The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-22
NAT MAKERS STRIKE.
THR WORK OF PROTECTING THE
RIVER FRONT STOPPED.
One Hundred and ThirtJ-Fiye La
bOrers Make Demand for
Increased Wages.

An APPEAL man who paid q visit
Yesterday evening to the scene OF The
works which have been going on for
some days below Besle street for the
protection of the Fort Pickering bluffs
found them deserted, an unfinished
mattress floating on the river, its
ragged end resting upon barge. In
the office CT the const! uction boat
Capt. Rees, who hes charge of the
work, was found. "We have Just bad
a stike," he said, but l think every
thing will 60 on all right in the morn
ing. The movement was
UTTERLY UNEXPECTED.
Besides firemen, linemen and others
We had force OF about 1876 engaged
this forenoon. Our supply of willow
was short and Capt. Leach thought it
would be well enough 10 knock off ut
10 o'clock, but l kept the hands
busy and at noon they sat down with
their buckets and baskets az usual.
After dinner a body of weaver1 went
to work, but another gang employed
on tbs barge did not resume their
lsbors. suppose they sot all the de-
tails OF the strike arranged az dinner
time. They called the weavers from
their work, and few moments after
the
FoRRMEN WERE NOTIFIED
that thew would L OF work any longer
for 81 % day, but must have 81 60
They walked off without any more
ado"
"Had they made eny demand foI
more pay ?' was asked.
"None whatever" Can't. Rees said
81 have heard since from one OF the
watchmen that they were talking
abou. it les! 'ght, but nothing could
have been greater surprise 10 me. !
could not have done anything if / had
known it. The calculations made by
Capt. Leach of the cost OF the work
are all b. sed on the payment of labor
at the rate Of 81 % a day. The fund
will be insufficient If we ara Obliged to
pay moro. But don't think
THE INTERRUPTION
will continue long. Capt. Leach in.
formed them thatit they called tomor'
Tow they might resume work at the
old rate or receive their pay IL the
time served and quit. I thick the
strike was gotten up by very small
faction and they will return, or nearly
all Of them. They can gst good board
and lodging for SO so a week at mum
Der of places in the neighborhood
The wages might be more but they
,nnot be incr ased uule:s the fund
il en- arged, which is among the i'm
prot abilities"
Capt. Rses went on say that nearly
half the amount on hand would have
to he paid in labor. Skilled hands are
paid 81 go and few 81 10 day. Any
Intelligent laborer can learn 10 do the
r quired labor perfectly in a couple OF
days. The government furnishes its
plant of about forty. six pieces and the
supplies on board to the
VALUE OF ABOUT $4,000,
consisting of wire, willow, etc.; also
the services OF Capt. Leach and Mr.
Rees. The work was begun on the
10th instant, and it will take about
four months to complete it under
favorable circumstau Gee. There hal
been some trouble about get Ting viii
low, as is always the case in the be
ginuing of such work. The first mat
tres, which now flats on the surfacs
Just below the foot of Bssle street, ex
tsnds $50 feet out from the bank an(
is 14O feet in length. The depth o
vrtsr on he outside OF the mattress il
fifty feet. Five Of the mattresses are TO b.
sunk, loaded with stone, to the bottom
aud dykes built up with a crest o
about twenty-four feet They are ver!
stronp and cgrefullv huilt