Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-01
FULLY 600 HOUSES
On Which Building Operations Will
be Suddenly Stopped Monday,
UNLESS LATHERS ARE DISCHARGED
The Serious Delay That Would Follow q
Strike of Plasterers,
AS SHOWN BY BUILDING INSPECTORS

At meeting of the Pittsburg and ALLIE
gheny Plasterers' Union last night, the
lathing question was discussed and members
were reminded that the time limit given
contractors, beyond which the plasterers
would not cover lathers' work, will expire
on the next Monday. The plasterers are
determined in their resolution not to cover
Iathers' work after the appointed date. A
leading member of the union working on
the third floor of the Monongahela House
building yesterday said: sits all nonsence
about strike coming off tomorrow. No
such thing was even proposed. But if the
contractors don't grant our demands about
incorporating the lathing and plastering
business by next Monday, then you'll see a
real good plasterers' strike. The contract
>ors were notified on January 1, and we gave
them until the first Monday in August to
think about it. Our wages are good enough,
and we want no increase at present"
James Cullom, a lather, stated to DIS
PATCH reporter yesterday: The Lathers'
Union has authorized me to say that the
plasterers have been causing the publica-
tion of several incorrect statements. They
say that boys are generally put to lathing,
which is not SO, because there are many
fathers among the $50 in this city, who have
been working at their trade TOR over 25
years. 1 am one of them myself. The OBJ
jections Of the plasterers are unfair and un-
just.
600 HOUSES INVOLVED.
IL IL 70 11
work for one lather," said Mr.. Cullom,
''and skilled plasterer will always be one
quarter behind the lather. The carpenters
are for us, but the laborers are not. because
they don't want trades consolidated. The
paperhanger might as well object to the
calciminer. Selfshness is at the bottom of
the entire trouble-nothing else."
In May the Building Inspector of Pitts
burg issued permits for 351 houses, which
required the work of plasterers. In June
249 permits were issued. The report for
July is not ready but will reach consider
ably over 800. The total number of permits
issued to date is something over 900. 1t is
estimated that one-half this number, at
least. is good estimate of the number of
buildings in the course of construction in
Allegheny. The Building Inspectors
clerk said yesterday that it was a very poor
building that was completed in 60 days,
and estimated that fully two-thirds of the
number of buildings for which permits had
been secured since June were not yet COM
pleted. A good share of them would be
just about ready for the plasterer at this
time.
GENERAL DELAY WILL FOLLOW.
From these facts some idea can be gained
of the delay and damage to building opera
tions which strike of plasterers and lath-
ers would cause. July is generally the
busiest month in the year when all building
operations are at their height, and it seems a
more favorable time for the men and un-
favorable for the contractors could not have
been chosen.
The estimated cost of the buildings for
which permits were issued in May and June
is 81 ,257 ,094 and the July permits will in
crease the sum more than one-third.
At the Building Inspectors Office yester-
day the National Bank of Commerce took
out permit for the erection of $500, 900
granite and iron building at the corner of
Sixth avenue and Wood street! Captain j.
j. Vandergritt took out permits for three
residences, to be erected on Shady avenue,
Twentieth ward, one q three-story brick to
cost $40, 600 and two Of brick and stone to
cost $500 each.