The morning times., 1896-09-01
THEIR WAGES IRE OVERDUE
City Postofflce Irouworkers Go
on a.Strike.
ARE OWED VARIOUS SUMS
Men Claim That Contractor Overtou
Is behind With Pay and Gives No
Satisfaction-ne Declares He Is
Waiting for Contract Payments.
VIII Hire Other Men Today.

The force Of six men engaged in erect
ing the iron roof frame to the great tower
on the new city pOstorfice building went
| on strike yesterday morning, and did
not return to work during the day.
The cause OF the strike was non-pay yment
| OF wages due and the inability on the part
| OF the men to find Contractor Percy Over
| ton to secure an understanding. Some oi
the men who have been mt work under Mr..
| Overton have left his employ. but they are
still waiting for the larger part Of their
pay.
| Engineer Edward Neidig said that he had
finished his work and that the CONTRACTOR
owed him about $25. X. Morgan, another
| workman, said that MIR. Overton owed
| him $14 for a weeks work. William
Keycs, another OF the striking men. said the
| amount due him was about 81 9.bO. Other
| members OF the force under Contractor
Overton were Herbert and George Phillips,
Augustus Herbert, foreman, and William
| Collins. He says he is a creditor to the
extent OF $50.
All of the men said they had received
some money from the contractor, but there
was considerably more now due. Morgan
said that he asked for his money last
Thursday. The contractor put him off
until Friday, a nd when Friday came over
ton said he wonld pay him Off on Saturday
morning at $50. AT that time, Morgan
says, the contractor said he would pay in
an hour. a nd from thattime up to Monday y
night he had not been seen, although d
diligent search was made for him.
REFUSED HIS WAGES.
Engineer Neidig said he applied several
times to Mr.. Over,on for his money. but was
put off with promises until Saturday. The
other employees said they. too. were put
off each time when they asked for money.
and whe II they went To the building yester-
day morning and found that Mr.. Overton
was not on hand they simply concluded TO
quit, leaving the rcof frame uncompleted.
The men waited nbout the place all day,
but Mr.. overton did not appear. They
Searched for him everywhere, but he was
not to be found. The men then consulted
with the other conductors and they agreed
TO writet to James Matthe ws for III oney with
which to pay the men. Mr.. Matthews is
the receiver for Thorp Il Bond, OF whom
Mr. Overton took the Job OF doing the inside
tower work.
Mr.. Overton was seen Ia night by Times
reporter at his home, No. PA E street
northeast, and ne was una warc OF the trou-
ble:'that hc had been sick during the day
and had not been out, He claimed that a
brick had fallen on his head several days
aeo and since chen his head and neck had
bothered him grcat deal
In reply To the Question concerning his
WOEk on tut pOoiOitlCc toWcE fE he
had made a subcontrac with James Mat
thews, the receiver for Thorp Bond, New
York contractors His contract called for
the erection of the iron work on the thir-
teenth and fourteenth floors and the roof
frame upon which the men were at work
up to Saturday night.
Mr.. OvERTON'S STATEMENT.
The agreement was that he should re-
ceive a certain sum OF money upon the COM
pletion of the work on each floor mentioned.
This money he has received and has paid
q part of 1t to his worklnen. The rest he
is not to receive until the work Oh the roof
frame is completed. This is the iron work
which is now plainly seen at the top OF the
tower and which is almost completed.
Mr.. Overton said that the work would have
been finished up some time ago had the
purlines been perfect, as they were ex
pectedtobe. They were however, ,muchtoo
long and the extra work had to he done.
This work, he said, was performed by order
Of the superintendents in the architects
office. He was delayed in completing 1t,
consequently wasdelay yed In receivingm gmoney
tomake his pa yments to hiSmen.
Concerning the payments to the men, he
said, there was no particular time agreed
upon. Nospecific contracts were made and
he fell. that he had the time to- pay the
men when ne received his money. He said
he would engage other men and go on with
the work.