St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-12
KEEGAN,S LAKE.
Ihe Mueller & WestphaI Boycott
WestphaI's Park to be Pushed.


The pending labor troubles are bringing
about some queer complications in business
circles. a few days ago twas announced
that the stonecutters had ordered boycott
of the new brewery company. composed of
John B. Mueller and Hermann Westphal two
well-known Germans who have had the repu-
tation of being far more liberal than the
average citizen, the boycott extending not
only to the beer to be manufactured in the
yet unbuilt brewery, but to the individual
business of each of the partners, including
the extensive ice trade of Mr.. Westphal. 1t
is probable that the boycott will
be raised now that Grand Master
Powderly has taken decided ground
against such warfare, especially as it ap-
pears that Mueller s. Westphal were in no
respect responsible for the troubles COM
planned of. 1t appears that the contract for
stone-cutting was let March Is, 1856, and
among other conditions was one that the best
wages should be paid and the workmen paid
in full every week, lower bids being refused
because the bidders would not so agree This
was before any demand for an increase of
wages or change of hours had been made, so
far as Mueller West knew, and they claim
to be
IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE
for any disagreement Unfortunately when
subsequently approached in regard to the
matter they declined to interfere in the be-
lief that that they could not do So and gave
some offense by their summary disposal of
the matter. MIR. Mueller announced immedi-
ately after the boycott that he did not propose
to be in the way of the laboring element, and
made overtures to sell his interest, the result
being that Mr. Westphal has purchased all of
his late partners interest in the real estate,
building, building materials, machinery, etc.,
owned by the firm at and near Keegans Lake.
and has materially changed his plans as to
the disposition to be made Of the property.
Mr.. Nestphal says that he had uniformly
claimed that it was to the best interests of
the community to pay good wages to me-
chanics and laboring men and that he has not
only done so, but expects to do so in the
future and will in no event do anything to
entagonize the working classes with whom he
has for so many years affiliated. While he
has assumed all contracts made by Mr..
Mueller for the firm he expects to arrange to
cancel most of them and will abandon work
upon
THE PROPOSED BREWERY,
until all questions between contractors and
laborers are satisfactorily settled. If the de-
lay is too long, he will do such work as he
deems proper without the aid of the contract
ing element. In the meantime he will prose-
cute the work of making magnificent mark
out of the keegan Lake property, which is
most favorably situated for the purpose and
will employ sufficient help to have it in order
for the summer season, which will soon be
upon us. AS to the boycott of his ice busi-
ness, he says it has not seriously affected him.
and he has no fears on that score; that when
the boycotters themselves take q cooler view
of the affair and look at matters as thew are
they will be the first to do the right thing and
will concede the fact that he is not the man to
throw any stumbling-block in their way.
AS to the beer boycott he laughingly saws he
hopes by the time that he commences brew
ing wages will be high enough to warrant
charge of 10 cents a glass and the working
hours short enough to allow plenty of time to
drink it. ''Alls well that ends we'll"