The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-01

Bricklayers Protest Against Re
ducing Their Wages
CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENTS.
New Men who win Re Installed Te-
lsyers aad the City Coonen.

An important meeting uas held yesfer-
day afternoon IN the city bail between re-
representatives. Of the Brickiayers' Union
aud members Of the city council The
object was to ask reconsideration Of the
action OF the council in reducing the pay
OF briekiayers on public works. Mayor
Phelps was present. and among the men,
hers we're President Crichson. Aldermen
elise and Compton, ana Delegates Little,
Chapman and James.
By general agreement. g. A. Lafayette
was chosen chairman of the conference.
and after very free but entirely pleasant
discussion OF the subject, il was resolved
that q committee of the hrieklayers should
address the council on Monday night
William White. one OF the committee.
spoke at some length. and undertook to
show that while s. looks ike Dig amount
tor days work, yet the fact must be re-
membered that bricklayers do not have
steady work. He stated that he had fg-
ured the wages Of the men in the Seattle
union for the year 1885. previous to the
time of the sewer work, and found that
they had only averaged ST per month.
and IL cut of 20 per cent is made. it
would make the ANAL sum of Sic per
month. He explained that bricklayers al
ways preferred outside work in preference
to working underground, for several rea-
sons, the main one being the danger 1T
tached TO tunnel and sewer work He
preferred to work on top OF . twelve-story
building rather than fifteen feet under
ground, as he considered it safer, and
oh rh oEs -.
day should be better paid than one who
did not.
Matthew Brannigan next spoke, and
said that Seattle vas the first city 10 cut
the wages below the standard. He We
hementiy exclaimed that il was all owing
TO the incompetency and reckiessness of
the recent city government that pinched
the city for money, and no, because the
laborer or brick mason did not earn his
money. Money. he said. had been squan.
dered and iavishly wasted with no thought
rs TO the work, but to give fellows who
were busted" chance. and now the city
digs down under the wages of the labor
ing men to meet the deficiency. He did
not think the present council was intend
ing TO be unjust, but no thought other
plans for economy could be substituted,
and so leave the wages as they should be-
Gilbert Seibert considered that it was
not the intention Of the city government
TO drive out the workmen Of this city, but
for a brick!ayer to work at lower wages,
considering the few days work he can get,
would make 1t a clear case of ''poorhouss"
for some OF them in very short time. In
twenty-six years work at the bricklayer's
trade he had not averaged over $50 days.
work year. ali taken together.
Fl. Wallace said it had been told him
that the bricklayers, as taxpayers. ought
to do their share in helping the city out
until these hard times are over. but II any
one would take the trouble TO look up The
matter IL would readily be seen that the
brickiayers had been and were doing their
share of helping out by doing extra time
and night work At the same rate as day
work. something that had never been done
by them before.
b. IA. Butterfield, foreman of the north
aewer tunnel. showed how the reduction
OF wages tended to make poor workmen
take up the work, making II more expen-
sive in the end and also dangerous in many
cases. for he considered cheap" man
the most expensive man that could be en-
lection to the city as we'll as TO tho men
themselves, as 1t was Impossible tor
poor workman TO become a member OF
their organization, At the time the sewer
work was commenced great many men
rushed in and tried in every conceivable
way TO obtain a membership in order TO
get work, but II they were incompetent
were always met with prompt refusal
vi III. Ill
planning about the amount of work the city
had TO give. but II they accepted the
reduction under the city ordinance.
ii would be precedent for individual
builders. aud would necessitate much
future trouble in order to sustain their
prices. They could not accept anything
less than the regular wages. and it was
left for the city TO decide whether ii could
afford to hire inexperienced workmen at
less wages or employ competent men and
have its work done properly.
Mayor Phelps stated that he had signed
the ordinance reducing salaries and wages
not because tie wanted TO do SO, but be-
cause the condition of the city treasury
forced hun TO do so. He would rather
promise = man s. per day and be able Ia
pay him than 10 promise him s. and no,
be able to pay him. The city he stated.
did not have the money to pay what
everyone would like TO DO paid. although
II any plan could be devised hy which
wages could he sustained he would he ons
OF the nrsI to help the movement
Alderman elise spoke a few words and
said new ideas had hecn presented to him
that had never occurred TO him bef,rr
aud he would feel very badly to think thai
any action on the part of the counei,
would cause n reduction of any ones
wages for perhaus the next two or ,hrss
years until business had revlve.l Ia
promised 10 do some serious thinking he
tween this time and Monday night. ~ hem
the committee would appear before the
council.
Delegate Crichton said that money r,u.t
be saved IN some manner, but he wooia
stick by what he said before. and thar xss
not - cut the @oFkingman's wages ora
cent Tie did not want to see .,chaanst
men employed on such work. as to his 81
perience u Vas in the cad dearly paid for
The conference then closed. and the mat.
ter ~tl. ee considered by the council ON
Monday night.