er ▁Ly de cker . ▁ ▁It ▁appears ▁that ▁the ▁underlying ▁reason ▁for ▁this ▁controvers y ▁had ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁the ▁unf air ▁competition ▁experienced ▁by ▁the ▁traditional ▁manufact ur ers . ▁The ▁Washington ▁Br ick ▁Machine ▁Company ▁along ▁with ▁A . ▁Rich ards ▁& ▁Son , ▁William ▁H . ▁West ▁& ▁Brothers , ▁W . T . ▁Walker , ▁In o ▁P . ▁Apple man ▁and ▁I . P . ▁child s ▁& ▁Son ▁manufact ured ▁three ▁qu arters ▁of ▁the ▁br icks ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁This ▁represented ▁ 5 0 ▁million ▁br icks ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁The ▁hand - made ▁br icks ▁represented ▁a ▁fraction ▁of ▁sales ▁and ▁the ▁w ages ▁were ▁falling ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁compet itive ▁with ▁the ▁machines . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Br icks ▁of ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁Labor ▁submitted ▁an ▁am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁law ▁to ▁Major ▁Ly de cker : ▁All ▁br icks ▁sold ▁or ▁offered ▁for ▁sale ▁in ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia , ▁except ▁cor nice ▁or ▁fancy ▁br icks , ▁shall ▁measure ▁not ▁less ▁than ▁ 9 ▁inches ▁in ▁length , ▁ 4 ▁ 1 / 2 ▁inches ▁in ▁width ▁and ▁ 2 ▁ 1 / 4 ▁inches ▁in ▁thick ness . ▁Any ▁br icks ▁sold ▁or ▁offered ▁for ▁sale ▁in ▁the ▁said ▁District ▁under ▁the ▁said ▁size ▁by ▁any ▁brick ▁merchant ▁will ▁subject ▁the ▁said ▁merchant ▁to ▁a ▁penalty ▁of ▁$ 5 0 ▁fine ▁or