The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-18
The Strike.

4H6 SltuattUu ID CuoukCu SOnOHhatAAom
yesterday, the mills in Moline having COM
menced again, Keator's mill running on
ten hours time, at proportiouate pay, aud
Dimock, Gould & Co., eleven hours,a the
old wages. This settles the strike so far
as Moline is concerned.
To Rock Island, there has been no re.
sumption of work, and at present il looks
as if there would be none except on the
old basis of eleven hours work for the old
pay. and proportionate pay for ten hours
work.
The mill owners claim the right to
have their side of the story heard, and said
to an ARGUS reporter to-day, that so far
as the mill stores are concerned that the
stores are an accommodation to the men
rather than profit to the owners; that
where steady men deal at the stores. and
deal according to their means, they en-
dorse the system of mill stores and that
to-day, the majority of the men are in
favor of the system. Further, it is stated
by the mill owners. that no one is COM
PEELED to trade at the stores; that the re-
quest for credit comes from the men vol
unfairly and that a man can trade where
ever he pleases without impairing his
chances for retsining his place. During
the winter season when the men are
idle, they are trusted for groceries
and supplies until the season
of work opens, and that but for this accom-.
mediation many of the men would fee
serious Inconvenience, AS further
re(utstion of the statement that exorbitant
prices are charged. it may be stated that
the mill store depends not only on the mil
hands, but has large trade from people
not in the mills, all over the city; thai
some of the closest retail buyers purchase
their goods at the mill store because they
can buy cheaper there than elsewhere.
| Furthermore the mill owners say tina
there is misunderstanding of the stu
alton, the impression being prevalent tina
nearly all the men who are on the stlik'
are paid from $l.15 to $l.25 per day
This, the mill owners say is on error; tina
of all of the men employed not over on
fourth, and that is a liberal estimate, ar
paid 81 25 per day; that the remainde
get from $l.35 to $500 per day; that til
average is about $l,52 per day per man
This is exclusive of a certain well pal
classic wit: flers. engineers. millwright'
blacksmiths and carpenters This c!as
Il paid from 50 to $3.50 per day, and ar
ot included in the $I52 average,
It is further claimed that eleven hour
work is one hour less than in Michigan
which is the strongest competition; tia
the men in Michigan are paid no more, an
10 many cases even less for IL hours worE
than theRockI Island men ere paid for eleve
hours; that the competition ia very close
the profits necessarily small, aud unit
Michigan recedes from Its present stanC
ard the Rock Island mill owners are pay
ling all they can afford, Further it
stated that the machinery has to be work
ed constantly to yield profit, and that
costs as much to run it ten hours, reall.
as it does to run it eleven: that it Is tn
, continued use of the machinery alone tia
r makes the business pay. Although oil
the owners were willing to grant th
request to run ten hours, that some of ii
employees of the mills insist on workiu
eleven hours, as 10 the case of Dimocl
9 Gould s. Co., that the morning hour is tt
best hour to work, and the men so recoi
:, nize it.
THE ARGUS desires to treat all parti
e fairly and gives space to the mill owner
controversy, leaving the people tojudge
the merits of the case as presented.