The San Francisco call., 1896-05-12
Startling Statement About the
Work on the Grant
Monument.
GRANITE CUTTERS AROUSED
Folsom Prison Felons Said TO Be Con.
structing All but the Gen.
erals Bust.

The monument in honor of the men,
ory of the late President q. S. Grant now
being erected in front of the museum in
Golden Gate Park is the work of convict
| hands.
This statement caused the holding OF a
| special indignation meeting by the Gran
| ite-cutters' Union at 1859 Mission street,
and some fiery patriotic labor speeches
were made. Some time ago it was de-
cided to erect suitable monument to the
memory of General Grant, and in time
sufficient money was raised.
In order to make the money go as far
as possible the committee decided to get
the granite base and superstructure from
the quarry at Folsom.
Recently the stone arrived on the
| ground in the park and number OF gran
ite-cutters. with an eye to business, went
out to see if they could secure employ
ment. dressing and putting the finishing
touches upon the stone.
To their surprise they found the stone
was all cut and ready TO be put in place.
They made inquiry and learned that it had
been done by the State prison convicts in
Folsom.
That this knowledge produced storm
VI 1nQ4SudblOn SOOo hAhhOuS AAS
secretary at the meeting last evening said
he was surprised that such thing should
be allowed-that a monument to the
memory of a deceased President of the
United States and a man of such fame
should be made by felons.
The speaker wondered if the public's
appreciation for U. S. Grants services had
reached such low ebb that it would con-
sent to have the granite raised to his honor
fashioned by the hands of cut-throats,
forgers, horsethieves and other outlaws.
He further stated that about the only
work done by felons will be the bust of the
old general that Rupert Schmidt is to
make to surmount the whole inglorious
pile, and he added that he supposed the
reason this was not done in the peniten-
tiary was because there are no sculptors
wearing stripes in Folsom.
This was not the only protest that the
granite cutters have to make. They have
learned that the authorities at Folsom are
turning out dressed granite for other than
prison buildings. The law, as the granite
cutters have been informed, does not per-
NIT of this class of work being done by
convicts, who are only allowed to get the
rock out of the quarry.
All granite for buildings outside of the
prison walls must be cut and dressed by
free labor. "And yet we have learned" :"
said the secretary, "that in Folsom there
are over fifty convicts who have been
taught the trade, and the product of their
labor is being shipped all over the State"
This, he said, deprives fifty free men of
employment
In this connection another obst acle con-
fronts the union. When these convict
graEite-cutters are released from prison
they must be one of two things-scabs or
members of the union. The members of
the union are loath to take in ex-convicts
as members and they are equally opposed
to having the State create scab granite
cutters to fight the union. dozen of
these fellows would do the trade much
damage.
The meeting lasted until late hour,
and it was decided to fight the in Justice to
the bitter end. 1t was the desire that the
public should be informed of the indignity
heaped upon the name OF U. S. Grant.
The other grievance will be publicly
brought to the attention of the State
authorities, who, they believe, are we'll
aware of what is going on. If necessary it
is determined to fight the proposition in
the courts to keep the convicts from fol
lowing the granite-cutters' trade.