Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-23
LAID DOWN THEIR TRoWELS
BRICKLAYERs AT NAVY YARD GO
ON A STRIKE.
Union Demands That They he Paid
Prevailing Wage Rate of
$3.50 Per Day.

Thirty bricklayers employed In the con-
struction of the new buildings at the Wash
ing ton navy yard, who have been reeeiv-
ing wages of 81 per day, went on strike
this morning in pursuance of action taken
last night at a meeting of Bricklayers
Union No. /. Six bricklayers continued
at work.
Sometime ago the scale of wagers for
bricklayers in the District of Columbia was
fixed by the union at 81. so per day. Nearly
all local contractors accepted this advance,
and it is said that Lieut.. Sewall, U. s. A.
In charge of the construction of the new
government printing Office, also granted
the advance to the bricklayers employed
on that work
Recently a committee of the Bricklayers
Union was appointed to lay the subject
before the Navy Department and request
an advance in the wages paid the navy
yard bricklayers to $3.50 per day. In reply
to this Acting Secretary Hackett wrote
the committee letter stating that the
wages of the bricklayers in question were
fixed by a board of naval officers, which
was called to meet twice year, to de-
eide upon the amount Of pay per day for
the next six months. Such a board, he
stated. had fixed 81 per day as the rate for
the six months beginning July last. The
acting secretary also said in his letter that
1t would be inconvenient to convene a
board for the purpose at this time. His
letter was submitted to the union last
night by the committee and after dis
cussfon 1t was decided to order out the
men at work in the navy yard, as well as
all those engaged on work for the District
government who were not receiving $500
per day.
Alleged Inconsistency.
1t is understood that duri:,g tn, debate
that preceded the strike order several of
the navy yard bricklayers asked for fur
hor IF tha ir,1i
Gated that they did not wish 10 stop work.
In reply to this, it is said, the argument
was advanced that the Navy Department
authorities were inconsistent in their pres
ent course regarding. treatment of navy
yard bricklayers. 1t was stated TO the
meeting that in 1891, when the BriclilayerS'
Union reduced the working hours per day
from nine to eight hours, being paid then
at the rate of so cents per houc, that the
same rate per hour was continued for the
shorter period, making redtlc':on of 30
cents per day At that time, was stated,
the navy yard bricklayers were already
working but eight hours per day, but were
receiving therefor $3.50. 1t was declared
formally announced by it's officers to the
Navy Department board vas immediate
ly called and reduced the pay Of the navy
yard men to 81. So, it was argued It is
understood, that if a naval board could be
called to reduce wages it could be as easily
called to increase them, when in both
cases the union ndQ dCIeQ as stated
At the Navy Yard.
At the navy yard today Capt. Beatty, U.
S. NJ, in charge of the work upon which
the men struck, said there nothing
that he knew Of in connection with the
matter other than that the men had ceased
work. Several of the latter were interro-
gated by a Star reporter, but none of them
was loquacious. 1t was evident that few,
if any of them, relished the situation. The
colored hod carriers and mortar mixers.
who had been forced into idleness, sat
around the wall outside the navy yard gate
and communed over their hard luck 1t
was learned by the reporter from man
who was apparently conversant with navy
yard customs, that there is rule in force
there which places mechanics, ldborers and
other civil employees on construction of
buildings under obligations to report reg
ularly for work Such employees are mus
tered. SO to speak twice a day when they
come to work in the morning and when the
return after the midday rest period. 1t is
said that a man who misses six musters
cannot secure further employment until a
period of six months has elapsed.