Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-31
CALLED OUT.
The National Stoneoutters' Union Calls
a Halt on the State Work.

The National Stoneoutters Union Calls
a Halt on the State Work.
At noon of Tuesday last the twelve stone
cutters employed on the State Capitol
grounds Unexpectedly dropped their tools,
and have not since returned to work. The
men were employed in cutting granite
steps, buttresses, posts, curbings, etc. For
these Improvements to the Capitol grounds
the last Legislature made an appropriation.
and there is now in the State Treasury
some $4,000 yet to be expended for the
purpose. The stonecutters commenced
last June at "a each per day. There Is
provision in the law which says that the
granite of which the steps, etc., are to be
constructed is to be obtained from the
quarry at the Folsom State Prison, and the
Prison Directors are directed to furnish the
same for this work.
The twelve stonecutters quit because the
National Stonecutters Union, of which
they are members, ordered them to do So
and for the reason that the National Union
claims to have clause in its constitution
prohibiting their members from working
on stone or granite on which convict labor
had been employed. A failure to comply
listed The twelve men recognize the
strength of their Union, and for fear of
punishment concluded to stop working
Immediately thereafter the men held
meeting, at which a committee was ap-
pointed to go TO San Francisco and explaia
matters to prominent members of the
Union there, aud to show that serious
mistake has been made in issuing the order
for them to quit. ]. Carroll, Jr., foreman
of the gang, accompanied the committee
Carroll is not a member of the Union, as
bosses" are not entitled to membership.
1.-The San Francisco Union is back of
this" said one of the stone cutters to a
RECORD UNION reporter yesterday. THAT
Union made representation to the National
Union regarding the Folsom Prison granite
that resulted in the stoppage of the State
work. We are not complaining. We
thoroughly understand the law, and the
position of the State in the matter.
The convicts quarry the granite and
we dress and work it. If we
do not do the work the State will
employ non-Union stonecutters who will.
l consider the order foolish one on
the part of the Union. Cenvicts have to
do something, and so long as they do not
dress the granite l cannot see why there
should be any objection to the stonecutters
working it.. The quarrymen, who have
Union of their own, understand the situa-
ton and they are not complaining. 1t is
Well-known fact that there have been
times, and there will be again, when gran
lite cannot be quarried in sufficient quanti-
ties to meet the demand. The Rocklin
stonecutters have informed US that we are
not in the wrong, and they believe that the
matter will come out all right. There is
one thing do not want to see, and that is
the nom Union men to get hold of this
State work, for if they do they will in the
future have all this class of work in Sacrs-
mento. That is one reason why I want
the Union men to continue the State
work"
1t is thought that the stonecutters will
settle their differences, and that the men
will be allowed to continue the State work.