The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-02
srRIKING ,LONGSHOREMEM
Three Thousand Men Lying Idle-No Trouble
Whatever Along the Piers.

Three thousand 'longshoremen stood idle
about the piers bordering West street all day
yesterday without committing single breach
OF the peace
When over fifty Italians were taken down
to the pier OF the Guon line in the morning.
and set at work loading the steamer Wyoming.
trouble was anticipated. Capt. Gastln had sta
toned several OF his men about the entrance to
the dock. but their presence proved to be I'M
necessary. The large group Of ongshoremen
gathered on the opposite side Of the street. and
looked on unconcernedly. They seemed to feel
that the employment OF the Italians was de-
signed more to shake them in their determina-
tion TO hold out than ns a means Of loading the
great ship whose prov projected far over the
stringpiece.
An old 'onGshoreman. In whose judgment
the majority Of the men have great faith as was
shown at the meetings Of Tuesday and Wedncs-
day evenings said that II the companies would
ouer the men 30 cents per hour right through.
that is 10 say both night and day. he firmly De-
lieVed II would be- gladly accepted. You see"
said he, during the spring. summer and fall
the ships make good voyages end arrive gen
there is plenty OF time to Load them
without working at night. Thus there
Would receive civ S the S5 cents Sents per- per- Ronr Rhi1H
offered by the companies for might work
They .offer us rs cents per hour Tor day work
add these two sums together and pay Us tho
halt OF the total per hour day and night and II
their purpose is 90 deal fairly by US. and 10 give
us as much night work as day work. they can
The Anchor and White Star lines have been
in the habit OF employing "a large gang Of men
by the week at wages varying from fl2 to tl6
per week. Yesterday the men thus employed
by the Anchor line quit work before their week
was up in order not to assist in the loading OF
the Circassia
The White Star steamer Adriatic left her pier
IN A.
there Will not be- another steamer Of this line to
discharge this week the men employed by the
until SATURDAY. so as TO draw their pay for the
week. Then they will Join their comrades on
Yesterday afternoon the Inman line adver-
tised for two hundred able bodied men 10 take
the place OF tine strikers, and thus enable the
company @ finish loading their Saturdays
steamer. The 'ongshoremen say that skilled
men could finish loading their ship in two
hours.
The Anchor line also advertise for men. The
Cunard steamer Scythia. the first Of the line to
lie at the companys new pier at the foot Of
Her cargo has not been broken out yet, and her
chances for leaving the port on schedule time
Mr.. Thomas Westman. who presided at the
meetings Of the 'longshoremen. says that the
men have not shown the slightest sign
resist the terms OF tho eS companies fe,CH In In
his opinion. 4 the extremties Of the
men warrant it, the reserve fund Of nearly sl0-
900 held by Longshoremens Union No. may
be- distributed among them-that Is to-say, to
as many OF them as have been instrumental in
building up the fund. " Ii Is a singular fact 4"
said he, that the sailing vessels notwithstand-
Ing their ill-paying freights are still paying 80.
80. and 40 cents per hour for the handling of
cargoes, and yet the agents of the steamsh D
lines, who, TO judge by the constant accessions
to their fleets. must beimaking money. think
that 25 cents per hour is enough to pay the
men"
On the French steamer Canada. which is ad-
vert sed 10 sail on Wednesday May I. the crew
and even the waters were engaged yesterday
som cases, are dainty, dapper little fellows
with French -heeled boots. would occasionally
get their trucks entnngled in the gangwnys.
Th"n would take place series OF excited gestic-
ula tons and heated arguments.
There is no strike upon the East River piers
60 ther dissimilar from the class of work on the
North River piers.