The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-06-26


Of the locality, our representative set about
obtaining
THE FACTS IN THE CASE.
These facts bring us hack year or two in
thu history Of the mills
In the fall Of 1873, these men, who are en-
ployed in the mills in the capacity Of engi.
neers, were receiving from 81 20 to 50 y per
day for thirteen hours work per night, or
seventy-eight hours work per week. and the
day hands were obliged to work eleven hours
per day. or siNty-siN hours per week. Thus
it viii be seen that two hands working night
and daytime, worked
l42 HOURS PER WEEk
~ all average Of over % hours per day with
out any mtermissOn, for meals
The men did not consider their pay adequate
To the responsibility Of their work, and made
demand for more wages. This the company
refused on the ground that they could not
afford to pay more. and that their pay I'M
like that Of the puddlers and heaters was
fixed, and not governed by the sliding
scale, which regulated the wages Of the men
IN the pudding and heating departments.
The engineers withdrew their demand, re-
lying N the fffi IF the company. But what
virtue WAS m nm taub may he Judged from
the suhsequ- policy pursued by the officers
Of the company. The faith Of the company
was yjeiJed BY its officers in October and the
following November the engineers were cut
down p cents per dav, with the promise that
they would receive the regular wages in the
spring. The men again submitted, but when
the spring came they only received 20 cents
instead Of % cents which the company had
promised. This was followed by subsequent
reduction Of 10 per cent, and still another Of
Is per cent. making a total reduction of %
per cent, Of which the men received back
u! per cent. only. 80 much for the .taah OF
the company.
This brings us to the existing difficulty be-
tween the engineers and the company The
company having failed last spring to keep
their faith with the men,
UNIoN WAS ORGANIZED,
and demand made, not for an advance OF
wages, but simply that the standard of wages
he raised to what it had previously been, and
to which the company had promised to com
ply but had failed 10 keep their promise
THE MAS DUNNIGAN
Mr. Duunigan had made himself very prom
nent in organizing the union, and is looked
upon by his fellow workmen as leading
spirit among them. The general belief pre-
ails that he has been selected as a victim,
by which means they expect to imtimidate
the other men from placing any obstacles in
the way Of the future policy OF the company,
o. its officers. When Mr.. Dunnigan received
his discharge, he naturally inquired for the
reason that prompted it, and was told that
his place could be filled by a
CHEAPER MAN.
In reply TO his question why he was Sc
lected IN preference to any ono else, he was
given to understand that " all the members
Of the union would be treated in like man.
'ner soon as they could get men to fill
" their places, but they did not intend to dis
charge all at once Dunnigan accepted his
discharge, and reported to the union what
had taken place.
QUESTION oF yERACITY
Whether the real cause for Mr. Dunnigans
discharge is stated IN the reasons assigned by
the officers of the company, is a matter Of
doubt. 1t would appear that there was a
reason anterior to the organization Of the
union, Of which Mr.. Dunnigan is supposed to
be the president, which As the appearance
Of plausibility. Mr. Robinson,
THE MASTER MECHANIC.
if report be true-and it comes from so many
different sources, that there seems no reason
to doubt its man Of very imperious
character, who will not tolerate the inter
ference Of any Of his subordinates in his af-
fairs Rumors say be will not allow any
man, no matter what his qualifications, to
i knor more than hamseLf," and since he has
taken charge Of the machinery department,
there has been more or less trouble. 1t ap-
PEARS that some time ago, two fly wheels were
Loose, and were continued to be run in this
condition longer than prudence, good judg-
ment, Or safety would permit. These hy-
wheels were in connection with the engine
~ charge o. Mr.. Dunnigan, and he (Dunni-
gam hndlhg there danger in continuing
70 run his engln. with the hy-wheels loose,
called attention 70 them Whether it was
through the carelessLess Of Mr.. Robinson. or
ignorance upon the par Of
HIS FoKEAAN,
who is a brother-in-law of Mr. RobinSon-
that the fiy-wheels were Neglected ia not
stated, or what this had to do with the dis.
charge Of Mr.. Dunnigan, our readers can
conclude for themselves but it was after th;.
occurrence that Mr.. Robinson iAaueI his
famous edict that he wanted every man To
attend to his own business, and not interfere
with his.
The feeling among the men is in favor Of
Mr.. Dunnigan, and while they admit the
action of both parties may have been hasty
and uncalled for, still the sympathy 10 with
the men, and the general Judgment ia that
Dunnigan is the victim, who is more sinned
against than shining
: SUPERINTENDENT LAKE,, Of the West Chi
cago City Railway Company, win run cars
hereafter on Clinton street every nine MIN
utes. This is better than once . wear, the
time they have been making