New-York tribune., 1901-05-25
TUNNEL WORK TIED UP.
G. F. U. DELEGATE CALLS THE STRIKE
ILL ADVISED
NEARLY ALL THE SKILLED WORK AT A
STANDSTILL-PRACTICAL NO DIS
ORDER REPORTED-M'DON-
AIDS EASY POSITION
AIDS EASY POSITION.


Practically the entire construction work on
the rapid transit tunnel was stopped yesterday
by the strike Of the engineers, rock drillers and
tool sharpeners for higher wages. About fif-
teen hundred actually strike but
between four thousand AMI eight thousand are
idle because of the trouble
John e. Mcdonald, the general contractor. re-
fused to discuss the situation yesterday. but ad-
mitted that the work completely tied up
Patrick Mcmahon. Of the engineers Inion'
James Green, of the rock drillers and other
leaders of the strikers however talked freely.
They declared that they were tired Of futile
efforts to the contractors and to arrive at
a agreement with them. and had decided that
a strike was about the quickest way to secure
an interview.
This action was taken. however. right in the
face of the Central Federated Unions committee
which had just concluded an arbitration agree
ment with the contractors. John j. Gal'aS'
chairman of the eommittee. declared yesterday
that the strike ill advised and i'll umeu'
The whole matter will be thoroughly thrashed
out at the meeting Of the Central Federated
Union tomorrow. and it is likely that the lead
ers of the STRIKE will hear some very PLAIN taih-
There is even a possibility that they may be
ordered to send their men back to work Extra
precautions were taken by the police all along
the line of the tunnel to prevent a clash be-
tween the strikers and men who might be en-
pIOyed in their places and to guard against any
damage to the machinery by the strikers no
trouble was reported although some of the CON
tractors tried to resume with non-union men
Very few were obtained, however and no head
way was made with the work. In the Great
Jones-st. section three non-union engineers were
put to work and a few the uptown sections
Trouble is feared, however. If any attempt Is
made to employ non-union men on an extensive
scale.
The tunnel sub-contractors held meeting yes
terday In the office OF the Rapid Transit Con
struotion Company in the Park Row Building,
but they declined to tell what action, If any,
taken in regard to the strike 1t was learned
yesterday that Mr., Mcdonald was in partlcu-
larly strong position to fight the strikers if he
felt so inclined. He has four and a half years
in which to complete the tunnel, and is now
eight months ahead OF his work. reckoning on
the basis of his taxing the full period. He can.
therefore afford to let the work lie absolutely
untouched for eight nine months and still
finish in time to fulfil the terms Of his contract.
At the excavation in City Hall Park there
was no sign Of a strike. There are no rock
drillers employed at that point, and the italian
shovellers were digging in the loose sand stead
ily The foreman at the excavation said that
he had seen no strikers and that he anticipated
no trouble No hostng engines are used at
this excavation. the dirt being carted away d.
rectly from the place where the men were dig
g'ng.
At the beginning of the Elm-st division tun-
mel the work going on quietly. There are
no drillers or tool sharpeners engaged at this
point and the foreman said that no one was on
strike there.
The first outbreak Of violent nature occurred
at the noon hour the Haughton section. at
Forty -third-st. There was only rock driller
at work there and ten others on strike waited
for him to quit work for luncheon. They caught
him at Forty -thrd-st. and Broadway. They
called him "Scab' and other names ana he
backed up against railing. They spat tobacco
juice him and calico on him to quit work
A crowd gathered. but a policeman rescued the
non-union man and saved him from injury.
Mr.. Holbrook. of the contracting firm OF Hol-
brook Cabot & DAILY, said that the preclpitate
action Of the men in striking as they did would
| probably throw out all the work Of the con
tractors committee and the Central Federated
Union Committee. If the men had waited for
q few days, he said, the employers ana the men
could have come to some amicable agreement
The General Contractors Association Of the
City Of New-York held an executive meeting
last night In Tuxedo Hall. Fifty ninth-st and
Madison-ave This association while II includes
many contractors who constructing sections
of the tunnel, is not composed exclusively of
these for as the title OF the organization indi-
Gates general contractors help TO make up the
body. 1t decided to oppose rigidly the de-
mands of the men who are now on strike T.
f Crimmins. president Of the association. said
after the meeting that the decision OF the asso-
citation would be adhered to II operations on the
tunnel or elsewhere were delayed all summer.
The contractors pledged themselves to stick to-
gether According to Mr. Crimmins. they had
received assurances from those with whom con-
tracts had been made that the time in which
contracts were to be fulfilled would be extended.
THE existing contracts of the members of the
| General Contractors Association were made on
a basis which included the present scale of
wages for labor" said A. c. Gdersleeve, secre-
tary of the organization. 'and the demands of
| the men are consequently absurd and could not
possibly be favorably considered. There Is
enough rock blasted along the tunnel route to
keep full force of laborers going for the next
three months, and If necessary the contractors
can resort to the old style method Of hand drill
ing and also hoist the dirt and rock by hand.
Unless the strikers recede from their preposter-
Gus position the difficulty VIII certainly be pro-
longed one. as the contractors are firm and
unit in their intention not to grant what the
men insist upon"
| FOOTBRIDGE STRIKE DECLARED OFF.