have the contract. We have been expecting to hear of their subletting the erection of this bridge either to the Union Bridge Company of this city, or the Missouri Valley Bridge Company of Leavenworth, Kansas. The Union Bridge Company are erecting a job at Keithsburg, Ill., and are ahead of their contract time. This is another instance among many which goes to show that it pays to use practical men. McClintic & Marshall got this iron out for the Iowa Central Railroad Company.

It is unnecessary to mention the views of this company toward the Structural Iron Workers, and if this aforesaid company tries to import a lot of dubs into Kansas City to do this job, we will try and make it interesting for them, for by that time we will probably have two or three hundred men here on other work that is coming up, and I don't suppose we will all be asleep all the time. I want to mention the new Union Depot we are going to have, but it takes lots of time to get such large propositions started.

Now there is another thing I want to mention at this time. I received a communication a few days ago from our International asking about our road scale, saying that Bro. Chas. Tupper, when informed that the San Antonio road scale was $4.50 for nine hours, said that he could send to Kansas City and get all the men he wanted for $4.00 for nine hours. Now I notice he never sent for any men, and if he had he would have had bad luck getting men at that scale of wages. Now why Brother Tupper should make an assertion

of that kind is a mystery to me. fle surely can't say that he did not know better than that, for he has been working with No. 10 men since our scale of wages was raised the first of last May. Now I take the opportunity to inform Brother Tupper and all the members that our road scale is $4.50 for nine hours.

In conclusion I sincerely trust that conditions in the immediate future will be better than they have been in the past year.

With best wishes to our International officers and general membership, I am,

Fraternally yours,

W. B. BROWN.

Local Union No. 13.

Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 27, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

Once more I take my pen in hand and I will try and let you know how we are doing here in dear old "Philly." At the present time we have twenty-three inches of snow on the earth around here and things are pretty well tied up just now. But that should not surprise us for it is only in keeping with the doings of the twentieth century. It will be recorded as the greatest century the world has ever known on account of ships and wireless telegraphy, the finding of the North Pole and the opening of the tunnels in and around New York; but just as great an achievement has been accomplished in the line of erecting

Bro. John Gore, of Local No 14, Spokane, Washington, who has served the organization well and faithfully in numerous capacities for a number of years.

steel and I cannot let it pass without giving it some latitude, as to my mind it ranks with the best of them. It is the Morris building on Chestnut street above Broad, a twenty-story building containing about 3,000 tons of steel, erected in about sixty-five working days. While I will not attempt to say that this record has not been beaten for raising steel I will say that Robert McVety. the foreman for G. A. Fuller & Company, has the distinction of doing it without so much as any man employed on the job, and there were hundreds of them of all crafts and laborers, getting a scratch, and that alone is something for us all to be thankful for. If I were to cite you the record of deaths and cripples that have attended the erection of the few hundred buildings that have been put up in Philadelphia in the last twenty years it would make your blood freezenot run cold. It is our earnest prayer that God will guide him in the future as he has in the past and grant him long life.

I wish to say a few words about the year just closed. In racking over my mind for 1909, I find we lost seven members by death, in which, to my mind, we have had a greater loss than any local in the International. No. 1 lost 15 members, No. 40 12 members, and No. 31 10 members. If you compare our numerical strength I am afraid we have sustained the greatest loss; but that is simply repeating the old adage, "We are not followers, we are leaders." Let us hope when 1910 ends and the roll is called, we will all be present. Now for the rest of the work. J. N. Greiner is

still at Overbrook library. Fred Nass is still on the storage house, Front and Noble streets, and finishing up several small jobs around town. Geo. Bingham keeps a small force on the go all the time. Snyder & Company are still at Reading; they have also started the Real Estate Trust Company eighteen-story addition, Broad and Chestnut, and are about finished at Eleventh and Chestnut. The Strobel Steel Construction Company have got partly started at the Passayunk avenue bridge, but it will be about a month before they get down to business.

Since my last letter we were called upon to show our power as a building trades council to force the Fuller Company to remove some snake stone cutters and straighten out the steam fitters on the Morris building, and after four days the job resumed again in full force, a clean-cut victory. The Wanamaker building is still tied up and it gives me great joy to say that there has not been a sign of a break in the ranks, which is the greatest evidence of a building trades council second to none in the department. If we are successful, which I hope we will be in the near future, in having the bricklayers carry a building trades card we will be a unit and they will all take off their hats to us.

