Upon the presentation of such an application to the executive committee
a general permit was issued, which was in form as follows:
MASTER MASONS' AND BUILDERS' ASSOCIATION.
Chicago, May 24th, 1887.
HERMANN MUELLER.--In consideration of your signing an agreement to
adhere to the Platform and Code of Working Principles adopted by
the Master Masons' and Builders' Association May 23d, 1887, you are
hereby granted a permit to resume work.
JOSEPH DOWNEY, President.
In attempting to resume work the mason contractors were disposed to give
preference to such bricklayers and stonemasons as had been working in
Chicago, and who evinced a willingness to return to work under the code
of principles and the rules of the association which had been adopted. A
few workmen took advantage of the proposition at once, and went to work,
but fear of fines by the union and assaults from the members of the
union, deterred a great many from going to work who were perfectly
willing to subscribe to the principles enunciated. The leaders of the
strikers announced that under no conditions would the union accept the
offer of 45 cents an hour and nine hours a day.
By May 25th more than one thousand of the union bricklayers had left the
city and were working in outside towns ten hours a day for $2.50 to $3
pay, rather than accept the offer of the Master Masons.
Not being able to secure a large number of the home workmen the Master
Masons' caused to be published in important towns in Illinois, Indiana,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, a notice that there were wanted
in Chicago one thousand bricklayers who would be given steady work at 45
cents an hour and would be guaranteed protection. They did not expect
that the whole number would be secured, as it was the busy season for
building everywhere, but they looked for a sufficient number of
responses to meet the immediate demand.
In this they were disappointed. The experience of outside bricklayers in
Chicago had been of an unsavory character, and they respectfully
declined to advance upon the city in a body. A few bold fellows made
their appearance, but they numbered less than one hundred. Many of those
who went to work were put under police protection in order to keep the
strikers from committing depredations.