Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-31
A STRIKE ORDERED.
THE UNION CARPENTERS WILL GUT WORK
TONIGHT,
And Will Not Return Until Their Demands Are
Granted-Ths Builders Exchanges Makes
Statement Of the Situation.


special meeting OF the carpenters union
held at Trades Assembly hall, last night.
There was a full attendance Of mem
bers. The report Of the special commit
tee which conferred with COMMITTEES
appointed by the Builders Exchange,
and which failed to agree upon any
terms of settlement, was heard, and was
fully discussed. There was a pre- JON
derance of sentiment among those who
spoke, in favor of going out on strike
tonight, and when vote was taken, 1t
was found that the motion to strike car
ried by about three TO one.
In accordance with the action taken
by the union last night the carpenters
will not work after to-day except for
such contractors as agree to pay the adj
vance demanded by the men. The
strike will not affect such firms. There
are about two hundred members Of the
union, and possibly seventy non-union
carpenters in the city. The statement
in the I7ltelltgencer OF Thursday that
five hundred carpenters will be affected
was incorrect, as there are scarcely
more than half that number in the city.
MAY BE COMPROMISED.
AS matters now stand, the strike will
take effect after five o'clock tonight,
unless there are some unexpected de-
velopments Members Of the union as
sert that they are not anxious to strike,
but that they feel justified in demand
ing higher wages in view OF the fact
that mechanics in the building trades
are paid more money as rule than
they, Notwithstanding the fact that
carpenters are compelled to furnish
their own tools in addition.
One trouble experienced in the con-
ference between the two committees,
as explained by carpenter, was the
fact that the Builders Exchange Com
mttee had no power TO act in the
matter, while the carpenters COM
mittee was given absolute authority TO
settle the questions at issue, upon any
terms which they saw fit. The
carpenters committe was composed OF
Ed. Grosscurth, Frank Wikart, and
David McGlumphry, and the Commit
tee for the Exchange, OF Bernard
Kleves, Ed. Holiday, and Herman
Hess.
1t is probable that the strike will be
brought up for consideration on Friday
evening of next week at the regular
meeting Of the Exchange, if special
meeting Is not held before that time,
and committee may be appointed TO
confer with the carpenters committee,
and with authority to compromise the
differences between the contractors and
their employees.
Yesterday the Builders Exchange
made public the following statement Of
the situation from their standpoint:
CONTRACTORS STATEMENT.
Sat the first meeting of the Builders
Exchange in January they received a
communication from the union and nom
union carpenters, demanding twenty
per cent. advance over ruling prices,
which was received and referred TO the
proper committee for action and report
The committee promptly reported that
owing to the present depressed state OF
business and the unfavorable outlook,
that such advance could not be made.
This action was unanimously endorsed
by the Exchange and the carpenters
duly notified. After that time the
Builders Exchange had no official
notice from the carpenters orgaDi-
cation until two weeks ago when
they asked Tor a conference commit
tee, In which communication they ne
elected to state for what purpose they
wanted conference. Notwithstanding
Lo- I'D
special meeting and appointed com
mittee, who met the representatives of
the carpenters at the rooms OF the
Builders Exchange on last Monday
evening, az which meeting 1t was devel-
oped that the object Of the conference
was the consideration OF the cOmmuni-
cation of January 1, 1898. The commit
tee from the Builders Exchange express
ed hemselves, that owing TO the pro-
tracted silence of the carpenters OF over
10 weeks, they had considered the
demand withdrawn, and had arranged
their business In accordance with that
impression. In answer TO this the car
penters plead Ignorance OF business rules
and uSages. and said they considered the
demand yet In force. The committee Of
the Builders Exchange then suggested
q gradual advance and corresponding
cut. This was rejected by the carpen-
tiers, as they said that all must be ad-
yanced; that II a man was worth $3.50
per day befor April l, he was worth the
advance after. In this condition the
matter was left and still remains"
CARPENTERS WILL REPLY.
Last night committee Of carpenters
called at the REGISTER Office to state
that the union will reply to the card
published by the contractors. They
allege that the statement in the above
card that the Exchange thought the de-
mand had been withdrawn, because the
carpenters were so long silent, is I'M
worthy OF credence, as the matter was
agltated from time to time and dis
cussed in the newspapers and by the
public generally. They gave notice in
December, they assert, because the
contractors complained upon former oc-
casions that they were notified after
they had made contracts for the seasons
work. This time they were notified
In ample time.
1t will be remembered that general
strike of carpenters was ordered three
years ago out of sympathy for the
stonemasons, and was lost, after the
men had been out for seven months.
The demand for a nine-hour work-day
wasconceded by the contractors last year
after the men had been out less than
week