The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-22
LABOR TROUBLES.

A Coal Famine Threatened in the West.
ST.. Louis, March 20.-The freight handlers
of the Missouri Pacific railroad and also those
OF the Union railroad and Transit Company,
made demand today for an increase of wages
the former from $1.20 to $1.4O per day, and the
lattcr from $1.25 to $1.50. The demands we re
refused and the men quit work Their places
have been filled to a considerable extent and
the freight house managers say they will have
no difficulty in getting full complement of
new men in a day or two.
Strikers held meeting tonight in East ST.
Louis and after hearing reports went into Sc
cret session to form union
The most perplexing feature in the strike is
the fact that the coal supply will not last "a
hours. There was no coal received last night,
and while there has been a sudden rise in the
market the supply is exhausted. The coal
dealers say that with the free use of railroads
they could furnish 100, 900 tons before to-mer-
row night. Business is already suffering
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, March 20.-Goy. McCnl-
lum said tonight that the sheriff of St. Clair
county and several deputies were on duty at
East st. Louis watching the movements OF the
strikers there. No immediate trouble is APP
prehended there or elsewhere, but it is appar-
emit that labor agitators are active all over the
State. Owners of factories and railroad man.
ayers are considerably alarmed over the
threatened strike, coming at the present time
Just as business is reviving and labor promised
10 De profitable to employers and employed.
Iuo f'lauO Makers.
NEW YORK, Marck 20..The piano manu-
featuring firms of Gabler & Co., Steck, Sob
mer & Co., and Behring & Co. announce that
they will open their factories Monday, but
will only take the men back conditionally.
Fisher q Cosay they will open their factory
by J. P. Hale declare if they are taken back
by Monday they will only return on condition
that the present contract system shall be abol-
lshed. subscriptions are pouring in daily in
aid of the strikers.
NEW YORK, March 20.-About 5000 locked
out piano makers held meeting to-day and
listened to several speeches, the tenor of
which was to keep firm and stand out against
the employers until to latter agreed to their
terms Resolutions were adopted that the
piano makers of Haines & Bro, Lanmer & Co.
and Gabier & Co., should wait on the en-
pioyers tomorrow morning and offer to return
TO work unconditiona lily and if they were not
taken back in two hours thereafter thew
would demand an advance of 10 per cent It
was stated that Steinway & Sons had given
notice to the key makers in the Astoria
factory to remove their tools in five day as
they intended making other arrangements.
The Clinton Mills Strike.
: CLINTON. Mass, March 2O.-There is no
change In the condition of the strike at the
Lancaster mills. Good order has been pre-
ed. Considerable help is expected to arrive
from other places next week, and it is thought
many operatives will return to work ut the Old
prices when they see no possibility of the cor
porations yielding to their demands
Demand for the Enforcement of the Eight
Hour Law. s..s
ST. LOUIS, March 21.-At mass meeting of
Worklngmen this afternoon under the auspices
OF the Trades Assembly, resolutions were
unanimously adopted calling upon the Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress to vote
for such legislation as will ensure an impartial
observance and enforcement of the eight hour
law for all laborers employed by the national
government.