New-York tribune., 1911-12-04
STRIKE OUTRACES HERE
At Least IL important Crimes
Laid to Organized Labor.
TROUBLE BEGAN IN 1905
Many Injured and Much Damage
Caused by Acts of Violence
During Long Fight.

Caused by Acts OF violence
During Long Fight.
or the dynamite outrages and other acts
of violence which have endangered NE
aud property all over the country since
the trouble started between the lnterna-
tionsl Association OF Bridge and Struct-
uraI Iron Workers and the American
Bridge Company in 1905, New York and
her near ncighbors have witnessed their
full share No less than twelve OF the
more important crimes laid at the door OF
labor unionism since then have been per-
petrated within the metropolitan district,
several attempts at violence have been dis
covered and nlpped in the bud, and count
less isolated attempts on the life and
safety of non-nion men In general have
been made and forgotten.
The trouble in this city had its rise
chiefly in the long battle wased by Post
& McGord. building contractors, against
the depredatlons for which the House
smiths and Bridgemen's Union was SAID
to DO responsible. In the fall of 1905 this
union declared a strike against the Post
&, McCord Company on the ground that
II was subsidiary OF the American
Bridge Company, in opposition TO which
the international union had already ar
rayed itself. Sworn denals on the part
OF the companys officers failed 10 bring
about an agreement \ demand for higher
wages was also a factor IL the strike.
The expulsion of the local union from the
arbitration agreement Will the Building
Trades Employers Association followed
and an open shop was declared by the lat
ter. IL was shortly after this that the
first sign of violence appeared in the at
tack on the American Can Company's S
building, which Post q McCord were con-
structing OF Tenth avenue and 18th street.
The cover Of a stormy night was taken to
overthrow a derrick OH the building after
the company had advertised fo- a week for
non-union workers. Though The labor lead
ers denied all knowledge Of the affair, II
was attributed TO them by the employers
and the police.
Hardly week passed before the rope on
q derrick used by the same company IN
the construction Of the Altman Building, on
Fifth avenue, was found cut nearly
through, so that any strain upon it would
have meant injury II not death, TO num-
ber of the non-union strike breakers work
ing on the building. Fortunately the dam
age was discovered in time.
The strikers then resorted to the use OF
dynamite with view to terrorizng. II not
actually exterminating, their successors.
Into the window OF the Allied Iron Trades
Association, at No. East l4th street, where
number of strike breakers we're congrc-
gated. a dynamite bomb was dropped, pre-
sumably by union sympathizers, though
the union officers Tepudiated the act as not
a part of their programme. Several of the
men in the building were injured, and the
building itself was partially wrecked.
From this the iron workers went on 10
blow up various structures, generally IN
course Of construction by some one of the
companies which had particularly opposed
them. according to the reports on the &C.
currences After wrecking a derrick on
the Bliss Building. which the Post & Nc
Cord company was putting up in East -3d
street, they suddenly appeared at the Plaza.
then under construction, one night, ana
left three special policemen whom the
George \. Fuller Company had employed
TO protect their men stretched out on the
eighth floor with blows Of the sledgeham-
m.rs and crowhars which tho workmen
had left. Such was tho police version OF
the case. though the assailants made their
escape. One Of their victims died from his
injuries.
The Pennsylvania Steel Company was the
next TO feel the unions vengeance, II such
it was, and after it the McClintoek-Mar-
shall Company, both Of whom kept open
shop. in the construction Of a railroad
bridge at Perth Amboy and Of the Chelsea
Piers. respectively. The New Haven s
bridee al Baychester was the next to suffer,
and the same railroad was again attacked
q year and d half later, when dynamite
was put under its bridge over Whitiock
avenue, IN The Bronx
In the meantime the McClintock- Marshall
Company's yia6uct at Hoboken had been
damaged TO the extent of $1,000 and destruc-
ton scattered through the neighboring ter
ritory. The Pennsylvania Steel Company
then received another visit and in July
1910. the Phoenix Bridge Company, which
kept open shop, was warned by two eXplo-
sions OF dynamite under railroad via
duct which it was building in Jersey City
The latest outrage was the one which tore
up the Westchester & Boston's Niaduct at
Mount Vernon in September.
Consistently through the whole series the
labor union leaders have denied participa-
tion in or knowledge OF the outragcs. When
an acknowledged member of the House
smiths and Bridgemen's Union confessed
that he had been paid to place dynamite
in the Bliss Building. in East 2Sd street, in
February, 1905. they maintained that he
had done 1t without their knowledge or con-
sent. The expectation is growing however.
that further revelations ia the Mcnamara
case will 80 "A long way toward clearing up
ell the mysterious acts of violence con-
nected with tho STRUCTURAL steel industry