Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-26
CLAIMING A VICTORY.
Striking Carpenters and Contractors
Say the Fight Is Theirs.
REASONS FOR IGNORING INQUIRE.
Manufacturers Strongly Oppose the Nine
Hour Clause.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL NOTES

The Master Builders Association held its
| regular meeting last night. There was con-
siderable routine business transacted and o
general discussion of the strike situation fol-
lowed. 1t was unanimously decided to en-
t1rely ignore Secretary McGuires PROPOSE
tions on the question of arbitration on the
grounds, as already stated in THE DISPATCH,
that they have the fight already won, and it
would be disastrous to the interests of the
Association to submit to arbitration now.
Vice President Powell, of the association,
in speaking of the matter said: "Great
stress has been laid on this move of Mr.. Nc
Guire to catch public sympathy. His open
letter was issued for no other purpose than
to make it appear to the public that we are
unfair in the matter. When Mcclure was
here before he practically admitted that the
cause was wrong and that the men
could not win. He is sure the men
will lose the eight hour fight and
wants to see the men getting what little they
can. Of course, he is anxious for arbitra-
tion, because everything he would get would
be clear gain. We don't need to arbitrate,
as the fight is already ours. have no fear
that the public will charge that because we
do not ruin our own business we are trying
to stagnate trade. The fight has now been
on for two months, and I guess it is not
hard to see who has won the most points.
Strong Claims of the Builders.
'The strikers are making a great fuss
about the work they are doing and the con-
tracts they are securing. They do not seem
to think how Insignificant their work looks
when compared with the amount that is
being done under the old rules They
have conceded the loss of the fight in the
planning mills, because they are full of men.
They might as well concede the rest, for
orlx fl,ao netD hox- oil
they want. On Tuesday two men applied at
the Exchange for work, and it was with the
greatest difficulty that places were found
for them"
t. j. Hamilton said: "It would be folly in
deed to allow judges on the bench to settle
a matter with which they are not at all con-
versant We know our business, and we do
not propose to allow interference"
AS to Mr.. McGuire's treatment while at
the Exchange headquarters there seems to
be some difference of opinion. Rumors
have been circulated that he was not
treated with respect. Mr.. Mcclure told a
DISPATCH reporter personally that he had
been shown the utmost courtesy and
especially did he comment on the friendly
manner in which Mr.. Hamilton received
him.
During the two months which have
elapsed since the strike began over {, 900 men
in the various trades have been idle, Pitts
burg has undergone period of commercial
stagnation and there is threatened restraint
of trade which may continue through the
entire season. 1t has no doubt been the most
disastrous strike Pittsburg has had for years.
The Builders Exchange continues firm and
will refuse to concede the demands of the
men.
Men Driven From the City.
The stand taken by the contractors has
driven quite number of men to leave the
city. There are yet over :, 800 men on strike
in the city, and their leaders have the ut
most confidence in winning the fight. Spe-
ctal Agent Snyder said yesterday thatas soon
as the people could be made to unnerstand
that thoroughly reliable men were back Of |
their enterprises they would be given the |
contracts for the work that is most pushing.
Two large contracts were figured ON yester- |
day, and it is quite likely that the jobs will be
placed in the hands of the new construction |
company. Seven carloads of brick arrived |
The greater portion of the lot |
was for the new King building, on Liberty |
avenue, and the remainder for smaller jobs !
ave are able" said Manager RUSSELL of |
the new construction company, "to build
anything from Log cabin to
ready to bid on anything. We will ignore
entirely, and will do what
ever building there is to do ourselves This
Der of contractors. The people who have
been delaying building in the hope that the
strike would be settled, or because they
thought to build now would cost too much
",
/ boom in the building line within the next
TWO weeks"
Ex-Agent Irwin will be tried before his
ocal in the East End Saturday night on
charges of violating his obligation and CIV
ng away secrets. Mr.. Irwin is little exer-
Used over the matter and claims he will not
nave any trouble proving that he did not
1iolate his obligation
Confident He viii Win.
The committee that is to try E. A. Holmes,
If Union 230 who carried the protest of that
lnion against the eight-hour fight, to Phila-
lelphia, will be drawn tonight As
Mr.. Holmes only carried out the in
tructions of his union he feels confident |
hat he will win the case. Nearly all of the
ocal unions have charges resting against
,ome of their members, and the usual result,
lpon conviction, is 500 fine and S. day for
ZACH day the accused works, but so
ar it is claimed no fines have been
paid, the men taking the ground that
hey have no further use for the union and |
hey have no desire to increase the strike
unds of the unions by paying the fines.
The journeymen plumbers met last night,
,ut nothing of Importance was done. The
men are still out, with no indications of
;etting back to work before the carpenters