber might be a middle
man. but he Thought the jOarneyman might
have hard time TO get along without him.
In this instance, he said, the boss plumber was
interest OF the investor, and the interest of the
Journeymen, too. AS prices advanced peopie
dispensed with the more expensive parts OF |
plumbing, and the result was the men had less |
work. Mr.. Hannah said the association had |
offered to the journeymen's committee to give |
eight hours from November TO May and nine
hours from May to November, at the same paw
but the men had declined ii. Mr. Daniel Han,
nan spoke OF base ball, the circus, and the COM
ing horse races as matters which could occupy |
their attention for the next few days. Some of /
the members proposed fishing excursion up |
the river.
Mr.. Hannah, speaking OF his journeymen and |
apprentices leaving him, sand, ION Sunday my |
Old cat LETT the barn, taking her kittens with |
her. My cook has left me, aud my clock, which |
had run for twenty years stopped" These
strange condolences offered iood for much
merrlmenL
THE MASTER PLUMBERS PROTECTIVE AssoCIA- |
TIoN
met at German hall last night. Mr. A s. Dent pre- |
siding, and Mr.. J. NJ. McAvoy secretary. There |
were about thirty members present. The meet |
ing was held with closed doors, but 1t was |
learned that the situation was the principal /
topic Of discussion. Reports were made that /
In nearly all shops where lockout" had been /
ordered the apprentice boys had been per. |
suaded to leave and join the journeymen. This /
action was condemned generally as calculated /
to do the cause Of the men no good anu do the /
boys much harm. A resolution was adopted /
that all such boys be notified that unless tney /
return to their work at once they will be con. |
sidered as no longer In employ. A resolution /
was adopted that the members would stand by
one another in carrying out contracts
Messrs. w. n. Ward and ]. n. Horn, whose
names had been published as having acceded
TO the demand for eight hours, denied that
they had taken such action. A resolution was
adopted that the association resist the demand
for eight hours, and viii stand by the Master
Builder association.