The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27
oVEDS5o,ooo,ooo SCARED OFF
BUILDING SITUATION IN NEW
YORK WORSE THAN EVER.
Bosses Frankly Admit That Parks 10 In
Control and Prepare TO Shut Down
Arbitration Scheme FaIlure-Hard
Times Ahead for the Wage Workers.

four months to bring about settled condi-
tons in the building trades now admit
that the labor situation in this city is more
hopelessly mixed up than ever. The scheme
of the Building Trades Employers Asso-
citation. in pursuit of which they shut down
all building and then above trades to
work after their respective unions had
signed the arbitrator agreement. instead
OF forcing harmony, has divided the unions
into four hostile groups
The first of these groups is formed Of
the unions remaining in the old Board of
Building Trades, which is controlled by
Sam Parks, its president. There are over
twenty unions in the board. of which eight
represent skilled trades.
The second group is made up Of unions
which have signed the arbitration agree
ment and have organized the Board Of
Representatives
The third group consists of the majority
Of the unions which have signed the ar
bitration agreement. but will join no board
because of the uncertainty as to how the
fight is going to end.
The fourth group is composed Of new
unions formed Of the employers in the
trades whose old organizations have not
signed the arbitration agreement.
special meeting of the Board of Cover
nors OF the Employers Association has been
called for tomorrow, to make decisive
effort to end the trouble, even IL a general
shutdown of all building work is again
declared
As a result OF these conditions, men who
intended to invest in building operations
are withholding their capital, and plans
drawn by architects, at the direction of
owners of property are being abandoned
by wholesale.
The amount Of capital intended for build
ing operations in this city which it is known
will be withdrawn, is estimated at between
$50 900 900 and $50 900, 900.
A SUN reporter interviewed a number OF
architects on the subject yesterday and
found them all convinced that hard times
are in store for building mechanics, not
only here, but all over the country
Joseph NJ. Lawlor. supervising architect
Of 2?O Broadway, said that he had drawn
plans for some large buildings which were
abandoned at the last moment blythe owners
Of the property. Hepointed to some papers
below his desk, saying
There is a plan for big commercial
building. The owner of piece Of property
had fully made up his mind to build, but
this week he said he would not risk it in
the present condition Of the building trade.
He has gone to Europe. He will In the
meantime be losing interest on the money
invested in the site.
az know n case in which an owner paid
over half million dollars some time ago
for building and site, with the intention
of rebuilding this summer. He has given
I'D all idea of doing SO this season. As a
good part of the money has been borrowed.
he is paying interest on large sum for
which there is practically no return
Mr. Lawlor said that he spoke very con-
servatively when he said that at least
$4,000, 900 intended for investment in build
ing operations this fall and next spring
had been held back. Reports from cities
all over the country were to the same effect.
81 have been in the business for twenty
years" he said land never knew such
a chaotic condition. 1t means only one
thing, hard times, and the unions, or
rather their leaders, are to blame for it
1T was peculiarly unfortunate that
Parks of the Housesmiths' Union should
have won victory in Kansas City at present.
II simply means chaos in New York. as
Parks seems to have control Of the stu
alton"
A representative Of Charles s. JONES'
architect, of $50 Broadway. said that as
long as the unions used their present tactics
there could be no industrial peace.
THE original object of the unions,
no
from unfair conditions, YVES all right
he said. But now they arc used as club
to force employers to grant any terms
fair or unfair, and are becoming national
menace"
Another architect said that lie would not
be surprised if the capital held back next
wear in New York city would reach $40, OOO,-
600. There would be building still going
on In accordance with the increasing pop.l-
lation, but the building boom. he said,
was gone.
1T must be remembered, tco," he said,
that millions of dollars In profits will be
lost through delay in erecting commercial
buildings which were to be finished this
fall and will remain uncompleted all winter.
Large prospective profits in rents Of Office
buildings will go the same way"
The board of governors Of the Building
Trades Employers Association received
many letters yesterday containing proposals
10 end the trouble. They will be con-
sidered at it's special meeting Tomorrow
The board made the following statement
last night
I'VE are prepared to take more drastic
measures than we ever did before. We have
done with parleying, and it is now going
to be case where every head that bobs
up will be hit. On this we are all agreed.
I'VE have spent the summer in trying to
accomplish something by which work might
be resumed on a sane and businasslike
basis, but have been met by treachery and
uncalled for opposition.
when work is resumed, and | cannot
now predict when that will be, We shall
employ such men as we see fit. We will
take measures to have all the men we want
and will be in position where we will not
be asking odds from the unions"
Some OF the members of the Employers
Association said that they did not think
Parks would figure in the fight much longer.
different view was held by non association
employers. A representative Of the Amer
lean Bridge Company said:
There Is no use in trying to belttle Parks
T.