New-York tribune., 1920-12-03
Brick, Lumber,
Stone Prices
Fixed by Rings e
GConti~u'j FROM pagr ono)

been initiated into the mysteries of the
system by Miss elizabeth O'Dea. the
secretary of the builders Supply Bu-
reau. who amazed the committee with
her story of The destruction Of the
cards of the builders bureau.
Indications that price fixing existed
in the lumber industrv appeared in a
section Of the bylaws of the New York
Lumber Trade Association, which pro-
vided for minimum charge of 81 q
thousand feet for the selling and
handling of spruce timber land as much
more as may be prescribed by the board
of trustees by rule or otherwise" !"
These bylaws. however, said Treat. were
supplanted last May by new const-
t. ton.
Anthony Brescia, a stone mason con-
tractor Of the Bronx, declared that
contractors in tbs Industry had been
forced to pay tribute of $1,000, 900 a
year to the Stone Masons' Contractors
Association, which at its first meeting
in 1916 raised the price for stone
mason work from 25 cents to 35 cents
a cubic foot. These leves, he said,
were made in collusion with Stone
Masons Union, Local "a, and that his
refusal opay the alleged graft iinally
ruined his business OF 5000 900 a year.
William K. Hammond, hudson
Valley brick manufacturer. testified TO
various meetings the manufacturers in
this industry had in his Office, but
said that, while prices were discussed,
there was no price fixing. Robert
Main, the chief stockholder N the En-
fire Brick and Supply Company, the
biggest brick manufacturing i;km in
the state, declared that the traAe bad
attributing the circumstance to short
age of LABOR and fuel. 1t is the con-
tention Of counsel for the committee
that the output is being restricted by
Il c manufacturers in order to keep up
the price.
Books and Records Seized
During the examination of the wit
nesses the committee took formal pos
session of all the books and recotds iof
the various dealers and cont acto1s'
bureaus that have 50 far been produced
in whence While the committee was
enabled to take over these papers by
a sixth victory in the courts Martin
Conboy, counsel for the various organi-
cations, protested at the seizure of the
books, but was overruled By Senator
Lockwood.
The running fights between Mr. Un~
termyer and Conboy that marked pre-
vious sessions Of the committee we're
even more heated yesterday, with Mr.,
Cntermver insisting every now ans
then that Mr. Ccnbov cease his inter.
ruptions. Upon looking into the bonEE
Mr.. Untermyer remarked that several
"signifcant links" were "strqngely
missing" from the documents, and in
sisted in vehement tones that they
must be produced
His face lightened up. however, when
he discovered in the minutes o q
meeting Of the members Of the Maso1s'
Supply Bureau little "hear-- to-hcart
ia X delivered by Pres dent McGulrc,
cf which. however, four p%gesf we're
missing.
In the course Of this tax, Mr. Nc
Gure, according to the minutes, re
members of The organization because
Of the wartime restrictions, but said.
The weekly meetings Of this little
bureau Of ours AID the near, to hear,
talks did much to dSpe! this gloom
He believed that "organ gatons Of This
kind. whore dealer is linked with his
fei O.. dealers as we building material
dealers are. have more real substan-
tial progrcs S, which in du time wall
reflect in our tank accounts"
Tells of 81 ,O0OO 600 Levy
Let the manufacturers realize" said
Mr.. Mcclure, according to the minutes,
chat we are the logical and only
ha ION ,c,y cfc
are to be handed, and in the event Of
the manufacturer ondling his product
without the recognition Of the dealer,
direct to the consumer, we VIII irdi-
vidually ahd collectively consider same
as an unfriend.y act and proceed
accordingly"
Bresc.a, in telling of the alleged
$1,000 000 levy, said he had been
forced TO join the stone Mason's Con
tractors Association IN 1916 by Louis
.MAzzola, delegate Of the stone Mason S
! Union, Local a. who had called strikes
on his Jobs He said he was told TO
join the association and everything
would be all right Nicholas Conforti
president of the association he said
demanded an initiation fee, of $500
but took what re could get from ap.
yGcants," added Rrescia.
Ile paid in $3.50 said Brcscia but
testified that three friends Of his had
to pay from $3.50 to 800 each lie sd d
at the first meeting Of the orca nizatiOn
he attended a resolution was adopted to
loost the price Of masonry work from
25 cents to 35 cents a cubic foot, and
that two cents Of each cubic foot Of
work done was to go into the treasury
of the associat Ne calculated. he
said. that would bring the Organization
in about 81 900 0O0 a year.
He was told, he said that this money
was to go to the president of the as
sociation and a portion Of it to Louis
Mazzola, delegate of Stone Masous'
Local "a, for pulling Jobs of contractors
not members of the association. The
two-cent a cubic foot assessment, he
said, would amount to about 81 a dav
for every man working.
81 didn't think 1t was necessary to
raise prices. sa Brescia. "and pro-
tested AT the second meeting it was
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