Evening star., 1895-09-14
Their Local Union Nearly Half a
Century Old.
STEADILY SUCCESSFUL FROM THE START
Higher Wages and Less Hours Of
Work Obtained.
OBJECTS OF THE RIDER

dictiCn. 1t was organized almost half q
&C injury ago but was not affiliated with the
rational body until 1873 ard after 1t had
been in existence for thirty-one years.
From the latter date its officers have
| labored assiduously for the upbuiding of
the ORDER and to secure the maximum rate
of wages that it was possible to obtain, and
in 1880 it secured the rate Of 80 for ten
hours per day.
Many of the members " ere, however not
satisfied either with this scale of wages or
the hours and they continued to agitate the
subject of more pay and less hours. In
1882 their demand for So pay for a day Of
nine hours was granted. The pay and
hours continued at these figures for the en-
suing four years, but in 1886, after a lock-
out for six weeks, they succeeded in getting
from their employers concession of 1920
per day Of eight hours, and this scale has
prevailed ever since, the men not seeing
their way clear to ask for any increase of
pay. 1t is a well-known fact that the
granite workers of the eastern states.
especially those of New England, work ior
much less wages than are obtained In this
section of the country, end this state Of
affairs operates to the disadvantage Of the
Washington workmen.
Cordial Understanding With Employ
ers.
There is, however, the best of feeling be-
tween the employers and the members of
the union, and on two or three occasions
when differences of opinion relative to
minor matters have arisen, everything has
been adjusted to the satisfaction OF all
concerned, without the least difficulty. At
this time the men feel that they would like
to have more pay, if such a thing were
possible, but they also feel that, taking all
things into consideration, 1t would be en-
tirely out of place to ask their employers
tt,o pfnr hra n a "a
Peter c. Kelly, president; James q. Bit
tenbender, vice president; William Silver.
corresponding and recording secretary; John
Bennett. financial secretary, and Charles
Bastable. treasurer.
Sketches of the Officers.
President Kelly is native of Washing
ton, D. c., where he was born about forty
two years ago He learned his trade here
and at Richmond. Va, in the latter city
having been engaged in cutting the granite
used in the construc ton of the State, War
and Navy building.
Vice President Bittenbender was born in
PENNSYLVANIA and has been a resident Of
the District for about five years
Secretary Silver Is native of Scotland.
He came to Washington in 1850 and for
the last eleven years has, at intervals, oc-
cupied his present position in the branch.
Financial Secretary Bennett Is native
of Washington, learned his trade here and
for the last twenty-five years has been
employed in various local yards.
Treasurer Bastable is a native of WASH
ington having been born here about sixty
five years ago. He has been engaged In
some of the most important work ever con-
structed in the city, having been employed
on the Senate and House extensions to the
Capitol, the Treasury building. previous to
the war, Washington monument, etc. He
is not engaged in active work at present,
but is regarded a reliable and trusty
official of the union.
The Washington branch Is affiliated with
a great organization whose ramf1cations
extend throughout the entire country and
which is known as the Granite Cutters
National Union.
The objects of the Order.
The Granite Cutters National Union was
organized because 1t was believed that in
union there is strength and that in the
formation Of such a body-embracing every
granite cutter in the country-lay their
only hope Of receiving an equivalent for
their labor sufficient to maintain them in
comparative independence and respectable
ity, to procure the means with which to
educate their children and qualify them to
play their part in the worlds drama. 1t
was found that single handed they could
do nothing but they were confident that
united there could be no power of wrong
they could not openly defy. The members
believe that there Is not and that there
ployers should not pay them falr price
for their labor, and they are firmly con.
v1nced that II the pronts OF the business OF
the latter are not sufnc1ent TO remunerate
them for the trouble OF dong business the
consumer should make up the balance
In speaking OF this matter to Star re-
porter a prominent granite cutter or TINS
AZ onon1overs IN avery attemnt to raduca
wages is that their largo expenses and
small profits will not warrant the present
prices 1or iaoor, tneretore tnose Just aole
heraafter sS
n. ..
"
LII answer, we A'i"ii.aii IVA. 'no eA
Penses are not unreasonable ana the pronts
are large, aud in the aggregate great; there
ia no good reason why wa should not re-
oe,ye a fo,r eor;va,on+ for o,r l.hor
S o ioA ~
small reouctlon seriously o1mlE1snes the
scanty means of the operative, and puts
large sum in the EMPLOYERS pocket, And
vet Soma ,f tho monufacturers would nm.
pear charitdole oeiore elie wollu.
we ask he continued, lis 1t charitable,
is 1t humane Is 1t honest, to take from the
laborer, who is fed, clothed and lodged
too poorly already, portion of his
food and raiment. and deprive his family
of tie necessaries of life by the common
resort-a reduction of his wages? 1t must
not be so, To rescue our trade from the