The sun., 1903-11-18
FULLER co. CUTTING DOWN.
BUT WON'T QUIT BUSINESS, so
1T ANNOUNCES.
1t Has Reduced Its Onlce Force to q
Minimum on Account Of the Labor
Troubles. but VIII he Ready When
They're Over-Reports That II Is Out.

Reports were in circulation yesterday in
the vicinity of the Flatiron Building that
the United States Realty Company, on ac-
count of the labor troubles of this summer,
had decided to abandon it's construction
department, which has been operated as
the George A. Fuller Company. The Fuller
company erected the Flatiron Building,
and now has it's main offices there, on the
eighteenth floor. The reports reached the
Townsend Building and other places in the
neighborhood where building contractors
have their headquarters.
According to the reports, the working
force Of the Fuller company is being rapidly
reduced, no more contracts are to be under
taken, and practically the entire force Of
estinators has been discharged. 1t was
also stated that the intention was to put
the Fuller plant and good will on the market
and that the Fuller company, preparatory
to going out of business, had turned a large
contract in Boston over to the Thompson
Starrett Company. 1t is known that the
company has recently reduced it's working
force materially.
At the offices of the Fuller company II
was denied that the company was going out
of business, but it was admitted that the
working force has been reduced to a mini
mum. This statement was made on behalf
of the company:
The United States Realty Company Is not
going to do away with its operating depart
ment, but on account Of the extraordinary
labor troubles of this summer we have re-
duced our working force to a minimum
We have discharged all the estimators. except
the chief estimator We will finish up our
present contracts. but may not undertake
any new ones until business Is more stable
in the building trades.
Other contracting firms are reducing their
working forces. Capitalists are not willing
to invest. owing to the depressed state OF
the building trade through the labor troubles
AS to the Boston contract, we did not turn
it over TO the Thompson-Starrett Company
We let that company have 1t, Until the labor
conditions are more stable there is little
encouragement for intending builders. and
we have good deal of building to finish,
anyway As to giving UP work. there Is
little or nothing in the way of new work to
do We are not going out OF business. and
when trade becomes stable again will do our
share.
The George A. Fuller and Thompson
Starrctt companies are two out OF only
about half dozerf general contractors in
the country who have the plant to con-
struct any kind of building without SUBJ
letting any part Of it. The members of the
Mason Builders Association are known
also as general contractors, but they do
only the brick work and supiet ali the other
work. .....,
The George A. Fuller Company is a mem.
ber Of the National Association OF Struct-
ural Iron Manufacturers and Erectors,
which signed an agreement for two years
with Local No. of the Housesmiths last
April by which the wages became $3.50
day.
Soon afterward the Building Trades
Employers Association was formed and
locked out all the building workers until
the unions agreed to sign the arbitration
agreement. The Iron League resigned
from the International Association, and
Joined in the shutdown. The employers
have now recognized new housesmiths
union The Fuller company and the
American Bridge Company still stand by
tho aDreament with T,ocal No 2