The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-19
AN AGREEMENT REACHED
Way Cleared for the Erection of
the Atlantic Schoolhouse.
ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE
Personal Spite Against Whiteside Re-
sponsible for It All-His Letter
to the Union Was Not
Presented.

Nonsensical, illogical, unfuunded rag
chewing" is directly responsible for the
delay in the completion of the Atlantic
avenue school house; the contract for
the construction of which WAS awarded
last July by the board Of education.
This distressing fact was brought to
light yesterday g. joint special meet
ing of the school board and represent
tatives of the local and International
Brick and Stone Masons' unions. NJ r.
Grady, organizer of the national body
and special deputy of the executive
committee, with headquarters in Chi
cago. came to this city few days ago
for the purpose Of representing the Brick
and Stone Masonss International Union
of America in joint meeting called. for
the purpose of adjusting the differ
ences existing between the local ma
sons union and Contractor White
side.
Chairman Long presided and there
were present Trustees Lane, Burke and
Dorais; Contractor. Whiteside M. r.
Grady and w. r. Rogers, corresponding
secretary of the local union.
The origin of the trouble is briefly
told. Last July the board awarded the
contract for the complete construction
of the school house to Mr.. Whiteside,
the lowest bidder for $40, 160. There
were no separate bids for all the differ
ent kinds of construction work. so as
Mr.. Whiteside's bid was the lowest and
provided for the complete construction
from the ground up. it was accepted
and he was required to deposit a certi-
fled check for $22, 800 as security for his
faithful performance of the work. The
house might have been completed and
occupied by winter but there arose OBJ
jections and these, it is evident, were
sprung by a man who is now out of
the state. So the district was put to
the serious inconvenience, to say moth
ing of the expense, of securing quar-
ters elsewhere, anywhere, for the over
flow from the crowded school rooms Of
the city. The board received notifica-
ton the day after the contract was
awarded that as Mr. Whiteside was
not a bricklayer, 2no union bricklayer
should work for him.
The case for the union was presented
by Mr.. Rogers and Mr.. Whiteside pre-
scented his side of the issue. He said:
"Never in all my 16 years of con-
tracing in Montana have | had trouble
with my men. I VIII say now that /
have absolutely goneato the limit with
my efforts to agree Will the union here.
have made proposals to it and they
L
provisos to the effect that the masonry
work on the school house should be in
charge of competent union men, the
school to hold me responsible for the
performance of the contract in it's en-
tirety. I have put up my bond. Now,
I don't know of fairer proposition
that I could make. l understand that
this letter was received by the union
and in open meeting torn up"
Mr. Rogers was on his feet in ~ in =
slant
why" said he, Mr.. Whitesde. it is
just exactly such prCviso that we
have wanted you to concede. We
never received that letter. / handle all
the correspondence of our union and |
repeat we never received such a let
ter"
Mr.. Long and Mr., Burke both stated
then that Mr.. Whteside at the time
suggested to them that he had made
such a proposal to the union, but had
later heard that no action had been
taken on it by the union.
Mr.. Rogers said that if the union had
received such a proposition, all of this
delay in construction would have been
averted.
After some further discussion the
meeting adjourned.
Mr.. Grady will remain in Butte until
Tuesday. when he will leave for San
Francisco.
DO you think this matter can be
adjusted right here" asked a Standard
reporter
why, 7 think 50, it looks that way,
doesn't it?" to which the affirmat tive
| reply was made by every man present,
including Mr.. Rogers. So it is believed
that "the difference will be set Alright
and work on the $4,000 school house
resumed in due time and form this
spring.