Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-06-04
sailors. ON a aStrike-PIratical Expedl.
-. ton ON the Docks.

Quite an excitement was created on the docks
yesterday by a foray among the sailor men -
There are at present large number of grain
and lumber vessels in port, many Of which have
refused to accept the low rate of freight now be
Ing offered. and have laid up for few days, dis.
charging their crews. Such Of them as had
contracts for carrying iron ore from Lake Su-
perior to Lake Erie ports, and were obliged 20
commence on their contracts Immediately, ac-
cepted the present rates. This state of things
naturally created more sailors than berths, and
owing to low ireights, and q surplus Of men,
masters refused to pay more than sixteen dol
lars per month between here and Buffalo or O.,
wego. a'-t- al sHg2. alt3d 9st ~ '.-
Vessels had no difficulty thus far In getting
all the men that they required, aud at the above
prices Yesterday afternoon, however, O mum
Der Of sailors who could not get employment,
like the dog In the manger, determined that
they would not allow those that could TO re-
main at 1t, and got up what is usually termed
a "strike A party, numbering about forty,
paraded about the docks, and sWore that they
would not ship at less price than S25 per
month, nor would they permit others to do so.
They went on board several vessels and COM
PEELED the ere Es to leave by threats Of violence
On the schooner st. James, which lays near
Clark street bridge, one of the strikers present.
ed sheath knife to the breast of one of the
crew, and threatened to take his life If he did
not instantly get his "dunnage'' and 90 on shore;
other singular exhibitions took place, but no
violence was committed except on one vessel,
where they had fight. .g.-,,
They seemed to be particularly incensed
against the shipping master, believing him to
be the cause Of the reduction of wages, and
could not be made to understand that even six
teen dollars per month was more than vessels
could really afford to pay. They seem to think
that If the shipping Office was abolished they
could then control the wages. In this they are
decidedly wrong, for the law Of supply and de-
mand governs their wages, Just as II does all
other matters; and 1t ls folly for them to expect
to accomplish their object by going on board of
vessels and driving crews ashore, because they
themselves cannot get employment. If the
captains of some Of the vessels had ordered
them ashore, and had used summary means of
enforcing their orders on the ringleaders, they
would have been served as they deserve. We
do not counsel violence, but we should have no
sympathy for the man that was roughly used
while heading mob.
A course has been recommended BY which
this matter could be very easily remedied. II
vessel owners and captains would pursue q
proper course, viz: ship no men except from the
shipping Office, different grades Of wages could
be established for the different trades; masters
OF vessels could, when ready for crew, cause
their articles to be opened, and men could take
their choice Of trades and vessels the wages
being uniform, and ship or not, just asl.6ey
pleased. But so long as some captains patron
lie the shipping office, and some do not, 90 long
will there be q diversity Of wages and cause for
dissatisfaction. New York, Boston, New Or
leans, Buffalo, 0swego, Cleveland. and all the
principal chipping cities, have Offices Of this
kind and vessel owners, masters and sailors
nd l. for their mutual iaterestt to patronize them;
and we know OF no city where there Ia great
er necessity of sustaining one than Chicago
Therefore let the vessel owner and master re-
solve that they will not ship 2 man unless thro'
the Office, and sailor 'strikes" viii DO novelty
Sereaftef. ~ Chicago 7yms, Msy3l. ''l''s