The sun., 1903-04-02
WESTCHESTER TOWNS IDLE.
Nearly $1,000 workmen In the Building
Trades Go Out.

MOUNT VERNON. ". Y, April The
anticipated strike In the building trades In
Westchester county and Connecticut began
to-day and the streets of Mount Vernon.
New Rochelle, Yonkers, Port Chester and
q score of other places were filed with
idle men. II in estimated that nearly 1900
men are involved in the strike. which is
for q 20 per cent. increase In wages. Work
has ceased on buildings valued at about
$4,000 900. including E. S. Reynars new
mansion at White Plains. E. l.. Marston's
private casino at Byram Shore, Paul G..
Thcbaud's new manor house at White
Plains, Richard Harding Davis's bungalow
in North Castle. NJ. j. Condon's $3.50 900
mansion In Pelham Manor and a number
OF larger buildings, such as the Home for
Aged Women. which is being built with
the Osborn millions in Rye. and the new
10000 Roman Catholic Church which
Adrian Iselin recently gave to the Italians
of New Rochelle,
The mechanics demand a Saturday half
holiday with a whole days pay. and double
pay for any time they wait for their wages;
work on holidays to be paid for at double
rates and overtime double also. The in
cresses demanded are: Painters. from So
to s. rs; carpenters, from S3 to So 2s; masons.
from s. so to "a. 20: hod carriers and labor
ers, from 81 to 81 o.; timers. from 1925 TO
So. s.; plumber from $3.50 to -; lathers.
q. .2s per thousand.
The builders and contractors. who have
organized an association 500 strong. have
obtained the cooperation of the lumber
yard and planning mill owners and have re-
FUSED to give the advance. They hold that
the condition Of the building trade. does not
warrant such a large increase in wages
because the extra expense would discourage
hundreds OF people who contemplate
erecting buildings and homes from Doing
so. They offered an increase OF 10 per cent.
and when this was refused they suggested
arbitration.
The strikers say that their demands are
not out OF proportion TO the increased cost
of living. They have refused 10 submit
the question to arbitration.
In Mount Vernon the plumbers only are
out as the other mechanics are under con-
tract to work until May 1 at the present
wage schedule. In the other places all
classes OF mechanics are idle.
The employers In several towns have
thrown open their shops and works 70 nom
union men and are advertising for this
class Of help In the New York newspapers.
A few employers have given In to the
strikers. but they are in most cases smaller
contractors and not members Of the associa-
ton.
No attempt was made to-day Dy any OF
the strikers TO prevent non-union men
from working. Nine came up from New
York and went to work for Julius Gerlach.
a painter in Iarchmopt. and were not
jnterfered with. but tomorrow picket
lines will be thrown out and every effort
will be exerted to keep men from taxing
the places Of strikers.
The strikers have big relief fund and
declare that they will remain out until
summer II necessary to obtain advanced
wages. The strike Is being felt the hardest
IN Port Chester and New Rochelle, where
more than a thousand mechanics and men
employed in the large wood working fac,
tnries are idle. and the business OF local
merchants IL paralyzed.
The strike has stimulated the real estate
business. Many New Workers. who ex-
nected 10 build houses this spring In the
suburbs have abandoned the idea and are
either buying cottages and villas or are
leasing them.