The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-29
O K
RESUMED IN
SCHOOL
Labor Men Protest About
Trouble at Burnet St.
Addition.

ing the Essex Trades Council appeared
before the grounds, buildings and sup
plies committee of the Board of Edu-
cation yesterday to ask the committee
to attempt to settle the labor question
that has tied up the work on the Bur-
net Street School addition for some
time.
1t was claimed that Isaac Guerin, the
mason contractor, had broken his
pledge to employ union labor n was
employing non-union and nonresident
labor, and that, besides, the quality of
the work was poor, and hindered the
other contractors, who employed union
men, as the union men would not work
on a building with non-union foreign
labor. Consequently, the fair con-
tractors were liable to lose by not hav-
ing their portion of the work done in
time, the delegations spokesman said.
Frank FeLtridge, who acted as spokes-
man for the labor representatives. stated
that the unions had failed to reach any
agreement with Mr.. Guerin and that he
was employing foreign labor, men WING
did not do the work properly. He stated
that there were a number of faults in the
mason work, and when asked to tell the
committee of some, stated that several of
the piers and a wall were out of plumb.
1t developed during the hearing that there
were no labor men on the building and all
work was practically at a standstill. Tho
representatives of the various crafts asked
the committee to take some action to set
| tIo tIa Aro,,b1n and -toro ipfnrp1ed that
the old school house committee had passed
on the specifications and had made no pro-
visions for the employment Of union la
Dor, and Chairman Taaffe told the commit
tee that while he and his colleagues de-
plorcd the trouble. they were powerless to
remedy 1t, as the contract had been given
before the small Board of Education took
office. John Mclean, business agent OF
the Carpenters' Union, then took up the
discussion and stated that he could point
out n number of defects in the building,
and then the committee asked Architect
Frank Ward If this was so. Mr.. Ward
was n reluctant witness and stated that
the labor difference had caused him con-
siderable trouble, but added that he knew
of no defect in the work already done,
and on suggestion of Chairman Taaffe he
will go over the work with the labor rep
resentatives to see If what they allege
is so.
Lesser Lehman declared that when
specifications for school buildings were
made by the present educational body
provisions would be made to see that there
would be no labor troubles, and practically
admitted that he would stand for the speci-
f~cations to contain a clause providing for
the employment of none but union labor.
The committee then took M the y eco
contract for installing fire hose in twelve
schools given to the Ralph Is. Schmidt
Company by the old school house commit
tee. and after hearing the argument OF }.
Francis Cahill, counsel for the Schmidt
Company, again laid the matter over,
when it was learned that parts of the fit
tings were installed In all of the schools,
for which the contract was re- and :tot
only in the Hawkins Street School, as SUI
perintendent of Repairs George W. Reeve
told the committee last week.
Mr.. Cahill told the committee yesterday
that the first intimation of trouble about
the contract was received in a letter
sent to the Schmidt company. ordering the
discrimination of work until after inYes-
legation. He declared that the contract
was signed on December 10 last, and SO
far as the Schmidt company was concerned
had rested in allegiance, the city taking
no action.
Assistant City Attorney Charles NJ. My
ers, counsel for the School Board, took ex-
ception to his ara informed Mr.. Cahill
that the contract had been signed on No
vember 26. and further pointed out that
even II 1t had been signed on December
10 the thirty-day limit had expired.
The commissioners are under the impress
sion that the contract was for the year
1907 only, and consequently invalid, and a
conference will be held on the matter. In
the meantime Mr.. Cahill was instructed to
notify his client not to install any more
hose or fixtures.
Harry King. architect, appeared before
The committee to ask that the trimming of
The addition to the Warren Street School
be changed from limestone to blue stone,
to correspond with the trim of the old
building. He stated that this would cost
$500 additional.
louis O'Rourke, architect, appeared and
asked that the inside trimming of the
Lincoln School be changed from North
Carolina to redwood and that toilets be
placed on all the floors. COMMISSIONS
Tomklns declared that the practise Of &C.
parting from the specifications would hive
to be stopped.
There was $500, 900 Appropriated to build
Schools declared Mr.. romkins, 'and
$50, 900 has already been spent, so that
we actually have something like s. eco bal
NICE, and If we 90 on changing we will
/ find that we have exceeded the appropria-
| ten"
1t was finally decided to have an insptc-
ton within the next few days, and the
meeting adjourned to meet at 8 p. m. to-
day. A conference will follow the COM
mittee meeting.