Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-12
EXPECTING 4 BREAK.
Building Contractors Look for the
Strike to End Next Week.
THEY WILL HAVE A BLACK LIST.
The ROughers and Catchers' Fight Is Now
Progressing.
MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIAL ITEMS

AT the meeting OF the Master Builders AS
sociation last night reports were received
that break in the ranks of the strikers is
expected ON Monday next, when many of the
men are expected TO return to work at the
| old wages and hours. There are several rea-
sons for such a supposition. The builders
| have been watching the men closely and the
manner in which the strike is being con-
Quoted. A strike committee has been on
constant duty in the interest of the bosses.
This committee has made daily reports
to the Master Builders on the condition
of the strike, and the actions of the builders
have been governed according to these re-
ports. This committee claims to have in its
possession certain information at present
which cannot fail in breaking the strike
within the next ten days. The principal
point made by it is that the best men in the
various unions are deserting the eight-hour
movement, and returng to work. The Presi-
dent of one union has already re-
turned to work, and the Secretary of an
other has promised to go on duty next Mon
day.
Work at the Planning Mills.
Schuette & Co., of the Southside, are re-
ported to have so men at work. all but one
of whom are union men. Many of the
planning mill owners have all the men they
can find work for, and are getting out all the
orders they have on hand.
1t is claimed the strike benefits are caus-
ing an endless amount of trouble among the
men. The various unions are distributing
their own funds pro rata among their most
needy members. Union No sos is said to
have paid its members 81 60 apiece on
Monday night for one weeks benefits, and
Union 230 will give their members s. to-
night which will be all they have received
in three weeks. The contractors claim to
lave official information to the effect that
no funds have been received from Philadel-
phia to support the strike and that none
will be-
have been quietly preparing list of names
of those who have been prominent in help
ing the men from returning to work, and
that they will not be given their places
again, under any circumstances. A commit
tee was sent to the Southside yesterday to
see Vice President Powell, who is
still sick, for the purpose of getting
word to the association to remain
firm; that he had enough men working for
the present, and that he believed the strike
would end within the next week. While all
the contractors seem to feel that the end is
near, there is an undfsguised feeling that
the strike will never be declared off. They
say the men are too proud to acknowledge
pull along as best they can until all the men
desert them.
Strike Leaders Also Confident.
There is an entirely different feeling on
the part of the leaders of the strike. Mr..
Swartz said yesterday that the new Union
Supply Company will be ready to fill orders
for all kinds of material next week. Head
quarters for supplies will be located along
side the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad,
corner of Wharton and South Twenty
third streets, where contractors who
have been kept from getting ma
terial can procure what they need
within three days after the orderis received.
They have made arrangements in which
they claim they can fill orders for $4,000
worth of stuff each day.
Mr.. Swartz insists that the men are still as
firm as ever and prospects for the success of
the eight hour movement are as bright as
the day the strike occurred.
The Press committee of the Master Build
ers' Association gave out yesterday that
twenty additional union carpenters are at
work and that most of the mills are working
to their fullest capacity.
A conference was held yesterday between
KinZer & McCandless and Agent O'Brien, of
the Bricklayers, on the new theatre job. 1t
was stated that Mr.. Davis had telegraphed
to the contractors to grant the advance
asked for by the men, but this could not be
done unless they are willing to leave the
Builders Exchange and run their chances
of getting material. The difficulty will be
partly settled to-day, one way or another.