In conclusion will say that I wish the officers and members in general a very happy New Year. Fraternally yours,

JAS. O'TOOLE.

Local Union No. 22.

Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 30, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

As it has been some time since there has been a letter in the Magazine from Local No. 22 in regard to the conditions in its jurisdiction, I will write a few lines for the benefit of our affiliated locals.

Work has been good here all summer and fall and at the present is fair, with prospects of plenty of work in the spring.

Last May we went after the reinforced concrete work and up to date have controlled it. Our men erected one nine-story building, have one threestory under way and we put in reinforced floors in one six-story and one four-story building. We also erected the seats in the Colonial Theater, the first ones that this local ever got control of and hope that all affiliated locals will go after this work, which was given to us by the agreement with the Carpenters and rightfully belongs to us. Seats were fastened to a reinforced concrete floor with expansion bolts.

We were in two strikes last fall called by the Building Trades Council. The first strike was called on the new City Hall against the Westlake Construction Company, the general contractors, who sublet the painting to an unfair firm. We tried to straighten them up but could not, so we tied up their work here, at Peoria and at St. Louis. After the different crafts were off ten days, the general contractor notified the painting contractor that he had either to hire union men or else give up the contract; the result was that four of the largest painting contractors in the city signed up with the Painters' Union. It was certainly a blow

to the Master Painters' Association and a victory for the Painters' Union.

The next strike was called on the Murat Temple against the general contractor, Albert Von Spreckelsen, in behalf of the carpenters. This fight was a hard one because we had not only the general contractor to fight, but also the Manufacturers' Association. After he tried to make good with non-union men, the building committee found he could not complete the contract on time, so they took the contract away from him and gave it to the Bedford Stone Construction Company, which is a fair firm. This strike lasted over two months and the work was in an awful shape when the Bedford Company took it over. We have now all union men employed on said temple and they are going over the work that the non-union men had done. This fight was a hard blow to the Manufacturers' Association and goes to show what can be done when you have a good building trades council and all crafts stick together.

We have better conditions here now than we ever had before and hope that all affiliated locals will join the Building Trades Council and help one another to get what belongs to the different crafts.

Wishing the International, its officers and all locals a happy and prosperous New Year, I remain,

Fraternally yours,

E. BASEY.

Local Union No. 27.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec., 27, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

Just a few lines to let you know the conditions that exist in and around Salt Lake City. The Oscar Daniels job at Tooele is being delayed on account of material. At the Newhouse Hotel there were seven men putting in grillage, but were laid off, awaiting the rest of it. Bro. Pete Heintzelman has charge of the job.. E. H. Dundas has nearly all of his jobs topped out, but will have some good jobs coming up in the near future. At present Salt Lake is a good place to stay away from. The Utah Hotel is getting along very slowly. There are about sixteen snakes working on it who are making a very poor showing. There was supposed to be a sixty-day limit on this particular job, but if they do not do any more than they have been doing it will take them six years. There are a few small jobs around town, that have a few men on them. They have got all the trusses raised on the new depot and will commence on the ornamental work. The NoelkeRichards Iron Works have that also: Supt. Harry O'Haver in charge, with Bro. "Happy" Deborch pushing. It will be about a month or six weeks before there will be much doing. There are about sixty, idle members at present. We had election of officers Christmas eve. The following officers were elected for the ensuing term: James Kin

The Building Trades

dred. President; C. B. Jones, Vice-President; Recording Secretary, D. P. Sackett: Financial Secretary and Business Agent, J. E. Munsey; Treasurer, J. F. Snider: Sergeant-at-Arms, Dan Fowler; Trustees, C. M. Berry, Edw. Collins and Emil Le Fleur. We had a little smoker on the side and the cigars were a Xmas present to the members from E. H. Dundas, one of our local contractors, whom we thanked for his kindness.

It is with deep regret that I report the sudden death of Bro. C. C. Henderson, who died December 19, 1909. Brother Henderson was not in the best of health but had never been sick in bed, and his sudden death was a shock to the members. Brother Henderson had a withdrawal card at the time of his death, but the members turned out in a body to show their last respects. He leaves a wife and baby.

