The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-04

had come to New York on Friday night to wait on
the Ofhcers OF the companies yesterday and press
their demands. II these demands were not &C.
ceded to general strike was to be the result and
precautions to be taken that the places Of the
disafected were not to be filed
BY UNsKILLED MEN
from the West or elsewhere.
w. .''"w Of this state Of things HERALD reporter
~ -. aaV yesterday IN getting I ss " "
both these reported strikes from sac. most
authority and for the benefit Of the readers OF the
Sunday HERALD is enabled to give the following &C
curate history OF the origin and progress Oh the
Tne reporter first visited the Produce Exchange,
on Broadway, and inquired for MI: Se e tne
who nave been appointed on the part OF the mer-
chants TO resist
at all hazards The following conversation, In
which Mr.. BeDsel makes clear statement Of the
doubt be e read with Inc greatest interest.
REPoRTER--Ar. Bensel. have come to you from
has Deen going on for some DAYS past between the
Coopers' Trade Union and the employers
% as far as s1e se sS1
The ''Uni0n," which would at first
MAKE NO TERMS,
has caved in and to-day we find that motion has
been passed by the Union, that the members OF the
to apply tor work at the shops which they have left,
ana where non.uDion men are employed.
''Then the necessity for the meeting which your
committee IS 10 hold at the Astor House will cease,
mot at all Now that We have begun in earnest
we will 20 on with our work until we have sue
ceeded In effecting our object"
"And what IL tnatr'
~ can better answer that question by telling you
how this strike commenced. myself never employ
a union workman 1 was the victim Of strike
myself In 1866, and tne trade union
TURNED ME- OUT.
Since that Time have never employed member
'n0n-uni0n" men. The other employers In our
business are obliged, much against their will to en-
gage members OF the trade union. Among these was
Mr. W. J. wilcox, Of washington street, the refner.
Two weeks ago he discovered That he was NOT getting
humber ner Of a men he employed he had forty-two
worKmen and he found that thirty honest men
could do the work which was being done by his
GET RID OF HIS 'sLoUCHEs'
he adopted q plan which was formerly the regular
practice Of the trade namely, that OF asking the
men to keep italy" of the work which was done
by each, or, IN other words, demanding from each
man an account Of the work which he Old during
the day. THIS was unconstitutional, according to
the rules OF the Union, and his men left him IN
body. Finding that his business
WAS BEING PARALYZED
and having large contracts TO fulnl he applied to
other cooper shops for assistance. 1t was freely
given 10 him, but when the "Union" found that
there was chance OF MS beating aem saey Dd sent
ened the employers that II they assisted Mr. wilcox
In his difficulties the unOnlst5
WOULD KNOCK Off WORK.
deputaIion waited on me and asked me
not to do ANYTHING to lnlure the poor
to injure any workman In my employment.
On the contrary, that did everything to serve him
when 1 saw mat he was deserving OF 1t. / con-
tnued to assist Mr. Wilcox until his shop was filled
in every respect than those who had lett hun Now
workshop Is full. The unionsts see that they
are beaten, and some of the men who spend their
STANDING AROUND CORNERS
Will find some difficulty IN getting BACK to WORK
n
members Of the Produce Exchange was
held. Instances OF vile conspiracy against
mously resolved to send delegation to Albany to
ask the Legislature 10 pass the conspiracy law
which was In force up to last year. but which was
BY TWEED AND HIS CORRUPT GANG
for political purposes TO gain the votes OF the union
Merchants enter into heavy contracts which they
must keep or be ruined. Coopers make equally
binding contracts with the merchants, anu botn are
at the mercy OF the working men, VINO. II a con.
splracy law be not IN existence, may at any moment
KNOCK on work and ruin us. AS IL Is we are
COMPLETELY AT THEIR MERCY.
To carry out this object committee Of the mem.
bers OF the Produce Exchange was appointed. We
have met several times and we decided on asking
committee OF the members OF the Mechanics and
Traders Exchange and OF the members OF the Stock
Exchange, TO confer with US. 1t was decided on
Friday that we should meet on next Monday ut the
It would he more expedledt to wait until next
Monday week.
"Well, the members OF the Mechanics and Traders
exchange have Just elected their officers for the
current year. the officers OF last year had natural
dellcacy putting the responsibility OF this matter
| on the shoulders OF the gentlemen who have just
come into ONCE so that special committee OF the
members Is to be appointed TO confer with us
next week. Besides there was some hitch In the
case Of the Chamber OF Commerce: one gentleman an
committee Of the Chamber oil Commerce. There
SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING
the matter, and 1t has been referred TO sub
committee. 1t Is the interest OF the Chamber OF
ZEN anil andT rodn ~
change that we should succeed IN our work. and
you VIII ind that their committees VIII warmly take
FINALLY these unionists say that they eschew all
violent measures, intimidation, &c. Now, one or
one night week ago. l could tell you Of cases
where everything was destroyed that could be In a
STRICKLAND anything That could not be destroyed
was taken away. For my part will have no union
man inside my place. He goes out by iorce IL not
The reporter subsequently conversed with some
well known members OF the Produce Exchange,
who
SPOKE VERY BITTERLY
against the dolngs OF the uni0nsts Tne delermn-
alton to pull stop to conspiracies anu trade out.
RACES OF every KIND on employers seemed universal
THE REPORTED RAILROAD STRIKE.
Our reporter subsequently visited the ForIy-second
street depot get the facts OF the reported railroad
strike. lie nrst called at the HUDSON River Railroad
onices the superintendent OF the line said that he
had heard nothing OF an organized strike on the
road ne seemed TO be surprised a. tne report nas
conceded, on being questioned ~ the reporter tha1
there was always
A GOOD DEAL OF DIssENsIoE GOING ON.
During the morning the reporter heard that COM
modore Vanderbilt mad issued an order tnat no
trades union men should be employed on any OF the
company's lines. The reporter asked the Superln-
tendent II this rumor were true. tie said be had
not heard IL, and gentleman who was standing by
| at the time remarked
~ WISH TO GOD THAT he HAD"
Nobody al the ofiices OF the New ork cehtrai
seemed TO have heard OF the strike, though u was
| acknowledged that there were always dissensions
| R0ing on. The Ieeing, to0 seehleu W NC nucn
| against the unonists. TO make assurance uouDy
| sure, the reporter called on the venerable Commo-
| dore at his quiet house In washington place. lie
| found the old gentleman enjoying
| HIS AFTER DINNER CIGAR
| lie received the reporter kindly and readily en-
tered INTO conversation about the reported srlke.