The evening world., 1891-05-11
FIGHT FOR LUMBER.
Dealers Association Begins the War to
LIT the Unions Boycott,
Chances OF a General Building
Trades Paralysis.
Many Dealers Stay Out of tho Com
bine-The Unions Tactics.


Lumber Trade ASSOCIATION took the nrst steps
this morning in the threatened lockout and
boycott which, 1t Is asserted. will wholly para
lyze ana tie up all building operations in this
city and Its vicinity.
About 2, 600 union employees found the doors
of the yards shut In their faces to-day. Their
employers told them that they must expect,
at the very least, q weeI's.enforoed ialtnes.
This action has been precipltated by the de-
termination OF the Lumber Trade Association
10 force the Board of Walking Delegates of tho
Building Trades Section of the Central Labor
Union to raise Its boycott on the yards of
Charles T. Bucki, at Thirteenth street and
North River. in Hoboken.
To accomplish this, the members OF the As
tsooiaton will, IL is said, stop the delivery Of
'iumher TO all buildings where union men are
employed Theg will refuse TO give credit to
of have business dealings with lumber msr-
chants who do sell lumber to contractors or
arms engaged on buildings where union men
are employed: and out-of-town lumber dealers
who may attempt to supply any such buildings
will be made TO feel the displeasure of the AS
sociation.
In many respects, 1t will be seen, this move
ment resembles that or the brick manufaciur-
ers year ago; only that q lumber famine will
completely stop work on not only buildings
Just begun, but on those where the httinga
and furnishings are needed to complete the
structures.
There is very much difference of opinion as
to the effe 'uveness Of this method of labor
warfare. The union workmen strongly afnrm
their determination and ability to protect the
union lumber handlera and other workmen IN
voved. The Walking Delegates profess no
fear OF the Associations declaration of war,
and cite the fail are of previous similar move
nents.
On the other hand, the attitude Of the big
builders Ia graphically set forth by John d.
Crtmmins, who has some Of the largest build
ing contracts on hand in the trade. TOT re-
porter Mr.. Crimmins sald:
CONTRACTOR cRIMMINs's PROPHECIES.
IAN the builders are in hearty accord with
the Dealers. and are determined to stand by
them. Most Of us have always been on friendly
terms with the unions, but what can we ac-
complish when they are 90 unsettled among
themselves. 1t is about time to call halt.
"The unions have been running thngS with
too high hand OF late. Many OF the men are
pe7fectly satisfied with their lot, but seem TO
be AFRAID Of their organizations.
4" The builders who will be the nrst and per-
haps the only ones to suffer are the speculat
builders These men erect buildings Without
contract, and are dependent for their supply
OF lumber upon their credit with dealera II
their supply 10 cut OF they are practically
helpless.
"There are about one hundred Of these who
do business to any extent, and they employ
about hfIeen thousand inen. II the boycott Is
only partially successful, ell these men will be
forced out of work.
'Nearly all the regular builders who do con-
tract work have more or less lumber 10 srnck,
which they have kept for just such an emer.
gency.
''Just before tho brick boycott last Fall
stored away several csfgoes Of brick. and when
the boycott was at its height had all that
needed. l have large supply OF lumber In
stock at the present moment. and II | want
any of 1t tomorrow all have 10 do is to send n
team over TO fetch It.
1.-THE men ought to select a ciear-headed
eommrtes 10 confer with the dealers and s-til /.
the matter by arbitration. They will probably
do that eventually, but 1t will save a lot OF
time and money II they come down step al
once.
"Tae dealers, u they stick together, will
not give In. 1t Is only in care OF split among
them that there IL any danger OF weakening.
AS for breaking up the unions, / believe It Is
impossible. Those mrn would sooner srarVc
Than desert their unIGns. There ara many
houseSmiths who got q a day before the strike
and who are now worElua on The excavations
along Broadway for 81 a day rather tnan turn
scab, as they call IT,"
CHAIRMAN DECKER IA sASGuINE
The Lumber DealerS' AsSooialion has estab-
hshod headquarters In the VOLS Building,
B Broadway. This Associations affairs
are IN The hands OF the Executive
Committee, comHrlslng A. n. Decker, chair
mani W. @, Schuyler, John T. Sleeves, j. s.,
LOOMS and c. !. BucEL
This Committee viii meet every day. There
will 0e meeting 'bf the Association WcdnCs
day.
Chairman Decker said this morning that
everything had opened we'll, as far - he could
see. Several of the largest Grms had tele'
phoned the committee tnat they had put in
force the agreement made with the AsSociS.
ton.
About forty Iuen struck In my yards this
morning, said Mr.. Decker, "bocause l could
not sgree to the demanLs OF the Union ior a
higher scale of wages,
The plan of the union was TO strike each
yard IN turn. They began on the Buck
lsrdG
IL think there were about =, 800 men locked
out by the dealers this morning, We are gain
hR many names to our roll.
1.-THE fact that the sources OF supply are &c
lar removed from this CITY aids our cause
greatly.
"of course, some kinds OF lumber can be
obtained euslly; but the major rart Is four oil
ave weeks distant. It WON'T be long before
our action viii be keenly felt"
IN TnR ASSOCIATION YARDS
The yards OF the dealers who are IN the
association did not appear very much different
Hom other days. Every yard has laid on Som'
neu' but the delivery OF lumber goes steadily
W though the dealers profess 70 no deter
mined to- stick by the action OF the Association.
The programme OF the Association for thh
week v said 10 be 70 rsfraln from furnishing
syu4bSr 70 carpenters and dealers, except II
~ Where eontrscn already exist which eAl