Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-11-04
4 STARTLING STRIKE.
Fifteen Hundred Knights Of Labor
in Galveston Suspend Work
simultaneously,
Ans Declare They VIII Not Bulge Till
the Mallory Steamship Line Takes
Back the 'Longshoremen.
The whole state to be Included IN the
strike, and Even New York-Race
Troubles Threatened.
special q H. Gazette.

Special 70 the Gazette.
GAI.yEsTON, TEX, Nov. ga general
strike OF Knights OF Labor In this city
was laaugurated this afternoon seriously
Affecting every branch of commerce and
completely parnlyzing the movement of
cotton and other freight. The long
Slsurpmen, the screwmen, the freight
handlers, and switchmen, the
cotton handlers In the press
es, the printers and other
members OF the knights Of Labor all quit
work at 1880 o'clock. 1t is estimated
that 1900 men went out but they are so
ecattered from one end OF the city TO the
other IL Is impossible TO enumerate the
exact number by trades.
The strike was planned and carried out
80 quietly and orderly that not over
dozen people outside the knights them.
selves knew what was coming. So united
are the labor organizations Of Galveston
that IL may be truly said they have the
city IN their grasp, for there Is no power
here able 70 cope with them If they get
agly The present general strike i the
putgrowth OF the small strike inaugu-
rated October ~ by the 100 white
siongshorcmen, employed by the Mallory
Steamship company on their wharves
here. The 'longshoremen were getting
i0rty cents an hour for daylight labor and
sixty cents for night and Sunday work.
Bat very little work is done at night, and
They struck for fifty cents an hour all
refund, Sundays Included Capt. Sawyer,
agent for the Mallory line, resisted this
demand and employed cOlored laborcrs,
allowing them fifty cents an hour night
and day, being the very same rate de-
anSnded by the strikers Very few of
rho original 30 'longshoremen were mem
bers OF the knights of Labor at the time
they struck, but all have
siBcD become members. Various attempts
NJ arbitration have been made between
white aud colOred 'longshorcmen assoc
Citations. The colored men even agreed
80 divide the labor equally. The Mallory
i0iks would not be dictated to and Saw
yer refused TO rcinstate the strikers, even
an hall time. At this iuncturc the
knights OF Labor quietly stepped IN and
attempted to arbtrate matters, but were
rebuGcd By the Mallory company
Monday last +. II. Golden, chairman Of
ilse state executive board of the knights
Df labor, addressed letter to j. ~.
Sawyer, stating that whereas It
had been made known to
thc executive board OF the knights
OF Texas, that the Mallory Line Steam.
ship company was discriminating against
members OF their order by discharging
and refusing 70 allow them to work upon
their wharyes, therefore this commit.
Ice had adopted a resolution requesting
The reinstatement Of the strikers and that
Tho Mallory line allow the Knights OF
Labor equal representation upon their
Wharycs Golden requested an answer
al ~ O'clock to-day. In his reply Agent
Sawyer says that he was informed by n
member OF the Knights ON the 18th of
October that the striking 'longshorcmen
Bere not members of that order After
reclting the fact that men were not
discharged but abandoned their posi-
lions, Sawyer concludes thus; "Compli-
ahce with your request would compel us
20 enact the Injustice OF which you UNI
NafIantably complain-of dlscharging
lahorers who are performing their duties
faithfully. We therefore decline to dis
tErh the present status of labor on the
Mallory wharf, This reply preclpitated
ihe strike of 1900 Knights OF Labor
Marine commerce suffers greatly by the
strike. There are n dozen large foreign
steamers In port, loading with cotton,
aud not bale can 20 aboard until
the stake Is ended All freight
handling at the Missouri Pucinc and
Santa 70 depots is at standstll, Even
zSc job printing Offices are closed.
Golden and other members state that the
executive committee declare that unless
Ahe Mallory company Immediately Yields,
the strike will be made general all over
Texas and Louisiana, In which case it
would DC impossible TO move n single
irain. II that don't bring them to time, the
strike VIII be extended to New York
TtAis Is what high officials In the order
seclarc,
The most serious feature OF the strike
II the race hatred which It cngcnders.
both races are strong aud nearly
evenly represented in the laborlng
eicmunt OF Galveston. Some trining In.
cident may turn the issue into a race con.
ijct with terrible and sanguinary results.
Meetings OF labor organizations are be-
ing held all over the city tonight.
Prnnlinent business men are also in con
ference with the Mallory agent and rail
road officials.