Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-08-18
DIR NEW YORK LETTER,

Trouble Not Yet Oyer-The Effect OF
the strike Upon nMsins:. - Lamar
crs-lrime-The Fashions. b
THE True ISwARpSEss OF TIE STRIKE.
l went up to Ludlow Street Jail,
last week, TO see Donahue, the lead
er of the strikers on the Erie Road.
He is u man of considerable intelli'
cence, and was fitted by mature far
Il leader. He is not one OF the kind
who want their employers to divide
with them, but he does insist that
business shall he so adjusted that
the operative can live in something
like comfort. Donahue says tina
the average that the men make $
from $25 to $50 per month, and
that the cost of living in Hornells
vile is higher than in New York.
For instance, -four is from $1,000 to
81; butter, 80 cent beef. %
cents; brown sugar, II cents; cot
fee, 80 and 40 cents, and any de
cent tea from 80 cents to Sl.20 a
pound. Rents are terribly 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 II
by the reduction and what ground
them more, the wages had been
screwed down to such a point that
a workman under the best circum'
stances was debarred from every.
thing of a social nature. He could
not take newspapers or buy a book,
he could not pay dues to lodge or
a church, or SO dress his wife and
children that they could attend
church or anything else improving.
The company had even gone so TAR
as to charge the employees whit rent
for the waste land beside the track,
which was formerly allowed them
as a perquisite. DonaAao admits
that the strike was a failure, but
says that some good will grow out
of it.
| THE TRoDLE IS NOT YET OVER,
For there can be no doubt that the
workingmen are suffering, and that
the companies have not dealt with
the question in a liberal spirit. 1t
is true that the roads are making
nothing, and that the Stockholders
are missing their regular dividends,
but that it is so is the fault OF the
management. If they would keep
up freights to a paying figure in
stead of cutting each others threats,
and more especially if they would
stop all nonsense in style, cut down
the salaries of their officers and in
augurate q system OF economy IN
the management, there could De
enough of a saving to make up for
the loss by reason of hard times
The workingman whose wages were
$50 a month, dosen't like to be cut
down to $50 when the higher grade
of officials arc voting themselves
] their old salaries. 1t was very bad
economy to squeeze the great mass
of men who were getting little
enough before.
THE EFFECT OF THE STRIKE UPON BUSINESS
Was terrible. There was an enor-
nous destruction of goods by the
infuriated mass, which made inter
ruption in trade, and instances OF
severe loss are coming to light every
where. One Western brewer has
been three years introducing his
beer into New York, Boston, Phila
delphia and Baltimore; he has
spent hundreds of thousands of dol
lars. to create his trade and had i
working smoothly. His shipments
we're caught in the jam at Buffalo
and Pittsburg, some cars remain
ing a week. In the meantime, his
stock being exhausted, other brew
ers stepped in, and now he has hi
work all to do over again, or aban
don it. There were thousands o
carloads of perishable goods allow
r ed to stand ten days, and the good
t that we're not perishable were 81
plundered as to be almost a tota
loss. The actian of the companies
in cutting down wages and TN
method of the strikers in seekln!
redress has cost the country mil
lions upon millions Of dollars. The
direcJ loss can be ascertained-th
indirect will never be known.
IN THE CITY
The labar troubles are not settled
and trouble is certain to come. In
+ busy season is half over, and EN-
ployment has been so scarce an
q wages so low that the workingmel
/, have not a dollar ahead for the com
ing winter, and they are organizln'
for some purpose. The coal-docE
ers have alreandy struck, and ar
G making trouble. The wives of tn
o, strikers are more bitter than thel
v husbands, and are more determines
to hold out. If a man shows an
5 symtoms of yielding, the wome
, assault him, and as they can't strik
a woman, they are at a sad dlSad
: vantage. The feeling is extendln
among all classes of working-inel
and there is no doubt but there wi
!. be wild work here within the montl
The railroad engineers are dom
s everything in their power to swe
the food, and the Communists al
i, as busy as bees. Look out for som
: ugly work very soon.
= THE LIQUOR-DEALERs
q Are having trouble. The en- force
!. ment of the excise law has bee
put in the hands of the captains
3 police, and they are going for tn
n rum. mills severely. Last week Owe
n two hundred arrests were made
and there was trouble. Such
q thing was never done before Th
:. shops were entered, and if the prt
# prietors did not have a licese b
" was sumarily arrested, no matte
IS what time of the afternoon it wa
Vary MANY were taken in when