The Worcester spy., 1899-07-25
CRISIS COMES TODAY
Labor Difficulties
Will Increase or
End Today.
A CONFERENCE WILL Be HELD.
Drs. Kelley and Delehanty
and Labor Leaders
viii Meet.
A CONFERENCE WILL Be HELD.

The crisis in the labor union difficult
ties involving Drs. Kelly and Dele
hanty will come today.
A meeting has been arranged for 10
O'Clock this morning in DIR. Dele
hanty's Office, and if there is not
settlement the activity of labor unions
will be displayed as it never was before
in forcing termination of what union
men consider unfair conditions.
The committee from the Journeyman
Plumbers Union visited Dr. Kelley yes
terday morning, and endeavored to OBJ
tain his sanction to an immediate set
tlement by dropping the contract with
Ashley & Horan, contracting plumbers.
The physician refused to do this unless
the Journeyman Plumbers Union
would furnish bond for $4,000 to pro-
tect the owners of the building from an
action in the courts instituted by Ashley
& Horan. The committee representing
the Plumbers Union argued that 1t
was not their duty to pose as cham
pions of the physicians, with whom
they had been battling for what they
considered their due.
AT the meeting with the committee
from the Journeyman Plumbers I'm
ION, DR.. Kelly vigorously denied that
the firm of coal dealers in which he is
interested belongs to any organization
which tends to lower the wages Of its
employees. Later DR.. Kelly called at
The Spy office and declared that he
never belonged to any combine which
affected the workingman.
Yesterday afternoon William j.
Spencer of Chicago, secretary and
treasurer of the United Association of
Journeyman Plumbers, Gas and Steam
Filters, with Thomas F. Harney, pres
ident of the Building Trades Council
and Journeyman Plumbers Union, and
u. f. Coogan had conference with
members of the firm of Ashley & Horan
The plumbing contractors were unwill-
Ing to concede the demands of the COM
m1ttee, but expressed d desire to bring
about a settlement
Last night the committee visited DR..
Deiehanty and he appeared willing to
august the matter amicably, provided
the builders could be protected from
any loss accruing from law suit AZ
Ter conference with DIR. Delehantv.
the committee went to Labor head
quarters, and held a secret session last
ing until after midnight
1t is understood that Ashley & Horan
nave signed a statement referring to
the present controversy which is NOT
satisfactory to the committee. Ma
tional Secretary and Treasurer Spen-
Ger was seen after the meeting. He
said:
7 believe that this trouble VIII he
amicably adjusted today. We have
consulted the doctors lawyer, John n
Ratigan, and he has told us that the
contract with Ashley & Horan is void
lie had previously said that the con-
tract was to be respected, but he be-
came convinced that Ashley & Horan
have broken the contract by hiring non
union men, and declared it of no use as
basis for a lawsuit.
The committee has decided that ar
oitration is necessary. but that does
not mean that we will make conces-
sions. The national organization is
with the local union in this fight, de-
spite the unfounded account in an eve
ming paper. Drs. Kelly and Delehanty
acted fairly yesterday in the matter.
and there is no reason to suppose that
the difficulty will not be adjusted at
the meeting today. If it is not, / can
not make any predictions as to the pol
icy the local and national organizations
VIII pursue, but 1t will be effecfiJa n
once 1t is instituted"
So confident is Mr.. Spencer that a. set
tlement will be effected today. that he
has made arrangements to leave the
city this afternoon. He will go to Rol-
yoke and western Massachusetts cities
and Will journey westward to his head
quarters in Chicago
DR.. Kelly has invited the committee
to partake of baked lobster after the
meeting this morning, and that in itself
seems to instre an amicable settlement