New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-14
BUILDING TRADE WOES.
STRIKES DELAY SCHOOLS.
Losses By Labor Troubles Large, and
No Relief IN Sight.

While sam" Parks was having his day in court
yesterday. the building traces tie-up continued 20
be effective. but no new developments iolio"eo
the determination OF the employers. as announced
before tonight the battle the finish. Both sides
are now preparing for a hard struggle ana IN
the interim the building situation continues de-
moralized.
one interesting and significant feature OF the
present condition is the effect upon the public
schools One strike after another throughout the
summer has delayed the work. and now, with the
opening OF the schools only few weeks away.
there are several new school buildings far behind
the contracts, particularly the East Side. where
the congestion makes the need of new schools
imperative There is in the three or four new
schools every evidence of the difficulty the con-
tractors encountering. 1t is too early TO
prophesy what schools will be unfinished but with
only 1900 men working schools In the greater
city, where several thousand could be employed
to advantage, the situation is apparent.
There is another bad phase TO the school situa-
ton. and that is the reluctance of contractors TO
undertake new buildings. Disheartened by the
difficulties and the decentralization of the trade at
the present time they shrink from any new chance
of loss and delay. One of the oldest and most
perienced contractors in the city said this week
that II he in a position to do 1t he would
get out of business at once. for he saw prospect
of any settlement Of the difficulties.
SUCCESSIVE STRIKES STOPPED WORK.
The chief difficulties In the schools have been
carpenters. hoUsesmiths, steam filters and engf-
neers. Buildings that have needed only few days
of work TO put roof and be ready for the
plasterers have been delayed for weeks Similarly
the carpenters have held back work. and this phase
of the situation, by which trade withhold
all the work, has been demonstrated half dozen
times recently in the schools.
The feeling of the workingmen is we'll illustrated
by the comment of an engineer. who was found
working up in The Bronx on a job. Just keep
ba fanft bat GarL p,fd he Il
want to work. but don't want TO quarrel with
the union. I haven't made SIS since May, and
need the money
At the Building Trades Employers Club Charles
NJ. Eidlitz said yesterday that the engineers were
still working, despite their vote to rescind their
acceptance of the arbitration plan. He said he
asked one of the engineers what the vote meant.
No. said the engineer sddins iope ss Ea
go on working, you don't care what We do in
LOSSES BY LABOR TROUBLES.
It is far too early to estimate the amount Of
the losses both capital and labor have endured in
the present contest. but first and last hun
dred thousand men have been out OF work.
steadily since last May, and S25 100000 is conserva
tive figure at which to place the loss in wages. Two
thousand firms and S100OO0000 of capital have been
affected. Many theatres schools, hotels and clubs
we'll as private dwellings have been delayed far
n IN he f ana the ehf en0 Of 81 n
Parks furnishes to that labor leader the oppor-
Parks yesterday discussed the declaration Of the
employers association proong the present tie
up in the building situation. 1T would seem
TO be a very necessary thing for the bosses to do
in the face of present conditions" he said. I'VE
told the bosses some time ago that we were going
to prolong the lockout. it forced on us, and
had alternative. And shall stay out
long that the bosses, am afraid, will become
tired of prolongng the tie-up.'
rs 1t true that want hunger or suffering OF any
kind exists among the families of the members
Absolutely not The best contradiction Of that
story is that Friday night last at a meeting of
union, the unanimously voted $4,000 Of
the unions money into circulation. for the benefit
of the members Our union is financially strong.
The men lack nothing, and their families not
starving"