Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-04
. card from wilson q: Dunlavey.

To The Editor 81 The IfeDsaT'
I sir: Knowing that the columns OF yeur
paper are ever open to redress wrongs ai el
! place matters OF public interest III !a Tan
and impartial light before the coniinlnily,
I and having had q great injustice done US
through tie columns of the Sunday ncrs-
| Jsfter. we ask YOU 10 publish the fActs IN
| The case of the disagreement between our
I selves and che men lately IN our employ,
xsb;eb are as fellows: On the 18th day OF
October. 1881, the following notice was
served upon our firm:
WuyEIINs. w. Va, October Is, 1881.
IYeSsrs. WILSON d Da7s!dTcg:
CvSfIRsEY-We, the undersigned. IN
y;eyof the advance in the necessities OF
liz, feel compelled to ask for an advance
;n the price OF our labor, which we make
Hat the reasonable figures OF two and one-half
cents per keg. We give you one weeks
notice, from October 18th to October 10Th,
1881, to comply with our request.
Respectfully yours,
Geo. Wilson, Ernest barte-
Chas Zimmerman, John ESibert,
Geo. W. Downs, Geo. Hanneman,
d. a. Manners. John BachInan,
Harry Bruner, Andrew Eberiy,
A. Bachman, JAS Harmon,
W. Marshall, Geo. Watson.
After an interview with the COMMITTEE
appointed by the coopers-Messrs. Eberly,
Barte and Hannamon-we agreed 10 give
them the advance asked for, on condition
that they would work at that price until
the end OF the year, which they willingly
agreed to do, without regard to the prices
naid at any other shop. Imagine our sur
prise few days later on receiyinga similar
notice, dated October 10Th, demanding three
and one-half cents per key, to take effect
October 2lSt
We refused this, unjust demand" and
notified the mills we were furnishing with
kegs of the situation, and that their supply
would likely he cut short untll we could
arrange with these reasonable men, or
secure other hands.
Both mills receiving their supply OF kegs
from us, having numerous and pressing
orders for nails ut that time, begged Us not
to let them run out OF kegs, and requested
us. as q matter OF accommodation to them, to
make the best arrangement we could with
the men and keep them fully supplied with
kegs. We objected 20 their arrangement,
knowing that by giving the men this adj
vantage would be TO our injury
IN making terms With them the
coming year Not wishing to have
a strike. and cause the mills 10 stop,
we finally compromised with the men and
agreed TO allow them three cents per keg
until January /, 1882, thus having made
two agreements with our men III one week,
and not knowing how soon they would de-
uand another advance.
In December before We finally settled our
contract with the mills for their supply, OF
kegs for 1882. We inquired of our employ
Ccs what price they wanted for making Kegs
for the next wear, and told them we thought
the price We were now paying too much, us
kcc making was not a trade and required
no skill. and no time to learn the business
and only S. OF an outlay for tools, and that
the wages they were now receiving from
;. 80 to 1925 per day for eight and nine
hours work. was out of all proportion with
wages received by carpenters, mechanics
and other skilled labor who had to spend
from three 10 five years in'lcarnlg trade,
and afterwards TO invest from 800 10 f2OJ
in tools.
However. rather than have any further
trouble with our employees. We agreed To
continue the same price-namc!y, three
cents per key for lSS2--and the committee
tearing We would not keep our part OF the
contract, asked and insisted on IN article, to
which We consented, telling them what
tho terms of the contract would be, anu
laying great stress upon the provision mat
would he require of them, TO make all the
kegs which we would ask or want them To
make. regardless Of what we did with the
kegs or to what mill we sold. The
committee agreed to this, ana the "obuoX,,
iuus contract was prepared, submitted and
signed by all the men and boys, with the
execution OF four boys, and thus we supposed
the matter was settled until Wednesday,
December 18th, when we received copy OF
O unanimous resolution passed by the
cooperS Of the "UhiO Valley, dated DeCem.
her oath. to the effect that the article OF
agreement between Wilson * Dunlevy and
the coopcrS working in their shops was
withdrawn, and signcdby the same parties
who had signed the previous article agree
ing to make kegs al the rate OF three cents
per kcc. including the four boys whose sig
natures were not on the last contract.
Thinking we had enough OF this childs
play, we told Mr.. -Ebcriy, one Of the com.
mittcc. that he and every one who had
signed the paper were discharged, to take
effect on saturday December 3lSt
On the morning Ui the 18th Il committee
waited up0n US and demanded the immedl-
ate destruction OF the article, or they would
quit work at once. WhCrcupon We told
them that we had already discharged them,
to take effect on saturday; but now order
Cd them to take their tools out Of orr shop
AT once. which they did, and rs they were
retiring, they were met by new men ana
BOYS looking for work, in answer TO our
advertisement Of the same morning. We
have had between eighty and ninety april
cations for work, and are happy Ia inform
the public and our friends that We still
control our own business, and think We can
get along without the assistance OF the NJ.
teen discharged kce-makcrS, or The aid Of
the Sunday Ncrs-Lcit"r.
The contract which these men signed
and withdrew, was taken from the Laws
Of Business" and any one interested can
have the privilege OF reading it, and judg-
ing in regard 10 the fairness OF its terms.
We have simply stated the facts of this
matter, and leave an unprejudiccd public
60 say who has been miStreated or who has
acted wrong in the case. We shall pay no
attention tOany further communications
ON the subject, but will pursue the even
tenor OF our way, and hope the diSaiiccttcd
/ Eeg-makcrs may find employment else
where. and let the s. \. l.. have all the
glory it can get out Of its mean one-sided
article of Sunday. WILSON & DuNLNvY.