The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-05-13

PLFNTY OF WORKMEN at HAND.
Brickmasons' Strike Not Hindefing
Construction OF the New Normal
Building.
Greensboro. y. c.. May 1e.-As the
statement made in this correspondence
last week. that work on the new dor
nitory buildings at the State Normal
and Industrial College was progressing
satisfactorily despite the strike now
ON here against Mr.. ". O. Balm. the
contractor. by the Greensboro Brick
layers' Union. has been contradicted
In a signed article by Mr.. NJ. c. Stile.
president OF the union here. the fol-
flowing may be interesting. knowing
that people all over North Carolina
felt great interest in this matter OF
the completion OF the college building.
land that exaggerated reports OF the
teffect OF the strike here on the con-
tractor, might cause additional ankle
". the statement was made last week
that work was progressing. and about
20 brickmasons were ut work laying
the foundations. The information Was
iootained from thoroughly reliable
source and was given out. without
Il
lof the necessity OF sec lring the con-
lsent or approval OF Mr.. stiles. Mr.. Balm
or Mr. Anybody, as Ia whether Il would
have any effect On he success or fall
lure OF the l&~o- ,rOLble in which they
are involved.
| On reading Mr.. Stiles statement
yesterday. that there were only five
lbricklayers. twelve apprentice boy<
land three carpenters at work. t. looked
Hike IL was time for this correspondent
Ito go and see for himself. and not take
lanybody else's word for IL. So with
Iout asking Mr.. Stiles permission. or
leven Mr.. Bain's. personal inspection
tof the work was made With he fol-
flowing result:
Arriving ere a. fo-- O'Clock there
lwere found exactly seventy-one men
bat work on the building. exclusive OF
the superintendent and the foreman.
OF these seventy-one, - OF them were
laying brick like the very old harry. or
these q bricklayers there were five who
seemed 10 be not over II or 1s years or
lage, the others were all middle aged
Imen, some OF them gray-haired and
lsome even baldheaded. The work was
begun ten days ago and for two or
three days before IL was known
THAT the contractor desired brickma-
lsons. and upon refusal OF union masons
here to work for him. or to allow others
Iwho came TO do so, work went along
lslow. Mr.. Balm was not bothering
iabout this, as he had to do the neces-
isary preliminary work before making \
lreal beginning. Last week the force
Twas increased to 20 brickmasons. yes
lterday there were q at work. and to-
lday six more brickmasons were given
employment, they having been employ
led yesterday. While this correspondent
was present, he saw eight different men
lapply to the superintendent for work.
land heard them told that all the labor
lof the kind sought had been already
procured. The building is 40 by 125
feet. The foundation walls are 90
Inches at the base. and have nearly
lall been completed. There VIII be IL
walls run across clear to the roof. rs
fire walls. all 17Iz inches thick.
| The fact that most OF these founda-
ltions have been completed already to
the floor level. shows that somebody
has been at work. especially as the rain
Hast Saturday stopped work entirely.
l150.o00 brick had been laid by IL o'clock
yesterday. II will take 1000. 900 brick
Ito complete the building AS to the
quality Of the work done. the archi-
tect, Mr.. Hooks of Charlotte. made on
inspection of the foundation work,
Saturday, and said he had never seen
better work in his whole experience.
So far no one would know there was
la bricklayers' strike here. Work on all
TRACTORS say a great deal OF the work
lin bricklaying is being done under old
lsub-contracts at SO much per thourand
lbrick, and whether the men work ten
hours day or one hour a day Is no
concern OF theirs and they have not
concerned themselves about IL. Tho
way in which the work OF building the
St Vincent hospital is being done.
shows that the superintendent there
Ihad had some experience with other
strikes. From the first he would en-
ploy no man. except by the hour.
He pays by the hours exclusively and
doesn't have any day business in IL 1T
all. If a man wishes TO quit or be en-
lployed, day is never recognized.
tTwenty-fOur hours or four hours a day
is all the same TO him, but 1t Is said
that he keeps n sharp lookout 10 see
that every hour counts in work. and
every failure to be eternally it.. brings
"a reprimand or discharge.
Memorial day ceremonies here today
llargly attndd. Tn larg taoin shrdlu
twere beautifully observed and very
largely attended. The large Banner
warehouse was filled with people to
hear the splendid address by Hon.
Dan. Hugh Mclean. OF Harnett. The
'exercises were opened by Adjt. Gen
Nv. w. Wood. Chaplain L. VI. Craw-
ford Offering prayer. When Gen. Cul-
len II. Battle was conducted to the
,rostrum. a great ovation was given
the aged hero. In answer to repeated
demands he made an eloquent greeting
ito the assembled veterans I'm which he
said that one Of the secrets OF North
ICarolina's greatness was because of the
honor OF its men. the purity and
strength OF its women and the sanctity
lof its religious triths-
Rev. Sam Jones preached an appro-
lpriate and impressive sermon to the
lold soldiers and gave them flashes
iof humor. delightful touches Of pathos
land lasting illustrations of the impor-
Itance OF religious as well as patriotic
lconsecration. The Grafton by Mr.. Nc
Lean was the most eloquent ever de-
llivered on a like occasion here. A
lbountiful dinner was provided by the
lDaughters of the Cnnfederacv and Waa