Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-11-25
From the Charlotte Observer.
STRIKE OF THE TRUCKERS.
The Brigade Of Depot Hands Throw
Down Their Trucks and March up
TOwn--.An Extensive Strike for
Prompt PAYMENT and More Money.


Town-..An Extensive strike for
Prompt Payment and More Money.
1t was strangely quiet and still around
the Richmond and Danville, and Char
lotte, Columbia and Augusta freight
depot yesterday, where the rattle of the
trucks and the loud voices of the dar-
kies were wont to keep things merry
from sunrise till after night, day in and
day out. the week through. Hundreds
of bales of cotton were piled on the
platform around the depot and long
lines of box cars with their doors open
to receive the cotton were standing on
the tracks, and the only sign of life to
be seen about the depot was in the of
fees, where the clerks were quietly at
work. Inside the depot two colored
men were trucking freight, otherwise
the depot wore deserted and lonesome
look. 1t was evident that something
unusual had happened and an inquiry
quickly revealed the cause of it. The
hands had struck. OF the twenty-six
truckers, all except two had thrown
up work and marched up town in a
body where they cODgregated on the
sunny side of Trade street and dis
cussed their action over among them
selves. A reporter for THE OBSERVER,
desiring to find out the cause of their
strike approached one who, by his
speech and actions, appeared to be the
ringleader, and asked him what the diff
ficulty was.
ave want our money they owe us"
he said, "and we want more of it. We
are looking out for ourselves and for
our families, which we are obliged to
do. Some of US have worked for two
months without our money, and others
have worked for one whole month
without being paid up. What We want
is full settlement all around, and lit
tie more pay for night work. We truck
cotton all day long until night and then
when supper comes. we can't stop, but
have to truck compressed cotton right
along until and 10 o'clock. If we
stop to go to supper, we run the risk Of
being discharged. For this extra work
at night We do not get a cent of pay.
We contracted to work for the railroad
company for 500 per month. payable on
the 18th of each month. We have not
been able to get our pay and so we de-
cided to strike and either better our
situation or make it worse. We are
ready to go back to work whenever the
railroad company will accede to our
demand for pay for our extra work at
night"
OF the two truckers who refused to
join the strikers. one had joined strike
at the Airline depot some time since,
and found itsuch hard work to get back
again and such a poor business gener-
ally, that he decided not to take any
more of it in his, and remained at
work. The other darkey took philo.
sophical view of the matter and said
that if he was not getting much money
at the depot, he knew he could not
make more than 10 or Is cents day up
town, so he decided to stay. Efforts
were made all the morning to get hands
to I'LL the strikers places, but unsuc-
cessfully, not a single laborer being
found willing to 60 to work. The de-
pot authorities telegraphed to Green's
boro and other places for set of hands
and until these arrive trucking at the
depot will have to remain at stand
still.
Inquiry among the depot men as to the |
cause of the strike was made and they |
say that the hands had no cause to |
strike for pay, as they drew their money |
every Saturday night, and when the pay |
train comes in for their monthly settle
ment, as a general thing nothing or
very little is coming to them, and that
all of them have been paid in full or in |
part for their work sup to date. They |
agree that the hands ought to be paid |
extra for their night work, and this de-
mand will very probably be acceded to.
Capt. J. J. Gormley, the depot agent.
got the section hands from the railroad
at work in the afternoon and will get
along with them until a new set of
hands can be secured. He says that |
mona of tho atrikara will ha falen haNkr