Bro. C. J. Coddington fell about twenty feet and sustained a fractured knee, which will lay him up for some time. At present he is getting around on crutches. Brother Fowler met with an accident which came near ending his life. While pulling in a heavy truss at the new depot the hook came loose. striking him on the head. He is getting along very nicely and will be out in a few days. Both accidents happened on the new Rio Grande depot. It is being erected by the Noelke-Richards Iron Works, of Indianapolis, Ind.

In conclusion I will say that there is an effort on the part of the Real Estate Association and Master Builders of this city to bring in men, claiming that there is a scarcity of labor in all the building branches and they have advertised in Collier's Weekly, The Evening Post and the London Weekly, an English paper, setting forth the imaginary munificent wages paid to laborers of every class. There are at the present time twenty per cent of the Iron Workers idle, and about the same in other crafts all along down the line. I hope that the different unions will stand as a unit and fight them to a standstill.

Wishing the International and all the sister locals a happy and prosperous New Year,

Fraternally yours.

am,

J. E. MUNSEY.

Members of Local No. 10, Kansas City, Mo., who erected 12-story building in St. Joseph, Mo.

(1 Otto Going, superintendent. (2) Wm. B. Scott, pusher. (3) Bob Vincent, riveting boss. (4) Harry Going, Steward.

Local Union No. 48.

Oklahoma City, Okla., Dec. 19, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

Find enclosed small photo, please have printed in next month's issue of Magazine.

The Midland Erection Company of St. Louis, Mo., has just completed this job, a twelve-story building in St. Joseph, Mo., with members of Local No. 10, Kansas City, Mo.

By the time this goes to print the same company will have under construction another twelvestory steel structure in Oklahoma City, Okla., using members of Local No. 48.

Hoping to see this in January issue, I am,
Fraternally yours,

HARRY GOING.

Local Union No. 58.

New Orleans, La., Dec. 29, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

Having been elected as Press Agent of Local No. 58 at our last meeting, I will endeavor to give a little sketch of the present conditions of New Orleans, regarding our line of work.

Some of our largest jobs, such as the Whitney Bank building, is now topped out, and hitherto prosperous conditions are somewhat slacked, although there are expected to be some good jobs in the near future.

Floaters are getting numerous around the "Crescent City."

Local No. 58 is steadily on the boom, through the sagacious heads and successful work of our worthy officers, namely: International Organizer P. A. Cooley and Business Agent H. M. Batterton. P. A. Cooley has just arrived from Houston, Texas, where through his ardent zeal he has rendered excellent services for Local No. 84.

He will leave New Orleans in a few days to gain more new laurels to add to his line of organizing. His services as Business Agent and Delegate to Building Trades Department is greatly missed.

H. M. Batterton, better known as "Whitie," has been acting as Business Agent of Local No. 58 and filling the bill O. K. His old saying is "He wants men, not boys for the jungles."

Now as to the job line: H. Navarath has six men at work on saw mill at Chalmette. Finishing work by the L. Schrieber & Sons Company on Whitney Bank building has just started with about eight finishers. S. Crawford is pulling stakes for Mobile, Alabama, which job he will start soon. W. Cary will soon be ready to start raising iron on the Metropolitan Bank building. The New Orleans postoffice is still busy on foundation, likewise Cotton warehouse. The Penn Bridge Company is about to start their ill-fated bridge, which is now about two years in its course of erection. From all accounts they will try to erect it with snakes.

Having mentioned about all the news and work in progress. I will close, wishing the International and all sister locals a successful and prosperous New Year, I remain,

Fraternally yours,

JNO. W. MEYER.

Local Union No. 77.

San Francisco, Cal.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

With a little leisure time at my command I will endeavor to let the members of our association know the prevailing condition of work in this jurisdiction.

Some of the jobs that were in the course of construction for several months have been topped out, but everything looks fairly good for an allwinter job for most of the members of Local 77, there being a good many big jobs started at the same time with a good many men to do the work.

