Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-15
New York Letter.
New YORK, Aug. II, 1877.

D. New York Letter.
p New YORK, Aug. II, 1877.
is TIE TRUE INwARDNEss- OF THE STRIKE
re THE TROUBLE NOT YET oVER-THE IF
@ Feet OF THE STRIKE UPON BUSINESS
=. LABOR TROUBLES IN THE CTTY-THE Ii
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES FASHIONS
THE TRUE INwARDNEss OF THE STRIKE.
q went up to Ludlow Street Jail, las
week, TO see Donahue, the leader OF tht
i strikers on the Erie road. He is man o
+ considerable intelligence, and was iittec
+ by nature for a leader He is not one o.
, that kind who want their employers to d.
vide with them, but he does insist that
business shall be so adjusted that the oper-
alive can live in something like comfort.
Donahue says that the average that the
men make is from $25 to $50 per month,
and that the cost of living in Horncllsvlle
is higher than in New York. For instance,
flour is from $1,000 to Sill; butter, 80
cents; beef 90 cents; brown sugar, y
cents coffee, SO and ~ cents, and any de-
cent tea from 80 cents to S125 pound.
Rents are terrible high there. $25 per
month is extorted for common frame
houses of from eight to ten small rooms.
Those who, when wages were better, had
purchased property, were losing it by the
reduction; and what ground them more,
the wages had been screwed down to such
point that workman under the best cir
cumstances was debarred from everything
of II social nature. He could not take
newspapers or buy book, he could not
pay dues 10 a lodge or church, or so
dress his wife or children that they could
attend church Or anything else improving.
The company had even gone so far us to
charge the employers with rent for the
waste land beside the track, which was
formerly allowed them MS perquisite.
DOnahue admits that the strike was fail |
ure, but says that some good will grow
out of it.
THE TROUBLE IS NOT YET OVER,
for there can be no doubt that the working |
men are suffering, and that the companies
have not dealt with The question in II liber-
al spirit. 1t is true that the roads are max
ing nothing, and that the stock holders
are missing their regular dividends, but
that it is so is the fault of the manage
ment. If they would keep up freighls to
a paying figure instead of cutting each
others Threats, and more especially if they
would drop all nonsense in style, cut
down the salaries of their officers and in
nugurate system of economy in the
there could be enough of
saving to make up for the loss by reason
Of hard times. The workingman whose
wages were $35 month, doesn't like to
'e cut down to $50 when the higher grade l
)t officials are voting themselves their old
salaries. 1t was very bad economy to
squeeze the great mass of men who were -.
getting little enough before. S
'HE EFFECT OF THE STRIKE UPON BI,sT.
NESS
vas terrible. There was an enormous
destruction of goods by the infurated mass, Ia
which made interruption in trade, and in
tances of severe loss are coming to LIGHT h
verywhere. One western brewer has Il
eon three years Introducing his beer into +
'ew York, Boston, Philadelphia and Bal Il
more; he had spent hundreds of thou !,
ands of dollars to create his trade and o
ad 1t working smoothly. His shipments "
'ere caught in the jam at Buffalo and
ittshurg. some cars remaining week.
the meantime, his stock being exhaust P
d, other brewers stepped in, and now he A
as his work all to do over again, or fc
bandon it. There were thousands of car. d.
'ads Of perishable goods allowed to stand tt
II ten days, and the goods that were not ca
arlshable were so plundcrcd us to be nl- 81
lost II total loss. The action of the COM NJ
mics in cutting down wages and the p,
etlod Of the strikers in seeking redress Ct 81
IS cost the country millions upon millions n,
dollars. The direct loss can be ascer- l.
inod-lhe indirect will never he known We
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