Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-06
THEIR FIRST BREAK,
Union Carpenters Returned to Work,
Yesterday, at Nine Hours.
CLAIMS OF EX- AGENT SCHWARTZ.
Master Builders Preparing Their List of
Counter.Demands.
SPECIAL AGENT JEWELS NEW PoLICY

The leaders of the carpenters strike claim
to be winning gradually, and that within
the next ten days at the outside they car
boast of a complete victory of the present
eight-hour struggle. Yesterday the strik'
committee, of which Mr.. Schwartz is chair
man, claimed that Is new firms had granted
the demands of the me n, making total OF
I'll firms who have given in to date. Mr.
Schwartz estimates tn at between 800 and 90(
men are at work under the eight-hour sys
TEN. The committee still declines to furnish
the names of the fir ms who granted the de-
mands. but complete list is in its handi
at the headquarters on Smithfield street.
The first break among the union men oc
CURED yesterday when five mill hands wen'
to work for Murphy & Diebold at theil
Vest Ead mill. 1t was expected that thi:
break would occur on. Monday, and when
the committee succeeded in holding their
men out over Monday, it was not anticipat'
ed that the break would occur at all. II
was a complete surprise to the committee,
the members OF which were confident that
Mr.. Schwartz was considerably exercised
over the matter when it was reported to him
yesterday mornIng. He and Mr.. Irwin held
q consultation Immediately.
Declared the Mill Non-Union.
The Strike Committee voted at once to de-
clare the mill of Murphy & Diebold Eon-
union, and ordered all their men who are
now at work at eight hours to refuse to work
any lumber or material coming from their
mill.
The whole situation is really becoming more
interesting than it has been since the strike was
inaugurated. Both sides have gotten their
lines well drawn up; their policies well out
lined, and their determination to carry their
fight to successful issues intensities with each
succeeding day. At the headquarters OF the
Building Trades Council is list of nrms
who will furnish all kinds of material
members of the Builders Exchange have no
difficulty in getting anything they want. SO
far they have had no trouble IN getting any,
thing that was needed, from local firms, but
should the supply run short. Mr.. Schwartz says
there are six agents here representing outside
firms who are anxious to help the men out.
The only firm whose name could be learned
who had an agent here. is Sturdevant d Co.. OF
Cleveland.
The Builders Exchange people claim that
none of their members are furnishing supplles.
This is denied. however, by the Strike Com
mittee, who say that there are at least three
firms that filling orders on the quiet. The
way they do it is By using wagons having moth
ing on to indicate who they are. They have
also hired new drivers so as to avoid betrayal
1t is admitted that none of the contractors who
are members of the Exchange have given in
yet, and they are not expected to until they
begin TO feel the effects OF the work being
done by those now at work.
Sholes q Gallagher of Water street. was one
of the first firms TO concede the demands. and
G. w. Mansfield was among the number who
gave in yesterday. The master builders, how
ever. are not discouraged by any means. One
of the leading members said yesterday: 1--WE
are standing by each other to a man. The men
tried to make the people believe our Exchange
was of a mushroom growth. that would go all
to pieces as soon as the strike would be ordered
1 thing they have found out differently al
ready, and think can see the beginning Of
the end in the break of this morning. We
were afraid of the material men, but none of
them are selling. notwithstanding the reports
to the contrary"
Demands on the Part of Masters.
The committee of the Master Builders AS
ISOLATION, appointed to prepare the list of de-
mands upon the men, met yesterday, and got
through with part of this work. The demands
will include proposition to change the ap-
prentice rules, giving each contractor the pri-
vilege of employing one apprentice to every ten
journeymen. At present no employer is allowed
an apprentice at ALL unless he has been con-
tracing at least year. except member OF
the Brotherh cd, who has permission to con
two apprentices at any time. Firms employing
forty to sixty, and in many cases eighty men,
claim this is an extremely unjust rule. The
term of years which an apprentice is required
to work. will also be modified by the Master
Builders. They hold that the trade can be
learned in three years by any boy who is COM
petent to learn it at all.
But probably the most important clause Of
all which the employers list of demands will
contain, will be one providing for sliding
scale of wages lt is claimed that il such
no necessity for the present strike. Most of
the employers agree that the carpenters do not
receive enough wages. But they say there are
so many men working at the trade who can
really not earn more than 81 T5 day, and
those who are worth more are made to suffer
on their account 1t is thought some such
scale as the employers will suggest would
make matters satisfactory for everybody.
The Carpenters Council met last night and
Endorsed the action of the Strike Committee in
declaring Murphy DIebold's West End
ing Mill non-union. and transacted quite a lot
of other routine business. The telegram from
MIR. Mcguire, the General Secretary, in which
the latter proposed to come to Pittsburg. if
needed, was discussed. 1t was decided that
Mr.. Maguire's presence here would be Of no
practical benefit Just yet.
Work Not Entirely Knocked Out.
Secretary George Speed. of the Bricklayers'
seen in another column of THE DISPATCH. to
the effect that Union No. 2 is prepared to do all
kinds of work, from JOB work to the largest
kind Of a building. 1t will also finish any un-
work. and will guarantee 81 SO to jour
ueymen bricklayers> 1t is also prepared to fur
lish building material.
Tho only work done on "Joslyn's" theater yes
tcrday was by the stonemasons, although Mr.
Schwartz said last night that arrangements had
been made to have all the work 60 on on the en-
tire building within day or two. Work is still
at the Penn Avenue Amusement
Hall. and few more days will complete that
JOB. -
Agent Jewell, of the painters, has adopted
new policy in his work, which may become gen.
piled for membership in one of the painters
unions. but MIR. Jewell informed him that he
would have to take out his first naturalization
papers before he could JOIN. This is a signif-
cant move. and Mr.. Jewell insists that he will
carry out this policy in the future.