New-York tribune., 1903-03-31
MAY FIGHT STEEL TRUST.
UNION FIRST, CITY NEXT.
No Compromise, the attitude of
President of IronzCorkers.

Frank Buchanan. president Of the InternA-
| tionaI Bridge and Iron Workers Association, re-
fused yesterday the request Of President Orr OF
the Rapid Transit Commission to call OF the
strike on the subway power house at Fifty
ninth-st. and Eleventh-ave. He intmated that
the interests of his association were paramount
to those of the city.
Mr.. Buchanan is In decidedly unconprornis-
ing frame Of mind. He told various labor lead
ers at the Ashland House yesterday that the
structural ironworkers were ready to lock horns
with the Steel Trust. Mr.. Buchanan said to
newspaper men that he had been requested to
meet ]. Pierpont Morgan and Charles NJ Schwao
In the financial district to-day.
The conference with President Orr at the
offices Of the Rapid Transit Commission lasted
from 3 p. m. till 4:2O. Present besides the labor
leader were President Orr, Chief Engineer Par
sons and John B. Mcdonald, the subway con-
tractor.
The subject under discussion the strika
of the seEyRcsIvrz4 frUrIWorFErs the nt T""C
house OF the subway at Fifty-ninth-st- and
Eleventh-ave. On March about seventy-nFe
workmen handling American Bridge Company
steel on the powerhouse were ordered out on 4
strike in sympathy with their brethren in Pitts
burg and Buffalo. There is no distinct local
cause for disag greement. 1t is purely matter
Of sentiment and sympathy the part OF the
seventy-fve workers here for their fellow crafts
men in Buffalo and Pittsburg, few OF whom
they have ever seen. John B. Mcdonald made
an agreement with the ironwOrkers on the sub
way work in November, and he says they have
broken the agreement absolutely without cause
He sent to the Rapid Transit Commission
week ago letter saying that the strike on the
power house was delaying the work on the sub
way In a serious manner. The commission dI-
rooted President Orr to confer with the iron-
workers.
CONFERENCE WITH MIR. ORR.
"lrr. Buchanan was here for more than an
hour this afternoon said President Orr, when
seen by a Tribune reporter, at No a2o Broad
way, yesterday.
Have you made any headway toward settLlnS
the striker" he asked.
II have not" replied Mr.. Orr II tried as well
ae 7 couId to point out to Nj Buchanan that
the strike of the. fronworkers was directly at
fectnc the interests of the people of this city AZ
large in that it would delay the opening or the
rapid transit subway system He said mat
Was looking out for the interests OF the city
and that he was looking out for the interests OF
TIE ironworkers, and he would not admit that
one was more important than the other.
Are you going to see MI 6uchdiiSiii d5ai4i'
Mr. Orr was asked.
"T haven't any appointment with him. and do
NOT expect to see him again. I shall report 10
the commission that have had 4 talk with MI
buchanan Whether the commission Will ask
the Mayor to try 20 get the conflicting interests
harmonized I cannot say.
When Mr.. Buchanan was walking away rom
the commissions offices he said:
II haven't anything to say one way or the
other
# was asserted later that Mr.. Mcdonald had
tried at the conference to convince Mr.. Buchanan
that the strike should not include work on the
subway.
You are working against the interests OF the
people You are not harming me-" Mr. Nc
Donald is reported to have said.
No" said Mr.. Buchanan, tartly. according 10
report Il don't think you will be harmed no
matter what happens Any one tnat can s'1 ma aS5
81 OOOOO0 on one job in three years time cannot
he harmed very rVuch by an ironWorkerS
strike.
going TO see the Mayor. he could not see
where the Mayor was in any way concerned
IF half the ri1n,0rs circulating in labor circles
Yesterday can be taken an Indication OF what
is going to happen. President buchanan is on the
point of ordering on strike this week all lhs
Structural Iron Workers Association handling
materials produced by the Steel Trust or any
companies in any manner affiliated with H. II
this is done, e is said that about toTty-hEe
thousand skilled worxrnen will 'Iuit work, ana
that more than half the structural steel work orr,
under way in this country will be halted for
an indefinite period
READY TO EXTEND STRIKES
The National Building Trades Council. which
controls most of the building trade unions out
side of New-York. it said last night. was
ready to order strikes in sympathy with the
ironworkers if called on. In this city the Board
Of Building Trades has sole power To order gen
eraI sympathetic strikes.
A representative of the American Bridge Com
pany said yesterday that he had had Q sa9rI
conference in the forenoon with Walking Dele
gate Mccarthy Of the HouSeSmiths, Bridgefnen
and Structural IrOnWorkers' Union. Nothing
caroA 81 the conference he said Mccarthy say
THE RAILROAD LUNCH COUNTER
no longer meets the demands OF the public Dining
Ears ~ the highest grade used on the PeISP@