Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-28
4 S0uthside Contractor Comedies the
Demands of His Men and Will
Continue Work After May 1.
OUTSIDE MATERIAL OFFERED.
Agents Want to Deliver Lumber in Pitts.
burg Cheaper Than 1t Can
Be Bought Here.
STATISTICS ON THE GLASS OUTPUT.
A Reduction in Mining Asked for By the Pittsburg
Coal Association.

As the time grows shorter until the gen.
eral move for eight hours by the building
trades, the situation grows more interesting.
The developments of yes terday were little
short of exciting. First came the announce
ment that eight firms on the Southside, en-
ploying about 200 men, but who are not
members of the Builders Exchange, had
granted their men the eight hours and five
cents advance. This caused stir on both
sides.
The matter was reported to the meeting Of
the Builders Exchange in the afternoon,
but an investigation proved that instead of
eight only one f rm had granted the eight
hours. President Barnes was seen after the
meeting of the exchange, and he stated EN-.
phaticaIly that ali firms granting the de-
mands OF the men will have hard time
organized in the exchange, and bound by an
ironclad agreement not to furnish material
to contractors who are not in good standing.
At this meeting 227 new members were
elected, making a total of nearly 1000
names on the roll of membership to date.
Cooke & Co. was one of the firms reported to
have granted th eight hours on the South
side. The firm has the contract for the new
Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church, and it
is said 1t was compelled to make the conces-
sions in order to complete the contract on time.
Mr.. Cooke was seen last night, and he said he
had the work In such shape now chat he was
not compelled to take this step. ]. B. Lash.
the contractor on Mt. Washington. who has
SaVpra1 praOtP0
the short hours. In speaking of the difficulties
anticipated in securing lumber Mr., Lash said:
we will have no trouble. Within the last
week less than half a dozen outside
agents have been here offering Nc lumber at
S22 so by the car lots and the least we can get
it here for is s25 SO you see we will not have
much trouble in getting all the lumber neces-
sary to keep us going"
President Barnes, of the Builders Exchange,
said in regard to that, that arrangements had
been carefully made to keep outside lumber
possible for any but members of the exchange
TO get the material
A. NJ. Swartz the ex-agent for the carpenters,
has been considering for some time the matter
of embarking in the contracting business, and
it was reported yesterday that he had about
completed arrangements to begin as soon as the
strike is declared on. MIR. Swariz could not be
found last night to verify the report.
The Necessity of Unity to Win.
The stonemasons held their meeting yester-
day morning, but the effort said to be on foot
to withdraw from the Building Trades Council
did not receive much consideration. Special
Agent Jones said the stonemasons will not
leave this organization now. ITO win the COM
ing fight" said he, "the men want union, and
not disunlon."
when the final arrangements will be made for
the struggle. 1t has been stated that the |
United Brotherhood only has SIS 600 in its treas
ury for the support of the strikers The car
n nOt hnnu vi IA "
amount is exhausted the men have other re- |
sources to fall back on for funds.
The Building Trades Council will hold a |
special meeting tomorrow. when matters per-
tanning to the strike will be finally settled as
far as that organization is concerned.
The planning mill men will hold meeting to- |
settled.
2. j. Mcclure, General Secretary of the |
Brotherhood, is expected at the meeting to- |
night.
Sympathy With the Strike Movement
A contractor, who is not manufacturer of |
any kind of building material, but who does a |
vast amount of work every year. said last even |
ing that he sympathized with the strike move |
ment promised to be inauguraJed May l. and as |
his utterance was SO dissimilar from the |
general tenor, he was pressed to go further. |
Said he: THE members of the Builders Ex- |
change are largely Interested in the manufact-
ure of material. Well, last year the brick |
advanced prices II per cent; |
lime was advanced 20 per cent and lumber was |
also put up some notches; but we did |
not hear anything about those advances STOP
ping business. Generally speaking l have |
been opposed to strikes, but if there were any |
merit in advancing the cost of material last
year cannot see why n less advance demanded
by workmen should stop all movement this
year. Rents have not fallen and provisions are
much higher, beef so per cent making the
price of sugar nothing but a
tub thrown to the whale.
What Man Ia Good For
''Now, don't care how soon the eight-hour
movement wins. That's about all the time
average man is good for at hard labor anyhow.
and my experience convinces me that event.
ually he will not get more than eisht hours pay
for his work, and both he and others will be
better for the shortened time"
1t being suggested that this contractor
might have contracts so taken that he |
could stand the brunt in any event, he said he |
had not, but was simply tired of seeing SO much
clap-trap INDUCED in. as though the advance
asked by workmen would in jure trade. when
double the amount was put in material last |
year and accepted as matter Of course.
DOWN FIVE CENTS a TON.