The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-10
men WERE CALLED OFF
Movement Towards a General
Building Trades Strike.
CONTRACTORS AT WORK
Exchange Men Fined 81 400 - Action
Ignored - Carpenters and Masons
Have Stopped Work on Many
Buildings.

AAe iioNelIleul toward general
strike by the building trades in Butte,
resulting from the demands made by
the journeymen for nine hours pay for
eight hours work, made good progress
yesterday. The men were called OFF
number of buildings and the Exchange
contractors, in accordance with the res
olutions adopted at their last meeting,
went ito work themselves to fill the
places of the strikers. Last Saturday
the carpenters were called off the new
residence being built on the west side
by County Treasurer Holland because
he had not let a contract for the plumb
ing work. Mr.. Holland was waited on
by IA committee and informed that he
would have to let the plumbing con-
tract before the building could be pro-
ceeded with further, as they wanted to
know who was going to do the work.
Mr.. Holland replied that it had been
his intention to let the contract after
the carpenter work was finished. The
committee then called off all the car
penters and on Sunday seven contract
ors from the Exchange, to back up
their resolution, offered their services
to Contractor W. L. Perneil and took
the place of the strikers and the car
penter work on the building was COM
pleted on Monday. Yesterday the seven
contractors-Moses Basset, George NJ.
Smith, George johnson, j. r. McLaugh-
lin, "A. S. Whtteway, Thomas Weber
and w. E. Pernell-were notified by the
Carpenters union that they had been
fined 5000 each, or 81, 400 in ALL for their
action. The fine was imposed at "a spe-
cial meeting of the union called for that
purpose Monday night The Exchange
contractors ignored the notice.
Yesterday the stone masons were
called off the work on the foundation
for building being erected by a man
named Murphy on Dakota street. AS
soon as the matter was reported to the
contractors number of them went to
the place and took up the work where
the strikers dropped it. The carpen-
tiers who were engaged in remodeling
the Chevier bottling works building on
South Wyoming street and house
owned by Mrs. Largey, near the st.
James hospital, were also called off
and their places We're almost immedi-
ately taken by contractors.
The masons have also been stopped
on the Tallant & Jones, block on Park
SutSCl anu tIlc duJOlullS pullutISS I'll =
left in a dangerous condition on account
of the caving walls. It was announced
that the Exchange would put number
of contractors to work there, putting up
the foundation, yesterday afternoon,
but for some reason they did not go ia
work. Several of the contractors We're
engaged in propping up the ground and
walls, but aside from that no work WAS
done, though it was stated that work
on the foundation would go On just as
though there was no strike.
1t was stated yesterday that only the
brick and stone masons, plasterers and
painters were making the present de-
mands for an eight hour day. The car
penters are still working nine hours,
though they seem to be the most active
in the fight for the demands made by
the other journeymen. The plumbers
have had an eight hour a day rule in
force for some time, though they have
also trouble on at present with the boss
plumbers over another question.
In behalf of the contractors it was
stated yesterday that they were per
fectly willing to recognize eight hours
as days work but would not give
nine hours pay for it. 1t is claimed
there are about so contractors in the
Exchange and that enough represent
every branch of the building trade that
they are able to promptly take up and
complete every piece of work aban
doned by the journeymen.