Telegram-herald., 1891-03-18
THE STRIKE Is ON.
Bricks Without Straw and Bricks
Without Bricklayers.
STRIKERS QUIET AND REIICEyT
Com mtttsss Of Arbitratioa Appointed 10
Adjust the Diheslty - briskisysrs
Aas 80 scale Up ana Con-
sfastsrs W Aas To scale Dowa.

The differences between the master
masons and bricklayers eliminated
yesterday morning by the refusal Of
the men employed on the Bissell Carpet
sweeper Job OF Contractor Curtis ana
The Tripod building contract of Hosken
q Maunder, TO 20 10 work. The work
on the foundation Of the residence of
Mrs. w. :. Hull, on College-ave.. was
also postponed for the present by Con-
tractors Davidson 4 Co. These three
were the only contracts IN the city
where work was III progress, or about
to begin.
The officers of the Brieklayers' Union
refuse TO state the reason why work
was suspended. or what the nature or
their grievance Is, referring ali lnquir-
ers 70 the circular published yesterday
morning and the following one sent out
yesterday 10 all contractors:
GRAND RAPIDs. Mach l6, 1891.
To the Contractors of the Builders Exchange:
GESTLEMES-I AM requested TO m
form you OF the action taken by this
union Monday, March l6, 1891:
That no member shall work Tor con-
tractor who insists that another scale of
wages shall exist but those adopted by
this union.
Wenaye appointed an arbitration COM
mittee 70 confer with Ike committee of
your body II so desired.
L. HAYES,
Chairman of Committee.
j. NEwHOUsE, Secretary.
A visit WAS paid TO Secretary New
house at his home on Hollister-st.. last
evening. lie Is an intelligent, conser-
yatlye young man, and politely de-
clined To make any statement that
would IN any manner shed light on the
subject OF the strike.
II 90 not care TO give yo1 any IN
formation" said he pleasantly, "be-
cause II is not my place to do so. pre-
sumo MIR. Hayes would tell you what
you wish TO know, but cannot say that
ne would. He IS one of the arbitration
commltte, and president OF the associa-
ton"
"Who are the other members of the
committed? was asked.
"Mr. Hayes Is one OF them." he re-
piled significantly" but l am not at
liberty 10 tell you the others, besides it
Is possible that they do not care TO be
annoyed by reporters"
What is the grievance of the men"
bluntly changing the subject.
The whole matter has been pub
lished IN the papers," was the unsatls-
factory response.
ibid the union order the men out?'
"The men stopped work"
"What did they stop for?"
Have you read the circulars?
"Yes."
az cannot make any further explana-
ton than what you have read"
"Mr. Newhouse, will you not tell me
what your opinion is regarding the
difficulty now on?'
"Well. the contractors want to adopt
q slIding-scale system. We do not
favor II, because We do not think it is
night. We have fixed the lowest price
per hour at what we believe Is far
rate for ordinary men. If the contrac-
tors want To- pay the best men more
wages, there IS nothing To prevent them
from DUNG so. We have no men in
our union but who are competent to-
earn 40 cents per hour and the rate is
established by the capacity of the
slowest men. rather than the quickest"
Glow many men have you IN the
union?'
about one hundred and twenty-six.
/ do not think we have any member
who has served less than three years
apprenticeship"
THE trouble IS" said Mr.. Newhouse,
"the contractors want to pay the best
men a. cents an hour and grade down
from that instead of paving that sum
To the ordinary man, which they are
we'll able to earn, and grading the
price upward
"will the men return to work this
morning."
81 think not"
"EIow long will il continue?"
IL cannot say"
Further inquiries availed little, for
Mr.. Newhouse would not say more than
he did on the subject.
A reporter called at the house of Mr..
HAYES, on Second-ave., but he was not
At home. His wife said he had Just
stepped over to Mr.. Welch's on Fourth
ave. A call was made at the latter
place, but Mr.. Hayes and Mr.. WEIGH
had lust crossed over TO the house of
Mr.. Kelly on Fifth-sve. At Mr.. kelly's
the trail was lost and an interview with
Mr. HAYES was abandoned. One of the
ladies' said that the members of the
committee were holding meeting TO
discuss the situation.
IL Is, therefore. impossible to state
the precise grievance OF the men except
as IL may be CLEANED from the unwlil-
ing interview with Mr.. Newhouse.
The master mssons. upon the receipt
OF the second circular yesterday.
held n closed meeting to con-
slider the course to be pursued. They
appointed committee to report the
result of their meeting 10 the press.
This committee seemed desrOus that
the widest publicity should be gwen TO
their position, as stated in yesterday :
TrfEERAw-H HERALD. They are wiling
10 conform 80 the demands of the
union az far ss CONSISTENT with reason.
They. however, refused 10 he buJdozed
or coerced into paying frst.clsss prices
- second-eiass men, or To permit the
officers OF the UNION 20 dictate the
terms Of their private contracts. The
iohs from which the men struck will
be epen To- first-clsss men at the union
rrices. Others will not be sm-
Moved. II the members Of the
union refuse 70 return 20 work,
then their places viii be filed by
others.
This is the situation Sc il stood lass
night
A gentleman in no vise connected
with either side said last evening Thus
;s the gwetest strige ever beard Of.