New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-18
CLOSED Up By STRIKES.
SOME OF P1RKSS WORK.
Faler Com pany Reducing Its Force,
and MAJ Quit Business.

The George A Fuller Company. it was learned
yesterday. on account Of the present conditions
IN the building trades. Is reducing It's working
force 20 a minimum. and there were reports
that Il WAS going out OF business. The Fuller
Company is the construction department Of the
United States Realty Company. and the re-
ports stated that the realty company had de-
cided TO do away with the construction depart
uent on account Of the discouraging conditions
n the building trade brought about by the
strikes and locKouts. which have spoiled an err
Ere building season. one OF the reports was TO
the effect that as a preliminary TO shut
ting down on construction the Fuller Company
had given up a big contract in Boston. which
was taken I'D by the Thompson-Starrett Com
psny. II sai6 that the plant and good
VIII Of the Fuller Company would be disposed
~ when its present contracts were fulfilled.
There are only about FIVE large firms OF gen
eral contractors in the country. OF which the
Fuller and Thompson-Starrett companies are
enamples, which are equipped 70 do all the work
on any building. The Mason Builders are also
called general contractors. but they subet all
the work except the bricklaying. making year
ly agreements with The brioklayers and brick
layers laborers
representative 81 the George A. Fuller COM
pany. who was seen at the offices Of the COM
psny. in the Fatiron Building. yesterday after
rcon. admitted that the working force had been
reduced 10 minimum. but denied that the en-
tire construction department would be done
sway with. Then he made he following gen
eral statement on behalf Of the company:
on account Of the labor troubles and the conse-
aUent depression in The building industry We have
have discharged all our estinaters but the chief
estirater and have reduced the force greatly IN al
business. other contracting firms are also reduc-
ftions We will finish the contracts on hand. but
Nill undertake very little new work until the bud-
lftle new work in sight investors. owing 10 the
- T5e cors-s,f str5les and lockoufs Of this
season have brought about a stsgnauon IN the
he added thar as 20 the Boston contract. the
srm did not Try 10 get it, and the Thompson
Starrett company took it up. The Fuller COM
panv would. when trade was settled again. he
said. 90 its accustomed share OF business. Al
present The amount OF new work was far below
he normal
The Fuller company is still supposed TO be
under the Two year agreement with Parks's
Union. Local No. , which signed last April,
by which the housesrni.hs were 90 receive 81 %
day. The other sisnerS Nere Joshua A Hat
ield. president Of the American Bridge Com
pany. and J. N. Cornell. president Of the Iron
League. the three signing local committee
Of the National Association Of Structural Iron
manufacturers and Erectors. The Iron League
left the National Association about the time
the Building Trades Employers Association.
which the Iron League Joined. declared the gen.
ersl shutdown Of buildings and made a return
10 work conditional the signing Of the arbi-
trstion agreement by the unions.
The Fuller company. not being in the En-
pioyers' Association. continued good terms
with Local No. >. which the Iron League re-
fused 10 DO business with. because il refused to
sign the arbitration agreement Members Of
Local no. are on strike against the Fuller
company at the Rogers Building, but IL is in
sympathy with the stonecutters. The members
81 Local No. working all the other
Fuller contracts.
Another conference took place yesterday be-
tween members OF the executive committee OF
the bTicklayers' unions and President 5. p. Nc
Cornell in reference TO the strikes Of brick
layers the Fuller contracts. The demand for
waiting time the money for which is accumu-
lating at the rate Of $500 a day proved
block TO any settlement. Everything else was
conceded.