Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22
Leaders Commend The Stars Contract
for Its New Building.
LOCAL VORKMEN PROVIDED FOR
Marble Cutting in Accordance With
Custom and Reason.
EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION


building. The Star has received several Pc
titions and protests concerning the cutting
of the marble for. the structure at the
quarry in Vermont, urging that this work
be done in Washington. These requests of
Washingtonians have of course received
courteous consideration and reply; but in
asmuch as they are based on a misunder
standing of the facts in the case. and are
in part due to the circulation of spiteful
Misrepresentation concerning The Stars
attitude it is thought best to devote some
space to an enlightenment of The Stars
readers and the community (who are syn
onymous) as to the truth of the matter.
The interviews which follow develop or
verify the following facts:
1. 1t is now the custom to cut the stone
at the quarry. When the marble for any
important building in Washington or else
where is not cut at the quarry the fact is
due to exceptional and extraordinary cir
cumstances which do not exist in this case.
2. Cutting the stone at the quarry de-
yelops defects on the spot, renders easy the
quick replacement of defective material,
and assures the use of perfect, selected
stones, so matched and blended as to pro-
results. The unanimous verdict of disn-
terested experts consulted by The Star de-
clared that in no other way could the stone
work be expeditiousy completed in an
artistic and thoroughly satisfactory man
ner.
3. In order that the new building might
be most creditable in appearance to the
capital as well as to The Star it was decid-
ed that the stone should be cut at the quar-
~. A contract was made for this work
several weeks ago, and the stone is now be-
ing cut Requests at this time that The
Star have the stone cut here are invitations
to it to break a contract in order that its
new building may be longer in construction
and less beautiful in exterior effect.
4. The Star has always consistently and
business interests of Washington against
outside competition with unfair advantages,
whether our merchants, threatened by fire
sales, or our workingmen were in question.
identical with those of the community, and
it has always done, as it Will continue to
do, everything within it's power to promote
the welfare of the people of Washington.
In the matter Of it's new building 1t has
taken the public into consideration by
erecting d structure in size and cost far
beyond it's business requirements and the
dictates Of financial profit in order that the
main avenue of the city might be adorned
by building creditable in every way to
its building contract for the preference of
local nea among union workmen, and it is
enforcing this requirement. AS
the result of the erection of the building
receive employment for months; and
large amount Of money will be locally dis
bursed. The local stone-cutters themselves,
who are very few in number, will have the
to secure steady work for
considerable period in handling or carving
the stone after it reaches the city.
5. Inasmuch as The Star is thus practi-
cally and powerfully promoting the pros
perity of local organized labor it would be
ungratcful on the part of the local work
ingmen to ignore these benefits and to make
unreasonable demands concerning the
stone-cutting work But the local work
men are not ingrates. The Central Labor
Union, representing % per cent of local
orga nized labor, recognizes and proclaims
the fairness of The Stars attitude.
e. The Star does not save money by hav-
ing the stone cut at the quarry. Its re-
ward is in quicker better work and in a
finer exterior for the new building. In the
light of the facts ii would be as reasonable
to demand that the stone be quarried in the
District, or that District workmen be sent
to Vermont to dig It from the quarry, as to
insist that, contrary to custom, in violation
OF contract and in defiance of common
ton.
The Stars Position.
Mr.. Frank b. Noyes, treasurer of The
Star, who represented it in arranging for
the construction of the new building, said:
The case can be put in a nutshell. The
same reason that led The Star Company to
adopt marble instead of a cheaper stone or
terra Gotta, though the difference in cost was
more than $4,000 compelled it, in spite of
its incl lima IN fov pcaj x,nylyy, IN,