Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-03
A RIG uOrEL RERELLION.

The . Men Who Garry Everything Be :
| fore Them on Il Strike-A Bomb
shell la the Dining Rooms Yesser-
day-CO- Operation and the Nashville
Walters.
For some time past there has been much
discomfort manifested among the colored
walters at the various hotels of this city, in
reference to the wages paid them. At all
the hotels, except the Commercial, which
has been paying walters S1l per month,
the Standard of pay has been $40 per
month. An impression seems to have pre-
vailed among them that their wages would
soon be reduced to s., and this appears to
have fed the fame already kindled in the
sable heart, and which blazed into revolu-
tionsry fire yesterday. They organized, held
meetings at night, and finally it was agreed
that dinner time Of the ID Of April, A. d.
1868, should witness either their disgrace
or triumph
As the bell rang for dinner at the st.
Cloud yesterday, the guests moved
unsuspectlngly up the stairway leading
to the dining room, but before they
had gotten half way up they en-
countered a small army of black
faces and white aprons filing down toward
the Office. Every table was empty. Not
a waiter was at hia post. The dark pro-
cession, on reaching the office, halted, and
their spokesman proceeded to dictate the
terms of a treaty of peace. He said the
walters had learned that their pay would
be reduced to S. month, and that they
lad resolved never to go back to their Ia
bles until Sl2 so month should be guaran-
teed them.
To their establishment they were ordered
to quit the premises at once, and in five
minutes there was not one of them in the
house. An immense sensation followed.
Little bell boys, pretty chambermaids,
fancy BARRIERS, and all the innumerable as
sistants from every part Of the house were
at once marshaled, and in an almost incon-
ceiYably short space of time there were
walters at every table in the dining room.
The guests, weary Of paying Sambo extras,
and counting his favor at meal times, told
the pTOprletOrs 10 spare no expense in Sc
curing other walters; that they themselves
would foot all extra bills incurred in so
laudable an enterprise. Dinner was
promptly served, and supper at seven fol-
lowed quite as lively. The st. Cloud sent
advertisements to all the papers, offering
situations to white walters and until a
new force can be employed, the present
temporary arrangement will continue.
At the Stacey House, the whole force Of
walters, at the sounding of the dinner bell,
deserted their tables in body, leaving the
guests staring into empty plates. Without
stopping in the office to explain their ex-
traordinary movement, they passed ont of
the hall door into the street and were gone
before any one could fully comprehend the
situation. Substitutes were mustered as
soon as possible, however, and dinner was
got through with without much delay. At
supper-hme some Of the disafectcd had re-
turned to their posts, and things were NOV
ing smoothly at the Stacey House.
The gong at the Commercial, as thebells |
at the st. Cloud and Stacey had done, drew |
the entire army of walters down into the
office, but Mr.. Fulghum ordering them
back, saying that was no time for such |
business, they retreated to their tables. Be |
fore dinner was fairly over, however, nearly |
all of them again deserted their posts, and |
on reaching the Office were promptly dis |
charged and given TO understand that they |
need not again look for employment at the |
Commercial.
The St Charles, on Market street, suf- |
tered a similar experience to that Of the |
other public houses. Abandoned by its |
walters at the dinner signal, clerks, port
ers, carvers, BARRIERS and proprietors were
brought into requisition in supplying the !
vacant places and relieving the pressure.
AT the City Hotel there were murmurs |
between breakfast and dinner, but the |
walters were told to keep their places, and |
that on Monday all who were capable of |
earning So a month should be paid that |
amount. This put an end to the brewing |
trouble there.
The Sewanee House escaped the storm |
entirely. There was no indication what |
ever OF a strike during the day.
The hotel proprietors are all determined |
to get along without the strikers, and the |
only result of the uprising yesterday will
be the employment of other help. The |
movement may probably lead TO the entire |
abolition of the cOlored waiter system here. |
During the afternoon, the strikers were |
parading the different streets in small |
bodies, declaring their determination to
go to the country rather than return 10
their former places al the wages they have
been receiving.