New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-02
IRON WORKERS STRIKE.
FOURTEEN FIRMS YIELD To THE DE-
MAND FOR SHORTER HOURS
WORK on ARMY TRANSPORTS IN BROOKLYN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ISLAND AND
NEw-JERsEY AFFECTED

NEw-JERsEY AFFECTED
William NJ Boyle president Of the Brotherhood
Of Boilermskers and Iron shipbullders and a large
gathering Of the members ~ the Brotherhood went
on strike yesterday. They jubiant last even
ing. because fourteen firms had granted the de-
mands Of their striking employees Especially glad
the when early in the evening report
in that the John y Robins DrydOck Com
pany. which employs about twelve hundred men,
would allow the reduction Of working time
with reduction OF pay. beginning August T.
II is known that many small firms waiting 10
see what this big one would do and the strikers
said that complete 1T is
one of the greatest victories in New
York, said President Boyle Other said that
IL was the Government contracts that had caused
the Arm to accede TO the mems wishes Still others
thought not, Of the firms having Govern
ment work show no inclination 10 yield.
During the afternoon representatives OF the
Standard OIL Company called at the strike head
quarters. at Military Hall. No. 1893 Bowery. AM
said that their company ready 10 grant the
demands of It's employees Each employer or repre-
sentative is required sign the following state
ment. which is written the letter paper Of the
firm involved:
Il. OF the above mentioned Arm. agree 70 regu-
late my works to the conditions mentioned in cir
culars Of the Boiermakers and Iron shpbuilders.
to take effect August l. 1899, and until further notice
from said date"
White Price. employing 90 men; james Gil
roy 30 men; Hull Hubert, 80 men; Mcneil Bros,
80 Men Pioneer Iron Works. 80 men; J. NJ Dunn,
or Kearney Iron Works Is men, Reid Duff, or
the Barton Iron Works. 70 men; Andrews Phelan'
100 men: P Donohie & Sons, 50 men, Terry &
Tuttle 20 men, Standard OIL Company. OF Brooklyn.
90 men; Hoboken Ferry Company. men; John n
Robins Company. 1.2N men and Henry J. Boes.
10
In the case Of the Robins company the men had
III, ,,tiT linz q decision
Of the firm. Henry J. Boess employees simply stated
their demands 10 Mr. Boes when they quit yes
terday. and Mr.. Boes granted them al once The
Boes works at d-thirty-eighth-
81. and Third-ave and the Robins drydocks at the
Erie Basin. Brooklyn.
There was no formal meeting OF the Brotherhood
Of Bonermskers and Iron shipbuilders last night
SHARP COMPETITION WITH THE CRAMPS
In Brooklyn the boiermakers. rveters. heaters
helpers and passers went out. Nearly one thousand
men left work In Morses yard. at Twenty-sixth-
ST and the river, five hundred men quit work at
noon. and nearly two hundred employees az Johh
and Donald McNeilrs yard, at INLAY and Wiiilam
SITS, Joined the strikers. About two hundred men
went out from the yard Of John ~ Robins in
Beard-st The men want q work day or eight
hours nine hours on new work and eight hours on
Saturday. The strike affected the Boston Dry-
docks most seriously. as they have contracts 10
carry out which amount 10 5000 One OF these Is
that for the steamer Murcla, VnlCH dHIOuAOS ~
1000 Robins had 70 compete with the Cramps OF
PHILADELPHIA in order 20 get this contract
Three transports are lying IN the Erie Basin at
the Robins wharves They are the Missouri. the
Logan and the Bay State The Missouri and the
Logan are being fitted out for service IN the
Philippines The Bay State is destined for sanu-
spo where she will be used by General Wood IN
cruising work around the coast. Edward A Morse,
head OF the firm which bears his name said yester-
day:
I'VE pay the best wages 70 get the pest men
Riyeters get s. a day; heaters, u DO ano al tio
other men are paid IN proportion we nave 10
compete with the Cramps. where the men WORK ten
hours for les. wages. An hour each day means
n,tv-hve days work daily on the ships that We
have contracts for, and would increase the laoor
bill by fully SIS 900 more than we calculated "hen
we took the contracts. There are 30 days work on
the three vessels and you easily see that We
are badly handicapped by these demands. In TACT
nobody in our business has made any money since
1894 and now when things are orightenlhs' TINS
strike crop. out TO knock US all TO pieces As
result the work will go the Delaware River ana
other places
BURLEE DRYDoCK COMPANY AFFECTED.
About one hundred Of the boilermakers and IRON
workers employed at the Burlee DryoocK Coin-
nanvs plant al Richmond. Staten Island, went out.
4 William J Buree OF the Buree prydock COM
| many said Yesterday that he employs regularly
! a bout six hundred and that the loss OF
! hundred will not materially affect the running
| order OF the plant. He said that in anticipation
OF the strike he had finished up all OF his Oh Work
! on Saturday. after which he had laid on greater
,a-t NJ tho men who had received striking orders
! No new work had been taken in.
Some Of the strikers asserted that nearly all Of
the six hundred employees NJ the plant had strucK
| hui Mr. Burlee denies this. Several policemen
/ were detailed 70 guard the works. but no Demon
! s-ration has been made by the strikers. The com
| many will wait for few days for possible
| change in the attitude of the men who have gone
! out and II at that time they have not expressed
| a Willingness 10 return their places will o- filed.
WORK SUSPENDED IN JERSEY CITY
The union houermakers and ironWorkers en-
Moved in Jersey City also struck yesterday. and
| work was practically suspended In the shops Oh
! Tbaodore Smith Brother. where sixty men were
| . u.L. E-ou,r q Miller who had between Fifty
! and efx+v men. the Reilly Repair and Supply com
| many who EMPLOYED ifty men and ?. Connolly,
! uho had ten men The employers were NOT lcli
without help each found Eve or six men VINO
! were willing 70 continue az the ''d schedNie o'
! hours the cause OF tho strike. The union men sent
- each empIover on June rs circular letter sci
! ting forth that considering the heavy work they
srs reoired TO perform and the severe tax on the
! system they must have reduction ~ an hour In
/ the daily schedule.
The letter said tina, Il the terms were not &C
coded m that the men would quit work on August
! Tho ehops we're all busy hut the employers
| commended that they had accepted large contracts
calculated on ten and nine days respectively. Tor
! inside and outside work. and that u they agreed
80 tbe rrooosed schedule they would be subjected
! 10 a severe pecuniary loss ss they had estimated
closely. ana had but small ma on prom ptn
mo contracts and asked the men 70 wait until the
! unfinished contracts he completed. The strikers
/ Jerided mat A notice OF fifteen days was ample.
and thev struck They were eated when connolly
sent FOR his men and agreed 10 their terms but INC
! ,bree larger firms declare they cannot agree 10
/ The proposed terms The strikers are confident AZ
| there has been demand recently for union men En-
! I'D there is an abundance of work In all the
! shops. A.. h.iia--,aLo-s an, -
! r1o,.ed nv & A Fletcher the boiermakers IN
+ a Vardon's shops and In the consolidated iron
/ works Of Hoboken. went OF strike YESTERDAY IN
! Inc with the general strike meeting or the
| IIII. Hall VeSferdaN 10