The Labor enquirer., 1885-05-23
The Second Sunday Meeting of
Workingmen in Support. 4
a. of the Strikers.
Two Thousand Honest Sons and
Daughters OF Toll Assemble
g n.a+ at Mammoth Rink.
Speeches by Representative Working.
: meH-..A Full History Of the Cause
of the Strike.

suant to announcement, the Rio Grand
strikers and some of their friends, I
the tune of about 1000, gathered at tn
Mammoth rink for the purpose of dis
cussing the causes leading TO the strike
and to consider its present status. Their
we're not SO many present as at the meet
Ing of one week ago, owing to the fact
that the meeting was not SO well adver
tlsed, and the Knights of Labor did no
meet at their halls and march up in {
body, as on the former occasion. Blu
. the meeting was as large as could wei
be accommodated with seats or standing
room withing hearing distance of the
platform,
Three or four hundred ladies, mem
bers of Hope assembly and wives anc
, daughters of the workingmen were pres
ent, and we're provided with front seats
Promptly at o'clock, Mr.. L. W
McCune, of the Rio Grarde division
called the meeting to order when A. W
Coats, the old war-herse Of the Union
Pacific, was chosen as president of the
meeting.
Upon ascending The platform Mr.
Coats made short address, in which he
thanked those present for the honor con-
ferred upon him. Ee then called upon
several Of the representative workmen
to take seats upon the platform.
The meeting was then fully opened by
singing the song, "Storm the Fort, Ye
Knights of Labor" At the conclusion of
the song the chairman introduced Mr.
Young, who said:
Brothers and Sisters Il don't recollect
ever speaking to so large an Assem- mblage
before. We have heard so much about
the grievances at the Denver and Rio
Grande shops, that intend to say some
thing on that point. Some people say
that we have no grievances, We have
an hospital fund, the SAM as the Union
Grande road who draw the lowest pay
are assessed so cents g month, the same
as are the general superintendents. We
do not pay this money into the fund, the
road does that by keeping the amount
out of our wages every payday. They
get as much out of the poor man as they
can.
Complaints have been made about this
matter, but to no purpose When the
plan of the hospital service was inaugu-
rated we were not consulted in the mat
ter. although we have to pay for its sup
port. The plan of the hospital service
was drawn up by DR. Bancroft and the
general superintendent. This l contend
is grievance.
Another is the system of reducing
wages. They are in the habit of starting
apprentices to work at Sl.25 day IN all
the departments of The shops, and keep
them at that figure from one to four
wears, Now, l want to ask, is there any
private firm in this city, or anywhere
else, where such a ching is practlced
Wherever l have been they have hao
their wages raised every six or twelve
months, but here there are boys in the
machine shop who have been at the
business from four to six years who are
working for from $3.50 to $2.25 a day
BOYS who are very proficient and exper
at the business, anG who are doing tht
same work for which skilled mechanic
are paid $3.50 per dav. If such thing
are to 60 on, by and by there will be nj
need for skilled mechanics.
They do not cut the wages only IN
covert way. Now. the first principle o
the order of knights of Labor is, tina
what is an injury To one is the concerl
of all. In the Denver & Rio Grand
shops the men employed ia the planln
department are paid Si.25 day, an
also the coach-waahers. The men en-
ployed in the yard are paid Sl.2i
Whenever man would drop out of tn
planning mill. one Of the yard men is pu
in his place at the same wages which b
received in the yard. The same hs
been done with the car-washers. Inc
would not reduce them all at once fc
fear Of Complaints
Another grievance is that ten men
the car departnent were discharged fe
presenting petition against the for'
man, Dan McClelland for abusing then
This man Las got rule by which
drives the men great deal faster tina
it is possble for them to work. d
picks out ,wo men, skilled mechanic
whom he Can depend OH, and puts theI
together on a car. These men can tnis
car in one or two hours less time tha
those who hive not quite as much aoliit
and the unslilled men are sworn at al
cursed by tn foreman. This is mis- sy
TEN of driving. =.
"At every ity election preceding ID
one the DenNer 8; Rio Grande othcla
who are republican in principle, Wou
circulate a peIhon asking the men
vote for 50 aid so. This year tn repu
licans of the Sesenth ward making U
of this knowledge nominated Drlsco
but the offices of the road foun( out
was not exacty the kind of a man tn