New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-09
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE GREAT STRIKE ENDED.
AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.
THE BOARD OF WALKING DELEGATES WITH.
DRAWS FROM THE BUILDING TR.sDEs
wAR-HEAvY LOSSES OF EN-
PIOYERS AND WORK MEN.

PLOYERS AND wORKMEN.
ing Trades suffered the worst defeat in its history
yesterday The members Of the board admitted
frankly that the employers had routed them utterly
in the building trades strike which began last
May and during the last six weeks has developed
into the greatest fight that has occurred in
the building trades in this city. Nearly 10000
men in the various building trades have been idle
for several weeks OF these, perhaps $4,000 struck
at the commands of walking delegates while the
others were obliged to quit work because Of
lack Of building materials During the last two
MONTHS building operations in this city have been
at a standstill in almost every trade Of any con-
sequence Hundreds of thousands OF dollars have
been lost both by the worlImen and their emr
ployers To-day about $4,000 men will return
to work.
The first .rumor Of an unconditional surrender
Of the Board Of Walking Delegates Of the Build.
ing Trades was heard on Sunday afternoon at
the meeting of the Central Labor Union in
Clarendon Hall. A secret meeting Of the execu-
tive committee otherwise known as the strike
committee of the Board of Walking Delegates
was held on Sunday night. John Tasker, the
conservative president of the board, who from
the first has had little faith in the success OF
the strike, presided. The meeting was a stormy
one and lasted until early yesterday morning.
The immediate cause of the call for the meeting
Of the executive committee was the decision OF
the German Framers' Union TO give up the fight
and return TO work. The German Framers'
Union held meeting Sunday morning in Claren-
don Hall, at which they decided by an almost
unanimous vote 10 return to work The decision,
il Is saTd was unwelcome TO the officers Of the
union, but they were poweress to stay the tide
Of votes from idle and needy men.
When the decision Of the German trainers be-
came known in labor circles it was evident that
the English trainers, too. would give up the fight.
The decision of these two important building trades
to return to work was hailed with delight by the
wavering strikers, who all along have been dis
satisfied, while the delegates who have So loudly
declared that victory was near at hand became
panic-stricken, and called special meeting OF the
executive committee of the Board Of Walking
Delegates. At this meeting, which lasted several
hours, it was decided to report 10 the Board Of
Walking Delegates at its regular meeting yester-
day afternoon that it appeared 10 be advisable to
declare the strike off unconditionay. and order
the members Of the unions represented in the Board
to return 10 work. The committee reported
Yesterday afternoon at the regular meeting OF the
Board, at No. IL East Fiftecnth-st The recom-
mendatiOn was promptly accepted, and all the del.
egates were instructed to order the members OF
their respective unions 10 return to work this
morning.
There was a stampede of several hundred strik-
ers Yesterday morning before the board met
This was especially true of the steamfitters, whose
representative in the Board of Walking Dele
gates is John Tasker, president of the board.
He is opposed to strikes except last resort,
and it is understood that he advised members OF
his union 10 return to work on the Criminal
Court House in Centre-st, last week, and on
the Havemeyer buildings at Ccrtcndt and Church
sts, yesterday morning This result Of the strike
has 20 impartial observers, seemed inevitable for
several weeks II. V. Clayton, secretarv OF the
Board Of Walking Delegates, said yesterday
The men might have held out two or three
weeks LONGER but they would have been defeated
in the end anyway. IL was decided to tell all
the delegates TO order their men 10 return TO Work
tomorrow. If Henry 4. Hicks, master work.
Labor, who first had charge Of the strike, wants
to continue it, he can do so. IL the men in Hickss
organization want TO remain on strike for the
fun OF IT, let them do it, | am sorry We have
lost the strike The men fought calamity, but
they have BEEN beaten.
A conservative estimate Of the less in wages
sustained by the strikers places the amount at
81 100000 1t is estimated that at least 5000
men earning when employed average Of
s.. SO a day, have been idle for sixty days The
losses Of contractors, building material dealeg
and other employers, have naturally been much
heavier.