The New York herald., 1876-08-01
STRIKE OF 'LONGSHOREMEN.

woRK-THR SITUATION AT PRESENT.
Yesterday morning the mon employed in handling
tho inward and outward bound cargoes OF transatlan
tic steamers having wharves on the Hudson River
front OF this city struck work to enforce thor de-
mand for increased wages The demand was resisted
by the employers. and the men, known technically
" 'longshoremen' from the nature OF their work.
quietly retired to tho along and the shore to
await coming events 1t is probable that a conference
Will be held to-day and the matter take definite shape
During the last two months the matter Of a strike
for increased wages has been agtated Informally
among tho workers on the Hudson River shore. They
number between 3, 900 and 4, ,0O0 Most Of them arc
having large lamilleS They have been trained
the business OF breaking out and slowing cargoes in
going vessels. and claim that their work not
fully paid Tor.
THAT STRIKE
Passing along West street yesterday a HERALD re-
porter in conversation with several Of tho 'longshore-
men at tho steamship DOCKS gathered the following
ideas from the men as their leading motives for the
striko-
slow many men are strkef"
"About 8, 900 or 4, 900, sir.
''what did you strike forY"
"For forty cents for hours labor IN the day
time and for my cents an hour during tho night"
"Why do you charge more at nightf"
''When we have work in tho day it Is very heavy, as
all our work is, sir, and wo need night we
would soon DO laid sick: Tho loss work We have ut
night the more We will have in the day.
what caused you to ask for tho increase Of i've
cents an hour at night and ton cents hour for the
DAY work."
1--WE did not want to make any trouble by doing so
either to the steamship companies the merchants,
but We have found, SIR tnat We cannot support
selves and families ut tho existing rates OF wages
Look at it, sir strong, able man. anxious and will
ing TO do the work, gets thirty cen:s hour Well
II his work lasted all day he would make $3 Every
10 N n Nav M ha UlaA tn tl,a
but our thirty cents hour may last forty
minutes; It may last two hours. +"
take the year through"
'Ninc dollars u week That's Gods truth Some
Of have families and of course have TO pay
more rent than others F"
"What do these about us pay?"
drcn; pay Sc" Another said, 81 have ten IN tho
family and pay sl4" Another paid ~. All in tene.
"You must make more than 50 in some weekan
Eyes sir; we sometimes catch week that brings
US in SIS or $16; but maybe the weeks We
arc lde II We buy little pair Of shoes for the baby
be done at the expense Of food for the whole
family People ask why do live scross
the river, whore rents are cheaper Because II is
more economical to live work. that we can
go homo to meals II did not we would DO
obliged TO pay forty or nty cents for dinners
men who have to handle of bacon weighing 600
and 700 pounds each can't live a sandwich and
glass of milk; they might as well order colin from
the nearest undertaken at once"
slow last do you handlo such cases S'
'.i have seen them come into the hold Of an ocean
and they were promptly slowed"
THx FEELING MEN
''llow do tho mon feel about the success of their
pans"
There Is but the feeling. Walk among them
from pier 20 all along the Shore and talk them your
self"
The reporter passed through the groups Of men,
They were all sober and apparently avoided the liquor
shops Many OF them were being paid for their work
during the previous week and orderly and Quot
soon after eight O'Clock A. NJ yesterday, while tho
work OF disehargng the csrgoes OF the European steam
nrs hff Nnrth Rtvnr
ing, the falling rain preventing the discharge receipt
OF perishaole merchandise party or unemployed men
visited the piers anu ordered the men stop work
The teesraphc instruments the gave
Information TO Supor ntendent Wang at Police Head.
quarters, and Captain Irving, with the Harbor Police
boat with reserves from several precincts,
the Pacific Nail steamship dock at Canal street The
strikers were ordered IRON tho wharf, and obeyed
without making any resistance. Tho on the YES.
Sci was then resumed by the crew.
rHE SITUATION.
AT the Anchor line, pier No 20 North River, the
crew on the California directed by the stevedores in
the employ OF The company, continued ut work the
cargo. On The Otheo Of Wilson's line for Southamp-
ton and Hull, the crew alone working Al pier
No 46, the Williams K Guion line, the company steve
dores were directing the crew. At the French Trans
Atlantic Company's wharf the same action taking
place The steamships along the East River and ut
the Cunard and Hamburg docks have not yet
been affected by the movement Tho coastwise
steamships will not be involved in tho moycmen MT
lantic vessels Meanwhile the agents and owners OF
tho various lines are IN consultation. They say that
They declare themselves in favor of reducing
the wages or day work TO twenty five per hour
and they positive that thcy can procure all the
help they want at that rate Al present the rate of
wages the Bremen and Hamburg lines Is only
quarter Of dollar hour. and there difficulty IN
getting men, and on the Old Dominion line TO Rich.
mond, pier 81 aud also the Erie Raroad the rate
Is only II y cents an hour and nothing extra for night
work.