The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-13
PLUMBERS
STRIKE FOR
5 HOURS.
Many Of ths Employing Firms
Accsds TO Demand, But a
Few Hold Out.

The demand for an eight-hour Gay not
having been granted by the master
plumbers. ninety per cent. Of the union
plumbers Of this city went out on a
strike this morning.
Every one OF the larger shops was az
focted and in some gases had TO shut
down as an the union men refused to
work. and in some Instances Influenced
their non-unlon brethren 10 go ont also
At the present writing the workmen
appear To have the upper hand. one OF
the strikers says that I'll Is only mat
Ter OF A very short time when we will
be hack az work again" and he added,
and al the eight hours a day, 20.
The word strikers seems too harsh Ia
call these quiet, orderly ana intelllsent
men. who bear not the slightest mahce
against their employers, and who claim
that the granting of an eight-hour DAY
will NOT affect the pocketbooks or the
masters i'm the least In fact, they as
sert that the long suffering public Is the
only one that will be the loser.
The dissatisfaction over the nine-hour
day has been apparent among the
journeymen for some time and over q
week ago the demand eliminated IN
fum 10 the masters. that II the eight-hour
rule did not go into effect ON or before
Monday. May lS every plumber that was
A member of the union would drop his
tools and strike
To Offset this declaration the master
plumbers held meeting Thursday night
last and voted not 10 sccede 10 the de-
mands OF the strikers for three reasons
They assert that I'm the first place they
were never officially notified OF the de-
mand for eight hours: that the joureny-
men have broken the agreement entered
into between the Masters association and
the union and thirdly. that the condition
OF trade at the present time will not per-
NIT them to make such concessions.
The journeymen on the other hand
argue that in New York, Philadelphia,
l9oston, Brooklyn and many other large
cries tho plumbers are compelled 10 work
eight hours only and that with many OF
the men employed by the building trades
such as masons, stone-cutters, bricklay-
crs. painters. iron workers, carpenters
and others. who only work eight hours,
it is only fair and just for them 10 de-
mand IL also Now whether they will get
81 or not remains to be seen and az at the
outset both sides appeared very Arm an
Interesting struggle II looked for.
But this morning bright and early all
1he men assembled at the Labor Temple,
corner OF Mathewsou and Washington
streets and every phase OF this all inn
portant question was gone over again
and again. Am early meeting was held
and II was proposed 20 select "A committee
OF three to represent the plumbers and 10
go out and treat with the masters After
a little discussion Frank Merriweather
philip Young and Walter Manser were
chosen aud they at once started on their
quest.
Nearly every shop In the city was Wis
sted and In most cases the results were
satisfactory After short deliberations
the following firms acquiesced 10 the de-
mand OF the men; The owen McAulin'
Co. John C.. Dunn. president OF the Mas
Ter Plumbers association, II. Holmes and
Company, Graham Brothers, McAuleN
Brothers Davey Brothers. John McGuirl
Robert Berry. Morris Murphy, John w
Mckenzie John +. Ramon, John Nc
Keen, Thomas Doyle and Thomas Cong
don.
The only other large concerns remaining
nut OF the fold are y. and ]. Tierney an'
The American Plumbing company, but I
* confidently expected that they will b.
in line before many hours.