New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-03
A FIGHT OVER FREESTONE
AFFAIRS OF THE COMBINATION TO BE
AIRED IN COURT.
,rrrrIAR srArp OF AFFAIRS IN WHICH THE
p-r.DINa TRADES ARE 1NrEREsTED-How
ONE FIRM HAS BEEN TREATED BY
ASSOCIATION.

MEMBERS OF TIE ASSOCIATION.
r,. s,it brought against April & Keenan,, free
stone cutters. in the Supreme Court is likely 70
6raw attention 20 a peculiar state OF affairs that
exists in an important branch of the building
trade namely the QUITTING and supplying Of free
stone 10 builders BY freestone is meant all
kind. Of cut stone used in the erection of build
,ncs other than marble and granite.
The suit is brought against the corporation
known as the Freestone Dealers Association Of
the City OF Brooklyn. which was formed about
ak years ago The members OF the association
are: " Bradley & son. A D. Baird & Co, H. P.
Christmas. Curran Brothers. George Call & Co.
Samuel Dean. William Gault Gold & Nicholl.
He.nlein. James McLaren, J. y. d. Morrison.
Charles Parker Ranki & Ross. William Ross.
John Schultz & Son. Tart q McWhyrter and II.
Cooper
The story Of the plaintiffs is that the associa-
ton was formed in 1890 for the purpose Of con-
trolling the market in Kings and Queens coun-
ties for all kinds Of freestone. Each member
paid in $500 as an initiation fee. and varying as
sessmen.s Of from so 70 Sl4 a month. The $500
was used as a guarantee Of good faith and as a
fund 70 draw against in case The member should
be fined for breach of the rules and bylaws
This being settled. the quarry owners were
taken into camp, and a thoroughly hard and
Hsst agreement drawn UP. The cutters agreed
not 70 sell any stone below fixed price, and
none 70 outsiders; the quarry'men agreed not 20
sell 70 any cutter within the limits OF Kings and
Queens counties who not a member of the
association.
April g. Keenan, applied for admission. Their
ar,2llcation was refused and their certified check
.or $500 returned with the inttmaton that there
were already too many in the business.
What followed was told 10 a Tribune reporter
YESTERDAY by Messrs .Avril keenan,. al their
ward Second-ave and Eighties. Mr.. April said:
II am q Swiss by birth. but served my time IN
B-,ooxlvr and have been q citizen For years. |
saved little money and. with Nh Keenan,,
leased several l)ts here. He worked for years
on the bank with ne a, Mliers yard We made
applca ton sor membership 10 the Freestone Deal
ems Association. accompanied by a certified check
for $500 ou; &c r-ere .e:;is-i 20 mission anc me
check vas returned with the explanation already
stated \ few months later made another ap-
pi-ation but with the same result; Two VI three
years later another application was made. with
a check for $50: our check WIS returned without
even line Of explanation.
The result is that since that time we have
never been able 70 purchase one solitary foot Of
new treesfone and what business We hare been
doing has been With serorl-hand stone only. We
have been Obliged n refuse los % work because
We could not obtain the some We would no; Ike
70 admit this = bur would wI1ggie out
q Il by putting in nigh BID Of in some Other
VA This has crsH7lei our business. and the
association even tried 70 ger men to leave us.
As We pay union wages ne unions would n,
countenance anything Of The KIND.
Here We are, six years In business. and in all
those years we have been unable 10 purchase one
esngie foot o. new stone. Old stone cannot al
ways De found OF tele size Or color needed, and
hence Z Is that we are crippled In business.
The association hires only non-union men be-
longing TO the Journeyren's Association. which
is known in the trade as 'Baird's Union The
men are crushed there; they cannot get work IN
union Yards and in the association yaros they
get little more than lahorers' wages. Now. the
association yards crippled because the union
men in New-York viii NOT work on nuldlng
where stone is used that has been cut in the
wards Of the association. and there is no use III
putting up the store II the hrick!a7 ers VIII not
back it up. or the iron men WORK upon ths oul''-
Ing
Mr. KEENAN'S VERSION.
Nj Keenan, said:
IF labor men did what the association has
done there would be an outcry: it would be de- /
nollnced as an outrage. boycotting and an I
archy These men prevent us from pursuing /
our business By this combination TO apsoiuteiy
prevent us getting the raw material
This combination enables the GuarryIneh 10 /
keep I'D the existing enormous prices OF Tree /
stone: just inaginr the present price 81 w d 1
cubic foot, laid in New-York' we had the o,ler
OF q handsome contract three weeks ago, out
were forced 10 refuse il because ne were un- /
able 10 buy the nght-colored stone II demanded. /
The result is that the firm has brought sui,
arainst The association Cor $50 600 damages. and |
claims 70 possess abundant evidence 10 pear out
It's allegations Other suits TOO. are Penuiis'
and will be pushed through, should TINS one DC
successful.
DIXON IS OUT OF IT.
he agerieved
the association is Thomas II. Dixon. freestone
dealer. on Douglas-st. near Third-ave. He said
yesterday
y am rot now a. member Of the association
ard don't care a cert about it, The members
tired 20 prevent getting stone a1ter Iearins
Why id leave? will tell you. ! put IN an
eszr.ate for a job Of work and another MEMBER
pu IN bid Sll5 lesss than mine, contIafS -,
section Of the bylaws. which profioits enc
,Iernar estimating on extra work or interfering
o. work which another member Is engaged o.
w!thpat written release compliance % ''iI
Bne~d Of Estimate. and getting no Ieu'e7''
quit me association. c,
This Board consisted OF A j. Bairn Sa nr
Dean and James McLaren. with W IMAM s n3 80
sscre.a-y The Board received salaries 0. S1'3ooo
each and Ross 81 800 while the office cost 81 10
a rear This came out OF the genera 1uf,d in ~
Board distributed the work. out o-o h0t Keep Wy
later on the quarynlcn advised me 70 JON
the association again; the demand was maze to'
1910 In addition 10 the 5000 initiation zee,
cause o, the amount Of accrued FUNDS WINE
vac rot q member l refused 10 pay IT. ana there
the matter ends. - 1
The object Of .he rust IN the first instance
was 70 maintain prices. This was no,t cAri1tu
out. tor soon the big fellows began 70 freeze on,
the smaller rnsn-you don't count now ui.ss
You are wort. & million or so-and 80 rnsre of ~
Story ends. Now they have trouble enough y.
th-t- own or account 90 the strike; look az 1niS.
Mr. Dixon handed the reporter letter IT.. IT..
a prominent builder IN New York. saying tnat
a member o, the association had the WORK oii a
large building Of has but the union br1cklaytrs
would not back UP the stone WORK. ana 40 "
didn't propose 70 be hanpered IN that way. ne