Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-06-25
Strike on the Allegheny portage Road.

Strike on the Allegheny Portage Road.
The word came to town, last evening, that all
work on the Allegheny Portage Road had been sus-
pended, in consequence of the operatives striking,
not for higher wages, but for wages due. Great
difficulty was found, yesterday, in getting the pas
sengers over the planes, which did not reach here
until 103 O'Clock last night The hands have pub
lished the following statement, which, if half true,
(and we have no reason to doubt it, represents
case of peculiar hardship, the responsibility of
which appears to rest entirely upon State Off
GERS. That men should be worked eighteen hours
out of the twentyfour, and not receive their hard
earned wages for six months and many of them for
eleven months, is beyond endurance. They have
been credited for the necessares of life by store
keepers and Others who of dispose of Eth. ir
merchandise at no small profit; also compelled TO
sell their tine to Spectators at 10 to Is per cent.
shave. Is it any wonder men will strike? We
give their own statement and await the explana-
ton of the State officers:-Pitts. Chronicle.
FELLowC CITIZENS: The undersigned, operatives
on-the Allegheny Portage Railroad, have met TO-
day to devise the best and most eIectual means of
procuring our wages for work done on the said rail-
| road. We will make brief statement of the
grievances which we complain of. Many of US
have been in the employ of the Commonwealth on
this road for years; during the past Year we fire.
Guently worked EIGHTEEN hours out of the TWEEN
TY- FOUR, and often Ions or; we have not received
any money from the Commonwealth for SIX MONTHS,
| and many of us TEN or ELEVEN months; persons
have credited us and are now clamorous for their
| money. We have notm"r injured or complained,
| and would not now, only forbearance has ceased
to be virtue. Many of us have been compelled
to sell our time, paying from 10 TO 15 per cent TO
spectators, TO pay debts contracted 10 support
ourselves and families, and TN those debts had to
| pay an advance of from 10 10 20 per cent more
than we could have purchased for cash; thus los
| ing at least 25 per cent of our wages in conse-
quence of not being promptly paid.
| Those Check Rolls and Bills against the State
which have been sold, the frs, W hch find their
way into the Treasury, are consequently first paid,
without regard to precedence. Did they take their
regular time would not complain, but that time
worked in the spring should be paid for in prefer
ence TO that worked the .eyious fall, merely be-
cause the rolls have changed hands, we do COM
plain most bitterly of. The injustice is too great
to be borne any longer.
We have been told that some SIXTY THOU
SAND DOLLARS of claims has passed into the
| Treasury without the superintendent of the road
| paying dollar on them, or passing through his
hands, thus causing loss to the operatives of at
| least SIX THOUSAND DOLLAS in the shape of
| discount. There is something wrong. We com
plain that hands have been discharged without he
ing paid, and forced to seek employment elsewhere
compelling them to come lime and again for money
and finally ha ing to sell their time at heavy dis
count, as the only means of getting their money.
Money in every branch Of the government is
plenty; the hands on the new Portage Road are all
paid up TO the first of June. The money with
which they are paid was appropriated at the same
time the money was appropriated to pay us. II
the appropriation was not large enough to nay the
expenses of the road, let it be paid oul as far as
twill go, and the money fairly divided, and we
will not complain. But we do, and will complain
of having TO stand a shave on money which was
earned and ought TO have been paid months ago,
as long as there is any money appropriated, which
is, or ought 10 be, in the Treasury.
This is the first time since the construction of the
mad ttnf@H an1 n
this course to get their wages. The time was
when they were paid monthly, we are sorry that it
is not SO now. Wages have advanced on all roads
in the country. We have not asked for an all
on our fellow-cit zens TO aid us in securing our
rights! And further, we call on the officers against
whom the implicit charge is, to clear themselves
and let the blame rest in the right place.