The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-11

continual conflict among those who
do the actual building. The citizen or
the corporation, therefore, no matter
how desirous of improving his proper
ty. can do nothing but leave the money
in the bank, which would otherwise be
expended for labor and find its way
quickly into channels where IL is most
needed. Mr.. Whelpley is obviously
correct in saying that such condition,
IL continued for long, means depression
in all branches of business. idleness
and want for thousands Of people, and
Is decided setback to any community,
no matter how large or firmly estab-
lished, to say nothing OF the increase
in crime which inevitably results.
There Is, this writer tells us, no ques-
tion but that many of the workmen
are dissatisfied with the present condi-
tion of affairs, and are willing TO
acknowledge they are asking more
than can be given them. A realization
of what the present strike has cost the
people of Chicago, and the conditions
sure to prevail in consequence next
winter, Is becoming more general, and
has given rise to more openly expressed
anxiety to put an end to the difficulty.
1t Is freely predicted that the strike in
its main features will be ended within
thirty days but the conditions of the
building trade in Chicago when read
justment finally comes will be vastly
! different from that of eight months
ago, greatly to the advantages of the
large investor, but to the ruin of many
contractors. The latter are divided
| into three classes. Those with un-
limited means and credit. those who
are fairly well to 10. and those who re-
qure the investors to furnish money
as n building progresses. The first
class, known as the big general con-
tractors, does not comprise more than
dozen firms The major part Of the
building is done by the second class,
and the third class takes in all the
smaller jobs the others do not care to
handle
The result of the present strike
when brought to an end will, says Mr..
| Whelpley, be the death of the material
nearly all of the small contractors, the
| failure of many of the middle class and
the great prosperity of the big general
| contractors The present scale OF
wages will be continued, the unions
will be refused the right to regulate
| the amount of work done in a day and
the right to transfer men from one job
t.
| ed that within year the greater part
of all building operations in Chicago of
any magnitude will be in the hands of
half dozen firms with large financial
| resources. The reason for this is that
capital will not undertake a great
| building and run any risk itself 1t will
| require the contractor to finance the
entire investment until the structure
! is ready to be turned over to the own
| ers. This will shut out from competi-
tion all except those who can furnish
the millions necessary to carry on such
a business. The downfall of the ma
terial trust will come through this con-
dition also. for these general contrac-
tors buy at will in any part of the
| country, and are not dependent upon
a local supply.
In the meantime Chicago has lost a
season which promised to be one of
great prosperity. Times, Mr.. Whelpley
informs us, are good in all other lines
of business and money is plentiful and
ready for investment. Plans were
made this spring for six great sky
scrapers, and among the other build
ings upon which work has been sus-
pended are the s3OOO,OOO post office and
half dozen large city school build
ings None of these can be built this
year, and few will be commenced until
another spring. The question arises,
what has been gained for labor, cap!-
tai or general public by this prolonged
and costly civil war? 1t is a question
which is more easily asked than ans
wered.