Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-07-22
The Ten Hour Strike in the Saginaw
Valley.

NAV Valley is one of the creates
strikes that has taken place in Mich
igan. The Detroit News estimate
the number of mills shut down at SO
of which 80 were saw-mills with sal
blocks attached. The number of mel
out Of work is said to be about 5000
and the daily loss to the laboring mel
would average about $4,000. The
strike is for ten hours work at the
same wages they received for clever
hours. The mill owners were willing
TO adopt the ten hour system, but
wanted to reduce wages one eleventh
The dockwollopers also struck for &C
cents an hour and many planning mills
a shipyard, etc, were shut down, on
account of the men striking or else
being forced to discontinue work by
outside parties. There has been no
disturbance or violence, except in a
few cases during the exciting time
when many of the mills were forci-
bly, shut down by the strikers. The
time worked in the Saginaw lumber
mills is from eleven to eleven and a
half hours per day. The pay is s1.25
per day for common mill hands, and
they are paid about once month. The
following from the Saginawian will
give the reader an account Of the
first six days of the strike
Monday, July 9Th, the associated
press dispatch gave this item: THE
iaborers in the saw mills of West
Bay City went out on a strike this
forenoon for 10 hours as days work.
instead of II. Every mill, from Es-
seville to McGraw's. was visited by n
crowd of strikers marching and car
rying a flag on which were the words :
"Ten hours a days work" At Nc
Graw's, which is the largest mill on
the river, officers kept the men from
entering the grounds and the mill
started up as usual this afternoon,
though one-quarter of the force have
Joined the strikers. The strikers are
principally Polanders and boys. They
are led in their march by hoodlums
who are not employed in the mills"
Tuesday. July 7th, about 500 A.
NJ, crowd of about $50 men march
ed down Water street, Bay City, to
the LIST ward, where they were met by
number Of strikers. The first stop
was made at Eddy Bros. mill, where
the men were asked to stop work I'M
less the proprietors would agree to
run but 10 hours day. This was
refused. and after considerable parley
the mill shut down, the men joining
the strikers. A brass band was then
secured and the men marched to the
mill of Folsom & Arnold, where they
were met by several officers who re-
fused to allow them inside the mill
yard. At this mill the men were
working hut 10 hours at reduced
wages. The men were asked to stop
work, but refused. The strikers to
the number of about 400 then march
ed to the mill of Rust Bros, where
admission was refused the strikers
and the men in the mill refused to
quit work. The men then marched
to the 23d street bridge with the in
tention of visiting the mill of Miller
Bros, OH the middle ground. Capt.
Simmons interviewed one of the pro-
prietors of the mill, and the result
was the admittance of but two of the
strikers to the mill to talk with the
employees. The latter deemed it best
to quit work and the mill was shut
down. The line of march was then
taken up and q halt was made at
Hay, Butman's Il Co.'S mill, but the
attempt to induce the men to stop
work proved failure.
Wednesday morning, July 9Th, at
an early hour, a large gang of strikers
had gathered at Bustman & Rust's
mill, Bay City. The men in the mill
were called upon to quit and they
complied. The mill was shut down
and the strikers moved in a body to
the mill of Rust Bros. short distance
above. Here the officers had station
ed themselves to prevent entrance to
the mill. The strikers had become
greatly excited by this time, and when
they reached the mill one of them
yelled: "Let us 60 in; the officers
will not harm u.s." This seemed to
be the signal for general outbreak.
and the crowd surged forward. A
team hitched to mill cart was about
to pass from the mill yard to Water
street. The team was promptly
turned around and the driver told To
quit work. The officers pressed for
ward and Deputy Sheriff Bogue ar
rested the man he supposed to be the
leader. The crowd then gathered
around the officer and his prisoner,
and in the struggle that ensued
Bogue received hard blow on the
head. He pluckily chung to his pris-
ener and called for assistance. Sher.
iff Brennan, Deputy Sheriff Woods
and Patrolmen Wyman and Mulhol-
land went to his assistance. Sheriff
Brennan and Deputy Sheriff Woods
received several severe blows with
clubs, as did Wyman and Mulhol-
land. The latter Jared the worse and
received a blow on the left side of the
head that drew blood and completely
demoralized him. Patrolman Wyman
arrested the man whom he supposed
struck Mulholland, and. together with
officer Bogue, they lodged the men at
the police station. At McGraw's mill
the men stopped work as soon as the
strikers approached. In the mean
time Meyers mill had shut down, but
q few men remained in the mill. A
grand rush was made by the strikers