The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-30
TINE AsMoRKs sIRIKE.
threatening TO Sue the Trustees for Ad-
ditIonai Wages-New Hands ON.

Threatening 10 Sue the Trustees ior Ao-
ditIonnl Wages-New Hands ON.
The new employees at the Gas Works
commenced work on the excavation Tor
me foundation for the new tank Yesterday,
under the supervision Of Mr.. White, the
engineer having charge Of the operations.
Two policemen were on hand 10 protect
the workmen II necessary, and 1t is posi-
bic their presence had salutary effect.
AT any rate the discharged workmen went
no further than to ieer ct and threaten the
new men.
Yesterday letter was received by the
Trustees, signed by seven Of the old hands,
Notifying them that the signers con-
sidered the city, or the Trustees,
indebted to them In the sum Of % cents
per day for the time they had been EN-;
ployed, and that unless said additional
wages were paid forthwith suit would be
entered for its recovery. One OF the
former employees also called at the INTEL
lIdBSCER Office last evening to present the
strikers side OF the case. He said when
the men went to work there was no shpu;;
lation as to wages, but that they supposed
thew would receive "city prices" which
they further supposed to be 81 so per day.
Alter they had worked for several days
Mr.. White told them they would receive
but 81 25. They then worked TO the end
Of the week, and quit. They now claim
To be entitled to Irregular city prices
which they claim to be 81 so per day.
MI. Caldwell, clerk Of the board OF trus-
tees, and Mr.. White, superintendent Of the
improvements now being made, were In
teryiewed last night by areporter. They
tell the same story in all particulars, which
ia that on the second day the men were
employed, they were given to understand
uneuuiyocally that their wages would be
hut SIPS per day, and as this seemed to
cause some dissatisfaction, Mr.. White
said: "Any Of you who do not want c
work for SIPS a a day may quit, ior una
Is all we are going to pay" me men AZ
remained at work till Saturday, and were
paid of Monday, signing the payroll.
The idea that 81 so Is regular city pay,
and that this rate per diem Is txee
by ordinance, Is q misapprehension.. a
few weeks ago Council passed q resolution
authorizing the Street Commissioners tt
nav laborers on the streets and alley
! 81 30 per day. This was done because thu
i regular and transient nature OF the EN-
ployment afforded laborers on the stree
made 1t impossible for man to support
family at a lower rate OF pay. The EN-
ployment at the gas works Is entirely
different, being regular and steaqy TO-
several weeks. The tustees, before
fixing the price to be. paid, in
yestiSated the condition Of the labol
market They found that the highes
wages paid for day labor at any OF tht
mills was sl.25, while the average wa
much lower. They did not feel justified IN
paving more for the work they had to have
done than fair price. This is the way
the case was presented on behalf Of tht
city, and it looks reasonable. The furthel
fact that there Is no difficulty, except tha
caused by the discharged hands, in EN-
ploying men at the wages offered, wooulc
seem to show that the Trustees have don't
nothing unreasonable, or Of which TIT
men have any right to complain.