Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-03-11
NEWS OF LOCAL. INTEREST
THE NEW oRUrssns MtY ~
BUILT IN WTLMTNGToN.
What Mr.. JaG"s,n says About the
work n"n' ia t,,n Pullman shopa
win which Hae N as la go,mpcfr

| S@8f Nv WNLMfN0HQMs
| -
| What Mr.. Jtr,..,a sava Ahor.f a..
WORK Dom in tt,n Pullman shou.
with which Hae Has Ia Goumpesp
-
saturday afternoon, Just before uniting
time' the employees of the Jipkson Il
sharp Company through pat,G.ntians
from the torenien and posters nj tina
gates, assembled III the paint siio,, n,isl
were addressed by Job H. Jackson il, II.
iation to contemplated dem md On tl,e
part of the men for an increase of wages.
Mr.. jackson said he did not blame die
men for wanting more wages he wished
from his inmost heart that they coni3
have such wages as would give them good
homes with all comforts, and for eyesv
child good education. He briefly h. !.
viewed the condition of affairs in this
country during the years IsB4-85, and
spoke of the difficulty the manufacturers
had in even procuring orders ut cost. In
the car building business the difflculty
was vastly increased by an element
which the combined interests could not
avert. To be plain, he said that the
fuilman company had inaugurated an
unjust, unfair and disastrous Competition.
That company. having built up q large
town and works, owning every font Of
ground, and every honse, stne, hossl.
opera house, and even the church. ~
well as gus and water works. ia orsier 10
maintain all this must keep tlllr shops
hlled, regardless OF price, and contracts
have been and are still being taken from
cost to 70 per cent below cost and. he
had good reason for saying, even at a
greater sacrifice. Tell me-" he said.
NOW can keep these works going with
such an establishment In competition, vet
In the face OF all this / am asked to adj
vance wages. He said that in the de
partment where they were qaite
ousy the wages had been advanced and
the men had appointed committee to
say that they had no grievance <natever.
In another department the WAGES had moi
been reduced as low as they had been ia
other mills and the men in that depart
nent were not complaining. When there
we're orders in the car department Tint
would warrant an advance the men would
get it, but not until then, and the qnes.
ion might as well be understood now a.
It any other time. He said that three
had already waited upon him.
nd that he had given each a careful hear
ng and spent from one to two hours each
ime, telling them the condition of affairs:
le told them of every order on the books;
hat they had all been placed in the works:
nat there was nothing to warrant an ad
ance; that even then he had been in CON
with his superintendent regard
lg the laying OFF of some of the force or
therwlse starting some cars for sale.
'hlle they already had large number on
and for stock and were loath to tie up
lore money; that yet in the face OF
u this he was told that another commit
70 would have to wait upon MIN that he
nderstood it would be composed
part of souiu of the execu-
We otiicer5 of the Knights of Labor
ON Philadelphia; and that they would
resent themselves within few iays and
AXE final demand for IN increase az
ages. He wished to say now. plainly.
ankly and positively that he did not
ant 10 see any such committee, and there
IS no use to appoint one. He felt
msef competent to attend to his own
lsiness without dictation from ont.
ie parties representing any 1880
ltion whatever. If he found he was
competent for the task he would close
the works. But when the time did
me for the advance, it would come to
em through the organized channels and
no other way. He could not and
'uld not be driven to it. Neither did he
k them to abandon their course, or for
y favors. If, after what he had told
em, they choose to pursue the matter
rther the consequence should be upon
EN-. They knew his position, and there
uld be no misunderstanding. He, how
er, advised them to accept the situation .
the only way out of the difficulty. ex.
fhn 90
# is better than none.n He would
ntinue to make efforts to secure
ters, if possible, at price that would
rrant an advance In wages, and prom.
d his best efforts in that direction. But.
fore he made any more contracts the
nding question must be settled. He
d the men that within few days a
ge manufacturer had told him that his
N had large contract offered them,
that, in view of this labor excitement.
" had declined it. Within an hour he
d he had had a talk with Enoch Moore
,arding an offer TO build vessel. Being
aid of an advance of wages Mr.. Moore
called his men together, and they
'eed to work without any change in
ges. By this time the party who was
dy to build said he would not risk his
ney in vessel only to have the work
pped when half completed; he there
Q would not give the order. Mr. Jack
said that these were not the only
es he knew of. He told the men that
this matter went much further the
n 1885 would be worse than 1886 To
n the future was dark. To thoughtful
n there was cause for alarm but, he
d, if this excitement quiets down, we
y yet hope for something in 1856 to
rrant better wages. When that time
ne they would hear from him.
Mr. jackson said he would cheerfully
ZEN to the grievances of any of his en-
yes, but outside interference he would
Ter tolerate. He referred to the matter
cooperation, which was one of the
nciples of the Knights of Labor. He
ieved in the plan thoroughly, and
ped the day would come when il could
adopted. In theory it was grand and
ht, but practically il did not work. He
re some of the reasons why, and then
Il the principle that had been adopted
the jackson a. Sharp Company's works
contract or piece work, was the next
ng to it. 1t was working we'll and men
re making better wages than they
lid possibly make anywhere by the
ge system. He spoke for about.an hour,
| closed by inviting the men to ask any
estions they pleased. One man said
t under the piece-work system he
rked harder than before and made less
ney. Mr.. jackson said his case would
investigated and remedied. Other
estions We're asked, and half hour
mt in mutual and profitable discus
s1r As,a 1nl,