The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-29
STRIKES AT CHICAGO.
FURNITURE MAKERS IN A STATE
OF REBELLION.
The RIghtHOur Agitation Spread.
ing-LabOr Disturbances at
st. Louis.

furniture UhuuldCtuicici Ou hluAlc
street, are in a stage Of rebellion.
Last Tuesday they struck for eight
hours work and ten hours pay. The
firm promised to meet the demands on
May Is'. Since then one or two men
have been discharged; slight protests
have been made, informal committees
have from time 10 time waited upon
the heads Of the house, and a general
uneasinefs has been manifested. Yes.
terday there came from Cincinnati
tidings which have precipitsted q
crisis. The main house OF the firm
there employs 300 men. Shortly
after the resumpt on OF work follow
ing the dinner hour a messenger en-
tered the Kinzie street shops and an
nounced that the men In Cincinnati
had struck for the Fame favors granted
here, and had sent an appeal for
support and help. This bit Of
news swiftly spread. At this
critical junctuIe q stranger saun-
tered into the establishment,
coolly walked up the stains to the office
floor and thence, with the same delib-
Grafton, up another fight 10 the shop
room, filed with operators. Here, ac-
eordng to the published account, he
struck an attitude and said "Let every
man quit work; Pm der committee. "
All hands resigned their work TO stare
at the intruder. Mr., David Roths.
child, who had heatd the unsual
sound, bounded up the stairs. "What
do you want heyeP he Numbered at
the visitor
"I'm der committee" retoited the
man. -
"Your are the committee, are you p"
howled Mr.. R)thschild. "Well, we'll
just call the patrol and take good
look at you"
He dashed down to the telephone,
but der committee" was first to reach
the bottom otthe stairs, and sped out
Of sight MP an alley. Work in the
shop was Eesumed, but at the close of
the day The men gathered in groups
in the neighborhood 10 discuss the
situation.
Last night the men held secret
meeting. A stormy and turbulent
session ended in decision to strike.
Formal notice was cent to Mr.. David
Rothschild that the men would not 90
to work in the morning. The entire
force, which includes the packers and
handlers in the warehouses, will re-
main out on this order. No demands
were made In the notification dis
patched 10 Mr.. Rothschild, although
1t is understood that this strike was
ordered pending the settlement OF the
Cincinnati grievances. One striker
said last night that the cooperation in
this strike OF every furniture worker
in the city would be obtained, and
that unless the employers come speed.
lily to terms a walk-out OF mammoth
proportions will ensue.
Mr.. Julius Rothschilds Gays: 1--WE
agreed TO the eight hour demand Of the
men last Tuesday, and have had the
strike every day since. Now our men
have no cause for ditc)ntent, but the
trouble is that they are carried away
by these unions, assemblies and the
like TO which they belong. Why,
when that tramp came in here they
almost walked out on his order As
to our Cincinnati strike, l don't know
what TO do. The men quit work
yesterday, and / guess that / will have
to let 'em stay out until after the first
of May. These labor turmoils have
thrown trade into very bad shape.
would not dare contract to day for
any large supply that l might have
TO turn out. Yesterday l at
tempted right here in this
city and elsewhere, by telegraph.
ing, to make contrgc with furniture
manufacturers for $4,000 worth of
household goods which | have not the
capacity to furnish. / can't make the
contracts, as no manufacturer will en-
gage TO do the work with the price OF
labor 30 uncertain. We have foreseen
this state of affairs for months, and
all winter have pushed work until we
have four warehouses full OF our man.
ufactured product. We could starve
cut strike, / think"
Another member OF the firm SAYS II
the men do not return to work to-day
the factory will be closed.
LdteT.-Pwo hundred and seventy
five cahinet-makers aud furniture
workers went out on strike this morn
ing. They demand ten hours pay for
eight hours work, and the firm con-
cluded they could not meet the de-
mand. This strike is the outcome Of
one in their factory at Cincinnati.
This morning there was no disorder,
the men for the most part STAYING
away from the vicinity OF the factory.
THE BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURERS.
The Western Boot and Shoe Manu-
facturers' Association was formed in
this city last night. Sixty firms were
represented In person and 100 in all,
by letter, throughout the West. The
object OF the association Is for mutual
protection. A committee from the
Boot and Shoe Trimmers and Cutters
Union was received requesting ten
hours pay for eight hours work,
claiming that in the East wages were
higher, and that in Cincinnati they
would demand SIC, SIS and $40 per
week. The COMMITTEES said that the
unior, after May lst, would expect ten
hours pay for eight hours work. The
cutters, with Others Of the union, are
opposed to any reduction in wages,
but insist on eight hours for a davis
work. The manufacturers, on being
asked II they could afford 70 give ten
hours pay for eight hours work, gave
unanimous "No." 1t was then re.
solved by them that they adopt the
same ecale OF wages for the same
classes and amount of work, and that
the same number Ct hours constitute
days work, that is adopted
in the EAst. The manuflct
urers held n long conference with a
committee from the Box makers As
sembly Of the Knights OF Labor. The
request Of the workmen was that they
be given eight hours work, the cues
ton OF wages 10 be regulated in the
future. After the labor men presented
their side Of the question the commit.
tee retired and the manufacturer
adopted the following resolution
Resolved, Tba', owing to the peculiar
condition aud character Of our bust.
ness, We tan not consistently concede
to the eiRht-hour rule, and that in lien
thereof we agree to pay an advance d
10 DeF cent on present yvaoas on a n,