Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-07-28
The Strike at Eau Claire.

EAU CLAIRE, July 2o.-Ihe strike OF
mill men has caused big excitement
in the city all the week. Mass meet
ings have been held daily, professions
have filled the streets, and there has
been general suspension of business.
The history of the strike is as follows :;
Last Monday morning the men AT work
in and about the several saw mills
struck work, demading reduction of
the hours of labor from twelve to ten.
Some of the mill owners, notably
Sherman Bros, and the proprietors of
the Wilson mill, seemed inclined to
acceed to the demands of the men,
while some of the others say they are
willing to pay more for twelve hours
work, on being satisfied that it is worth
the money, but are unwilling to start up
their mills on the ten hour system.
After making the rounds of the mills,
the strikers met Monday afternoon and
held meeting. Their number was
estimated at fourteen hundred. They
were addressed by Hon. Thomas Car
michael, and afterwards by Mr.. Hen
dirk. Mr.. CarmichaeTs remarks show
ed that he was in sympathy with the
men and were designed to inspire per-
severance and assure them of their in
evitable success.
Mr. F. n. Hendrix then addressed
the meeting. He asked if he was right
in supposing that the object of the men
was to get shorter hours for the same
wages, and on being told that it was, he
went on to say that twelve hours day
was too much, and that the men en-
ployed in sawmills in Michigan, Cali
fornia, Maine, ETC., only worked ten
hours and got as much as those in Eau
Claire. He said that he hoped the
strikers would not, under any circum-
stances, resort to acts of violence, to
which they unanimously answered
that they would not, though it is alleged
that the savers and engineers general
ly were compelled to quit work by the
conduct of the other men in rolling
logs off the carriages, threatening the
engineers, etc. Mr.. Hendrix proposed
that committee be selected, of two
men from each mill, to make their pro-
posals known to the employers, which
was agreed to, and the committee was
appointed.
WEST Side PARK, CAMP AT EAU CLAIRE,
July 23-S O'Clock 2. M.-The Lake City
Guards and Governors Guards of Mad
ison, GAINESVILLE City Guard, Bower City
Rifles, WATERFOWL Rifles, Beloit City
Guards, Guppy Guard of Portage, and
Mansion Light Guard, and members of
the general staff, in all three hundred
and seventy-slx men, arrived here per
special train at one p. m. The coming
of the militia had an exceedingly bene-
fetal effect on the mob of 1,50O or 1000
striking mill hands, and they now ac-
knowledge their excuses of the past
week as unfortunate blunders.
Six of the ringleaders were gently
arrested by sheriff's posse this morn
ing, after it was known the military
would come, and this morning their le-
gal counsel, Frawley & Hendricks, for
merly of Dane county, called on the
Governor, claiming that the strikers
went far beyond the advice given them.
The troops occupied the west side
park.
At o'clock ?. NJ, the strikers held
meeting near by. and were addressed
by several of their men, but the en-
thusiasm was limited and the tone Of
the speeches quite mild. At $50
O'Clock Gov. Smith addressed the crowd
urging the necessity of maintaining law
and order, and firmly asserting the dig
nifty of the commonwealth. Tonight
the Fourth battalion occupies the
court house while the other battalion
are in camp at the west side park. The
boys all look we'll and are in excellent
condition.
Olive Logan is in London, and says
she is living in clover. When Mr..
Nehl1chadnezzar was turned ont 10