The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-09
AT Sc. LOUIS.

The Congressional Committee at Work In
vestigating the Missouri Pacific Strike.
ST. Louis. May 8-The three members of the
congressional labor investigation committee,
Messrs Curtin, Burns and Stewart, who arrived
in this city from the West last night. met in the
Circuit Court chambers this morning and con-
tinued the examination Of witnesses in regard to
the causes and effects of the Southwest labor
troubles. Adjutant general Jamison was the
first witness examined. He testified as to the
strike and its effects on the commerce OF the
State, and said interstate commerce had been
seriously interfered with.
Mr.. Kochtitzky, State Labor Commissioners,
testified that serious disagreement existed be-
tween the railway officials and their employees,
as to the proper construction to be put upon Che
March, 1885, agreement He rehearsed his eff
forts, in conjunction with Governors Marina
duke and Martin, to end the strike. the details
of which are we'll known He said that the
Knights of Labor could not expect official recog-
milton from anyone, for they were not incor-
porated He supposed that the expense incurred
by the knights of Labor, in conducting the
strike, had been about 81 900 600, and suggested
that Mr.. Hall, whose discharge caused the strike,
could have been supported for much less sum,
and no strike would have then been necessary
morning session Of the committee, and during
the noon recess messages were sent to Messrs.
Delay. Bailey and Mcguire, prominent members
of the organization, requesting their presence,
and they, together with several prominent cti-
zenS and railway officials, arrived at the room
short time afterwards. During the recess
Governor Curtin remarked to a reporter that
he felt confident that the last strike had oc-
Cured on the Missouri Pacific railway
A strike of 100 men employed in the stone
ou rig mill of Mo
occurred yesterday. The ma; orty Of the men
had demanded an advance OF 20 per cent in
wages which was acceded to- The strikers then
demanded that those who had not joined in the
demand be discharged, but the contractors re
fused to grant this and the men again struck.
All the government work on the Missouri river
at that point has been abandoned on account of
the strike
The first week CT the eight hour movement in
this city ended to-day, and the situation may be
| summed upas follows: Ia the larger industries,
| where the organizations have been incomplete,
strikes or lockouts have occurred, which still
| continue; in other cases the employees who have
demanded eight hours have been discharged and
new men employ ed. The furniture manufacture
ers have, without exception, adopted the system.
| Among the boiler and sheet-iron workers the
| short day is in force, with double pay for over
time. The stone and marble-cutters get eight
hours with eight hours pay. except in one
establishment where ten hours pay for
the short day granted Among the
building trades the men paid by the hour have
adopted the eight hour system. The planning mill
companies and tobacco factories have all granted
the demand for shorter hours The painters
have been working on the eight-hour plan since
the 1st OF March, aid on the 1st or May were
given increase OF wages. In many OF the
breweries the working time of the men has been
reduced from twelve to ten hours. Among some
of the lesser trades strikes are now in existence
their demands having been refused, and in sew
eral establishments lockouts are still in torce,
the proprietors waiting before resuming business
until the present labor troubles shall have ceased
The committee have endeav0red to ascertain
to what extent the matter of monthly assess
ments for hospital purposes was subject of
grievances. and to throw as much light on that
subject as possible the railroad company had
Dr. Outten, the chief of the hospital service OF
the system put on the stand. He testified that
there were assessments of twenty five cents paid
every month by employees receiving less than
$500 per month and fifty cents on all
those who receive $1c0 per month
and more; that the total sum may
| reach $TS 600 year, but that there is a
large deficiency, made up every year by the rail
road company; that they treated during the past
year at the three hospitals on the road sixteen
thousand persons; that 4 500 were treated
directly in the hospitals aud the remainder
through the medium of the hospitals in the way
Of furnishing prescriptions and medicine
Mrs. Duffy, wife of an engineer. testified that
she rescued man named Nelson when an in
Iuriateu moo was pursuing nit.l at Deooto Inc
man sought refuge in her house; she took his
pistol; held the mob at bay. and drove man
from her door who claimed to be an officer who
wanted to arrest Nelson She also drove away
the Mayor Of the city, but she did not recognize
him, or she would not have done so; that ever
since she has been insuted by the use of indie
cent language addressed to herr that she be-
lieved IL she had let the mob into her house. they
would have killed Nelson.
Major Parke testified as to the difficulties 1t
Pacific. DsSoto and other psintR He laid q