The Western on the ferry

Bro. Al Smith has just finished the steel towers being built at California City for the government coaling station. Bro. B. Ledibitter, superintendent for the associated contractors on Pier 38 is nearly through. Thompson Bridge Company has Pier 56 pretty well started. At present there are 115 of our members working there. Pacific is working forty-five men slips at the union scale. I am giving here a description of one of our largest jobs under construction, the Fort Mason transport docks being built by the government. San Francisco Bridge Company has the contract, with engineer, Archibald Finney, in charge; Ed. Cary, superintendent; Bro. L. Granes, assistant superintendent, with foreman, J. J. Frapier. Frank Thomas, J. Emhoff, Bill Calhoun and Rogers; Charley Hale and Jake Nichols looking after the cards: They don't overlook anybody. This sea-wall has total length of 1,072 feet with a width of 25 feet. The foundation for same is obtained by dredging to a depth of 38 feet below mean low water. On the line of the wall is driven sheet-piles for the front and back line. The mud, clay and rock is dredged out and the concrete placed under water by the use of closed buckets; heavy reinforcement of 3-inch and 13-inch bars are used. The top of the wall is finished at an elevation of 16 feet above mean low water, making the total depth of wall 544 feet. There are three wharves built of heavy reinforced concrete and covered by shed of reinforced concrete and iron. There will be 3,000 tons of iron put into the sheds. The wharves rest on concrete piers spaced 181 feet center to center. The piers are of bellshape construction, being 8 feet in diameter at the bottom for a distance of 18 feet; then a taper section 33 feet high reduces the diameter to 4 feet, which is carried up 30 feet to the bottom line of the floor. In shore for a few bents the piers rest on the natural bottom of clay and rock, which is found by dredging. The outer piers rest on a seven-pile cluster. The estimated cost of the work is nearly $2,000,000. Four store houses will be built on the fill behind the sea-wall and rest upon a pile foundation with concrete piers set on piles. The superstructure is of reinforced concrete and iron. So far No. 77 has controlled all this work and as the firm is very fair, I don't think we will have any trouble in controlling it to a finish.

In the past twelve months our work has been nearly equally divided between wood and iron, but as it looks now, for the next six months it will be mostly wood.

Wishing the International and sister locals a happy and prosperous New Year, I am, Fraternally yours,

DONALD CAMERON.

Local Union No. 86.

Seattle, Wash., Dec. 17, 1909.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

Just a few lines from No. 86, in which I will try and give a brief review of work and conditions in the erection of structural steel as seen and experienced by us in the year just past, ending December 31, 1909. During this time there were erected in our city jurisdiction (50 miles) approximately 8,500 tons of steel; 6,900, or about 80 per cent, was erected by our members at a wage of $4.50 for eight (8) hours, and 44 hours or 5 days per week. The balance, 1,600, or about 20 per cent, was erected by non-union men at a wage scale varying from $2.50 to $4.00 for ten hours. Figures given me by responsible parties show that our members erected steel on an average of $2.00 per ton less in 8 hours at $4.50 than the non-union men at an average of $3.50 for ten hours. All of which goes to show that the best mechanics compose the labor union. Our road work for the year totaled nearly 6,000 tons. The most of this was in Alaska and the entire amount was erected by our members at the road scale of 50 cents per hour, the boys in Alaska getting 70 cents. In regard to the ornamental work No. 86 controlled all of the work shipped in here from the large firms in the east such as The Standard of Chicago, Winslow Bros., Chicago, Flour City, Minneapolis, Herzog, St. Paul and The Twin City, St. Paul, and with the other small work in town kept an average of about fifteen finishers busy. The reinforced work was practically all lost to our organization, but since the jurisdictional dispute is settled in our favor between the Lathers and ourselves we hope to gradually organize this and already have a good start. as by the time this appears in print we will be working on one job costing $500,000. This work was lost to us about three years ago through our own carelessness in not making a determined effort to secure it when we had a good building trades council. As it stands now We are up against the open shop and it can readily be seen that our fight is an up-hill one and will take time to accomplish the desired result. Our membership averaged about 125 men, who worked an average of approximately 203 days with a total wage of about $940.00, which is not bad considering the financial panic of a year ago. We had three members killed during the year, only one being in good standing. and have had ten injured seriously enough to be laid up, although none of the injuries were of a permanent nature and have paid a total of accident benefits of $190.00. The dues paid per man during the year was $18.80. $13.80 of which is the regular dues. There was levied three (3) local assessments of $1.00 each at different times, and $2.00 for four (4) International assessments. Out of this aggregate sum we paid a business agent a full year's salary, per capita tax to Building Trades Council.