Chicago eagle., 1899-11-25
DOiN0S OF THE BRICK COMBINE.

DOiN0S or THE BRICK COMBINE.
ApropOs the charges made by II. 8.
Black, Vice President of the George a.
Fuller Company, that conspiracy ex-
lists between the minor building con-
tractors, material men and labor unions
which Is seriously injuring the building
trades generally in Chicago. comes the
story of the schemes and devices of the
so.callcd brick trust TO corner the mar
kct and prevent the use Of brick not
made by the trust in buildings being
constructed In Cook County.
While there Is much that has not
come to light. Il is claimed, In the va
riOus agreements and combinations
that have existed underneath the sur
face in the building trades, the disclOs-
,ires of the George a. Fuller Company,
which does a general contracting busi-
ness and Is recognized as one Of the
largest concerns of its kind In the cOun.
try. and the statements Of other men
Interested in the welfare Of the city
have done much TO place the cOntrO-
vcrsy between labor and the Building
Contractors Council before the public
In Its true light.
When the statements Of the Fuller
Company, made by its Vice President,
were read by the minor contractors, as
well as by the walking delegates In the
Building Trades Council, there was
decided change In the temperature
That statement had its effect In not
only unmasking the men who have con.
spired to injure the business interests
Of the city Of Chicago, but causing
others to speak who have knowledge
Of other combinations and agreements
made between the labor unions. ma.
terial men and manufacturers where.
by, II Is said. the people of the city are
TO be compelled to pay handsome prices
for material Of q certain manufacturer,
or not build. In this way, II Is charged
by those who have watched the devel-
opments in the building trades for the
last two years, the property owners Of
Chicago have been mulcted out Of thou
sands Of dollars and the amount Of
building IL reduced TO less than ST..
100000 In ten months, while In New
York, where these conditions do not ex-
list, more than $1OO,OOOOOO has been
expended In the construction Of ediflces
Of various kinds that go to enhance the
beauty, business and welfare Of the
city.a well as put money into the peck
cts Of the laboring man. skilled me-
chanic and others connected with the
building trades.
In Chicago It has been evident for
months that something was blightina
the building business, but the cry was
started that the small amount Of build
ing was due principally to the high
price OF building materials, resulting
| from the prosperous times. But this
| did not account for local condition
whom every other city In the country
and even the smaller towns were en'
| joying building booms. Chicago was
mt q standstill, 10 fur IA building con-
structlon was concerned. Contractors
knew. So did those who have done SO
much to injurc the building trades IN
Cook County for the purpose OF per-
sOnal gain--men who, with no regard
| for the public welfare, had entered into
agreements that were blightlng the
building business In this city for the
purpose of driving out some Of the large
contractors and preventing the prop
crty owners who were having buildings
constructed from going into an open
market ana buying the best material
possible at the lowest price.
Much has been said Of the efforts o
the sO.called brick trust, which It u
claimed endeavored to get control OF nj
the rick.making concerns In ant
around Chicago. with a view to con
trolling the output. The trust, accord
ing to the statements Of those who hav'
watched the organization and growtl
Of the combination, has had n create
effect upon the market In Chicago thai
It was ever supposed 1t would hav'
when the public became aware tina
such a corporation had been licensed
by the State.
In speaking of the efforts Of the bricl
trust to control the market In Cool
County, prominent man disclosed
some of the inside history of the schenl
ing which has done much to brin,
about the present conditions In th'
building trades. The trust made IL
appearance nearly two years ago, nc
cOrdlng to the statement made by thi
business man, and started out to ge
control of all the brick manufacturing
plants In Cook County. Wherever !
was possible the trust leased the plants
and the agreement, 1t IL asserted, wa
that dividend should be paid upon al
their stock, Where 1t was possible 70
the plants to be operated at profit tn
trust sublet the plants back to the own
ers, ana those plants which 1t did no
pay to operate were allowed to stan'
idle, while their owners prOiite'
through the regular dividends and rent
al under the lease. Then came the Of
fort to get absolute control of the mar
ket of Chicago. TO do this, it is said
an agreement was entered into by tn
brick manufacturers trust with larg
number of contractors and subcOntrac
tors whereby the contractors were 4
use only the brick manufactured by tn
trust, and in return for this they wer
to get rebate of 81 thousand for al
brick purchased of the trust. Natural
ly this kind of combination went
long way toward insuring the use o
the trust output in most of the building
being constructed in the city, but ther
were contractors who did an immens