The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-23
PLUMBERS RETURN TO woRK.
Issue Is Now Between Builders Ex-
change and Trades Council.


The general strike of the Plumbers I'm
ion is off. In accordance with "a resolu-
zion passed the night before, as mentioned
in the Morning News, the journeymen
went TO work yesterday for such master
plumbers as had signed the scale of wages
and hours that they had originally de-
manded from all of the master plumbers.
The plumbing firms which refused to
grant the demand are T. j. O'Brien, L. A.
Mccarthy, p. H. Herman and Cornwell &
Chapman.
AT the meeting of the Builders Elk
change yesterday the following letter was
received from the Building Trades Coun-
Gil:
Mr.. John Eason, President Builders
Exchange. Dear Sir: In reply to your
communication of yesterday, 1 have the
honor TO state that by unanimous vote we
have decided To Stay Locked Out"
(SigneO James NJ. Wilborn, Secretary
Building Trades Council.
The communication referred to in this
letter is the one sent by the Builders
Exchange the night before after the COM
mittee appointed to confer with the union
men had reported back to the exchange.
This proposition was published in the
Morning News and was in substance
practically that of the original proposition
made several days ago, offering the union
men from $l.75 to So per day for ten work.
ing hours, with nine hours on Saturday.
The members of the exchange, after con-
sldering the matter, decided that no reply
was expected to this letter, and hence re-
ceived il as information This leaves
matters practically where they were be-
fore negotiations were begun, and each
side is now waiting for the other to take
The initiative in any further steps that
may be made 10 settle their differences.
At the meeting Mr.. Armitage, one of
the members of the exchange, rendered
his resignation, stating that he was under
contract TO finish large amount of work
within a specified time. and the shutdown
ordered by the exchange had seriously in
convenienced him, and he was threatened
with suit by owner of the property if the
work were not continued. Being under
obligations to the exchange, he did not
want to violate its demand that all men,
bers close down on work, and felt that
the only honorable way out of his diff
Guilty was to resign.
The members refused to accept his res
ignation, and in order to spare him any
embarrassment rescinded for his special
benefit the order for a shutdown on
work Mr. Armitage will begin work
again this morning and is at liberty to
employ any labor he sees fit, whether
Union or nonunion. This privilege of re-
Stunning work does not extend 20 the other
members of the exchange, however, ana
tAey will continue the shutdown until
after to-day, when, If the matters be-
tween the unions and themselves are not
sSttied, they will resume opera lions with
non-union men.
IN speaking of the Armitage case yes
terday one of the members of the ex-
onange said that it was not at all in
consistent with the principles of the ex-
caange to grant this special privilege
which was in fact based on the verv
principles for which the organiza ton was
Iounded, that of protecting the interest of
tach member The union members view
~ IN another hight, however and claim
'nHt IL Is but the entering wedge that will
splt the exchange.
t was stated last night by one of the
"Hcers of the Trades and Labor Assembly
'dl as result of the warning of n
p0ycott they had given Mr.. ID. Hogan.
rom the men who were on work on his
pulldlng. and who were not members of
,le union were forced 10 join. and that
air' Hogan will refuse to allow any other
'Unuillon men on the work
4hefe Is expected to be little IL any
mango in the existing conditions to-day
ne real strength of the two organiza-
IONS the union. and the Builders Elk
.Hange will be brought out tomorrow and
.le next few days after the resumption
u work by the contractors.