The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-11
WON'T LAY BRICK
Union Men Make Things Inter-
esting For Contractor.
Refuse to Work on Foundation
Laid by Nom Union Men.
THAT BOWMAN SCHOOL
Difficult TO Tell When 1t Will
BE Completed.
Almost Impossible to Get Men
to Do the Work.
Oklahoma Contractor Acquires
knowledge in Topeka.

School viii not open this fall at the
new Lowman Hill school now in the
course of construction as was antici-
pated by the school board of education
earlier in the year. The delay in open
ing the school will be caused through
delays in the completion of the build
ing, growing out of troubles between
the contractor. Chas. Sockler of Okla
homa and the local brick1ayers' union.
These delays viii seriously hamper
the efficiency and plans of the school
work for the year as laid out by the
school board. After the fire which de-
strOyed the school house at Lowman
Hill, the scholars were taken care OF
at Polk school during the remaining
part Of the year. 1T was hoped" said
City Superintendent W. M Davidson
to a State Journal reporter this morn
ing, that the building would be ready
for occupancy promptly on contract
time. We were anxious to see the
scholars from Lowman Hill accommo-
dated at their home school so that the
reorganization Of Polk school should be
effected. This reorganization will now
nave to be postponed until the spring
term. 1t Will break in on the years
work, and may give some annoyance
IN arranging all the details and getting
every thing to running smoothly for the
spring term"
Meanwhile it is almost impossible to
secure WOrkmen to go ahead with the
brick work on the new building. The
work is being done by what is COM
monty termed "scab" labor
The stone foundation for the building
on that account the brickIayers have alb
solutely refused to lay any brick on that
4ouIusAtlon unless the contractor pays the
local union the sum Of 800 indemnity for
ana also the sum OF SlOV Tor the same Of
Tense when he built the administration
building at the insane asylum last year
The union of the stonernasons and
bricklayers of Topeka includes nearly all
the most competent men in those lines in
the City ana ~ also includes practically
every workman in the two lines men
toned. in the city 1t is one of the strong
est in Topeka The bricklay ers absolute
" refuse to lay a single prick on the
stonemasons Ana because Of this rule.
Alfred Brewer, foreman IN charge of the
enced no little difficulty in getting men to
work at laying brick
summer under the pretext that the
tremely hot weather has held the work
the delays was partially caused through
an inability to get material promptly.
bers of the bricklayers' union who are in
q position to know the true reason for the
Only about half a. dozen men have been
at work laying brick on the new school
porter went out to Eleventh and Norris
streets today to note the progress made
pleted one story above the foundation and
the remaining three walls are completed
about half story. The structure when
finished Will be full two stories above the
foundation
be ready for occupancy on October TO- 1t
is announced that it viii probably he COM
1Iafv. The members Of the school board
viii be fortunate if they are able to ar
range for school to begin in this school
at the same time as school begins all over
The offer made by the local union to
furnish men to do the work provided the
indemnity was paid them has not been
nearly two months ago. The members Of
the local union do not anticipate that the
ever that The WORK on this bIIile3ine viz
he DELAYED so much that when taken INFO
consideration with other things it will |
prevent any more contracts being award
ed to Mr.. Sockler here
The animOsity of the members of the /
bricllayers' and stonemasors' union Tor /
ings with the Oklahoma contractor were !
something over a year ago when he built /
the administration building for the state
at the insane asylum q bid Of about I
SO, 900 lower than the next higher bidder.
tscab" labor was employed on this build /
ing. The local union created considera- |
BILE annoyance for him at this time, but /
were not successful in their efforts to I
force him to employ union labor.
THE union makes an appropriation for !
the use of a committee TO keep tab on all |
such matters as this. said one brick /
layer this morning. There are more /
ways than one to induce non-union man /
to quit work on a building under crcun- I
stances like these" he continued, land 4
not many men have remained to work on /
this job"
q. ID Danielson. financial secretary Of
the union. interviewed by a reporter /
for the State Journal He explained some I
OF the advantages that accrued both to
the employer and the employed where /
union labor controlled
In the first place" said he, each sea
son we decide upon q. scale of wages for /
which we VIII work during the remainder
of the year This scale is strictly adj /
hered to, no matter what the conditions
may be: whether the work is slack or
whether there is a big demand for help
has been a demand for brickla yers- We
have been urged TO so to Kansas City and
other places. and have been offered s. per
day all OF which have been refused be-
cause there has been all more than
we can do here ait home. Our scale here
is 50 cents hour. We work eight hours
and consequently earn four dollars per
Another thing. When contractors are
figuring on work it is more fair to all
concerned when they know exactly what
the work viii cost No contractor is Bile
to get the men to work for reduced
rate. and therefore no one has an adNan-
tag sc over another in this respect
The bricklayers allege that in the asy-
lum job Mr.. SOcSier secured some altera-
lions in the plans after the contract was
made that enabled him to better do the
work for the amount of his bid
Mr.. SOckler's bid on the LOWman Hill
school house was about $4,000 less than
any other bid, being SIS, go 49,
Japan Kind to Foreipners