Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-18
PLASTERERS
PLASTERED BY
HANMERSTE|N
Foxy lmpressario Has a Little
Fight With the Union That
Costs the Latter $28, 600
Hard Cash.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 17.--Refusal
Oh the part of the Plasterers' UniUu
of the United States and Canada 10
permit Its members to continue WORK
at the new Hammerstein Opera HouEe
until Arthur Hammerstein had pub
hcly apologized for calling then.
"loafers," has cost the members OF
that organization more than $25, 900 In
cash, according to a story OF the fight
told by Mr.. Hammerstein for the first
time today.
The fight between the impresario
and the union plasterers oceurrad
about a month ago, when Mr.. Ham
merstein came from New York and
expressed ais disgust at the slow
progress being made on the new struc-
tnre. He told the plasterers they
were loafing on the job, and their
union Immediately demanded that Mr..
Hammerstein apologize. They told
him that not one of the men would re-
turn to work until ne had apologized,
and the impresario replied that they
would never return If they waited for
his apology.
Mr. Hammerstein secured Washing
ton, Pittsburg, Boston, Cleveland, Chi
cage and other cities for plasterers,
and soon discovered that the unions
agents were aware of ais movements
and that men employed by him would
be dissuaded from coming here by
agents Of the union in the other cities.
In this city committee is said by
Mr.. Hammerstein to have posted pick
cts at the terminals, ready to turn
back any plasterers Mr.. Hammerstein
might rbing here. The union was
supplied with funds and the imported
plasterers were furnished with the
price of a ticket to their homes.
Mr.. Hammerstein learned Of this,
and hit upon a scheme which, he de-
clares, mas cost the plasterers' organ
ization $4,000.
He employed about seventy men
who were out of employment, divided
them into squads of a few men eacn,
and. placing them on train In West
Philadelphia or some other nearby
station in charge of one of his men
known to the pickets, would nave
them disembark at the Reading or
Broad street terminal.
Ready to meet these imported
plasterers" at the terminal, the
unions agents always succeeded In
inducing them to turn back and accept
SIS or $40 to pay their fare home. It
worked so well that Mr.. Hammerstein
kept 1t up. He worked one crew as
long as possible and then hired new
ones and kept them coming so fast
that the unions funds were rapidly
being depleted.
1t was not only satisfaction" to
10 A,EYs a.
snap for the men Nj. Hammerstein's
agents had picked up for the job. In
the meantime Mr.. Hammerstein had
engaged some genuine plasterers and
work was being pushed ahead at the
opera house. Mr.. Hammerstein said
his plan had cost the Union here in
Philadelphia $4,000 and that $4,000
more had been expended In other a.,
cities in preventing plasterers com
ing here.
Its the first time the story has
been told" said Mr.. Hammerstein to- |
day. Il wonder how 1t will strike |
the plasterers who made the fight |
against NY place and said the worn |
could not be done unless 1 apologizeo !
to them"
Mr.. Hammerstein arrived from New |
York at 9 o'clock this morning. He |
declared himself as pleased with !
everything and looked with satisfae- /
tioE upon the workmen as they put |
the finishing touches on the big Job.
Instead of his usual silk lat, the ,
wore a soft felt hat, which |
so greatly changed his appearance
that the negro Waterman denied him |
to the structure until one |
of ais foremen identified nim.