Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-03-25
rHs MOROCCO MEs.
A General Strike ALI Over the Dit
Tuesday Afternoon.


terence was to be held at the Klrkwood
House, Third and shipley streets, between
the executive board OF District Assembly
NO. Va, OF the Knights OF Labor, and the
morocco manufacturers Of this city, with a
View TO coming TO some agreement Of pend
Ing difficulties which should be satisfactory
alike to employers and employees. The con-
terence was called for IL o'clock Tuesday
morning. The rates of wages and the
classes OF work for the. coming year we're
the chief matters to be considered,
The executive board repaired to the Kirk
wood House at the appointed time and pro-
ceeded to await the arrival Of the mhnufae-
turers. The manufacturers did not arrive
anu the board kept on waiting. Finally, at
ll.40, none OF the manufacturers having
put In an appearance, the board ordered a
general suspension OF work throughout all
the shops In the city; an order which seems
20 nave been promptly obeyed, as about
l.30 O'Clock long procession Of morocco
men streamed past Fifth and Market
streets on the way to Institute Hall.
AT THE MEETING.
Arriving at Institute Hall, the men
marched Into the auditorium on the second
iioor. Guards were posted at the entrances
TO the main room and the gallery, and boys
and all others not directly connected with
the movement were vigorously excluded.
The women employed In the different fac
tories, many Of whom attended the meeting,
were given seats In the gallery, and the men
who had taken their stations there were
sent down stairs.
When all who had right to admission
had entered, the doors were closed and
guards stationed outside. By this time
there were at least 7U0 in the room. The
colored employees Of the factories were
present as we'll as the white workmen. The
sounds Of occasional cheering and applause
Indicated that speaking was going on,
About O'Clock Matthew Colwell, chief
| organizer OF the Knights Of Labor of this
district, appeared and entered the hall. He
renewed the orders to the guards to admit
no outsiders.
Librarian Cammack of the Institute
Library, telephoned TO the police station
for an officer to be sent to the hall, but no
| officers were at the station. The men how
| ever, were quiet and orderly, and there was
no occasion for fear on his part Of turbulent
proceedings.
TO THE BITTER END.
The Institute Hall meeting closed at $50
O'Clock, but the proceedings thereof were
| kept secret. After adjournment the men
quietly dispersed.
To u GAZETTE representative Mr. Col
well said; The bosses were too dignitfd to
meet and discuss with their men
the questions invovod, and have brought
this thing on themselves. We will now
light 1t out to the bitter end" Mr.. Colwell
personally gave the orders for the employees
TO quit work, going from shop to shop.
WORKING TO SAVE STOCK.
At Charles Mullins factory, Front and
Monroe streets, the skaters, shavers and
sewers, at Mr.. Mullins request, went to
work, In the afternoon. for the purpose OF
working to completion certain stock in such
condition that 1t would be ruined II not
finished. With this work, however, they
ments are made.
WHAT A MANUFACTURER SAYS.
General ]. Parke Postles was seen by
GAZETTE representative shortly after
the walk-out occurred. He said: They've
even apprentice boys; l have only
one man and three boys In the
shop. just came back from dinner
and found they had gone out, leaving every
thing just as II was-some skins In the lime,
some half-tanned, the boiler with steam up
and fire In 1t, and the draft on; they dropped
everything and walked right out.
"There has been no demand made; there
was no basis for that meeting; no schedule
Of wages submitted, nor anything. Our
men had made no demand, no complaint,
but had stated to us that they were satisfied.
The only demands l have heard OF were
those made to Baker and Jones and they
were withdrawn.
"They (the executive board) sent re-
quest to the president OF the Wilmington
Morocco Manufacturers Association, John
q. Baker, requesting him to notify the
trade of the meeting, which he did.
We can only suppose that our
failure to meet them was the cause Of the
walk-out. But we had no ground to meet
them on; our men had made no demand
and this vas a boiy OF outside men from
Philadelphia with whom we had no deal
ings."
In reply to questions, General Postles
said there had been no meeting OF the
Morocco Manufacturers Association; Mr..
Baker did not receive the notification OF
the meeting until last night and, he
thought, some OF the manufacturers
did not get the notice from
concert Of action as an association in alb
senting themselves from the meeting ;every
man acted on his own hook"
eff they stay out and we can't get men to
take their places, we just lose what stock
we have under way. The stock is in a
perishable condition and, until 1t is tanned
and dried, 1t Is meyer safe"
As to the number of persons employed In
the city shops, Gen. Postles Thought 1t,
of whom some six per cent arc women.
The strike of the morocco workers of the
city entered upon its second day yesterday
morning, The notice sent to John G. Baker,
President of the Morocco Manufacturers
Association, ON Monday, by the district
executive board, Knights of Labor, is as
follows
WILM1SaToN, March %, 1Ss6.-To John @.
Baker, Esq.,, President of Morocco Mdnufdc
tiirers' Exchange Of Wilntington-Sm; You
are requested to notify the morocco manu-.
| facturers to meet the Executive Board OF
| knights of Labor, Assembly "a, at the Kirk
wood House, Third and Shipley streets to-
morrow, 28d instant, II o'clock Prompt
| ALEX. NJ. JAMESON, Sec. Of %.
Mr.. Baker received the above Just be-
| fore 6 O'Clock on Monday evening and
later in the evening answered with note
which will be found below. The man.
ufacturers did not attend and the strike
was ordered in consequence.
THE STORY OF THE STRIKERS.
The executive board of the leather as
semblies, having in charge all matters
pertaining to the leather trade, composed
of Matthew Colwell, Samuel Fl. johnson,
Mr.. Ward and Charles Patten, met Tuesday
evening at headquarters, No. I'll Market
street, and were in session until q late
hour, discussing the situation and adyis.
ing with the men. After the session Mr..
Colwell was seen by GAZETTE reporter
and gave the following version of the
situation
"For some years." began Mr.. Colwell
"the morocco manufacturers of Will
mington have been finishing stock and
paying 81 per dozen for the same class Of
work that the Philadelphia manufacturers
were paying $1.62t per dozen for. Hatur
ally, this condition of affairs created dis
satisfaction among the men, and after
had talk with some of the employers
they thought the best plan would be II
meet committee of the Knights Of Laboi
and discuss matters with them.
ION Saturday went to Philadelphia
in response to telegram, for the purpos'
of settling some difficulties there, ant
Sunday afternoon learned that coult
get through in time to reach home by
o'clock Monday afternoon. then tele
Qraphed to Charles r. Jones of the firm
of w. Jones Il Co., that the executiv,
board would meet the, Wilmington
Morocco Exchange at the Kirkwoot
House, on Monday afternoons at O'Clock
Tuesday afternoon, when / reaches
home, l met William Jones, who sal,
there was some misunderstanding abou
, the matter, whereupon 1 at once went t
the telephone and called up John G
Baker, president of the exchange. l aske
him to have the exchange meet the execu
tive board at the Kirkwood House at
, o'clock. but got no satisfaction.
Z 1--WE concluded, however, that we di
not want to have any trouble if it coul
, | ha aunidad and thsrafnra notified MI