Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-14
HALT IN BUILDING
THREATENS T|E-UP
Of BRICK PLANTS
Labor Demands and Trans
portation Troubles Hamper
D. C.. Construction.

With building operations on large
projects practically at a standstill in
Washington. local manufacturers of
brick and other building materials
are facing a complete shutdown in
their plants. it was declared today
(by representatives of the various in
terests
Thousands of brick intended for
construction of numerous important
projects in this city are daily being
dumped beside the ki1nS in some
plants, while at least one other manu-
facturer has virtually suspended pro-
duction. it was learned.
Brick manufacturers of other cities
who have local branches are expert
encing difficulty in having consign-
= ments shipped to Washington. due to
the serious transportation situation.
This aspect is offset. however, by the
lack of demand for material.
Threat of Complete Suspension.
What few operations builders have
been able to keep going are threat
ened with complete suspension Mon
day, when structural iron workers
say they will go on strike unless they
are granted an increase in wages
from IS cents to SIPS an hour. The
JmaSter iron workers of Washington
are obdurate in their decision not to
accede to the demands of the men
A tie-up of construction work in all
large operations. such as office build
ingS. garages, warehouses and apart
ment houses, appears to be inevita BILE.
The iron workers. to the number of
sixty-five or seventy, mostly transient
union men. declare that other cities are
paying them from $40 to S12 day.
They are in the habit of moving from
n ~ To cit &c re- nm
Der already have left Washington for
municipalities where working and SAL
Nary conditions are more favorable.
labor leaders state. The master
workers hold that to increase wages
% per cent would interfere with their
contracts already let on narrow mar
gins.
Operations Affected.
Among important operations which
have felt the pinch of labor trouble
and material shortage, with conse-
quent Slackening or virtual SuSpen-
sion of work, are the annex to the
Chastleton apartment house at 18th
and r streets, the large apartment
building on 18th street just north of
Florida avenue, the new hospital build
ing at Soldiers Home and a score of
smaller projects.
With suspension of work on these
structures practically general, brick
and tile manufacturers and other fire.
proofing concerns have met with a
drastic reversal of conditions exist
ing during the war and since. when
freproofng material and brick prod
ucts of all kinds were scarce The
shortage at that time was acute and
many operations were threatened with
postponement as a result.
This condition has passed and the
other extreme prevails. brick interests
stated today. At the Office of the
West Bros. Brick Company, on 18th
street. the situation was painted black
and the prediction was made that pro-
duction of claySmaterials at the Vir-
ginia kilns of the firm. just across
the Highway bridge, may soon be sus-
pended altogether. 1t was pointed out
that the space around the kilns is lit
orally obstructed with piles of brick
destined for local contractors who are
unable to use the material at present
and who probably will have no need
fer il for some time in the future.
Say Condition Is General.
, Other firms corroborated the fact
that the condition is general. The
local representative of the Virginia
Brick Company. among others, point
cd out that there was no cause for