The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-05-06

AN hPIFoNIE OF THE EIGHT HOUR MOVEMENT
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY,
Never in the history of THE oou1ntr, has there
been such ferment and agitation among the
iaboring classes as exists to-day. Every section
and every class of workmen seem involved and
the outlook for speedy and permanent settle
ment of the difficulties does not seem very flat.
tering.
The status of the eght-hour movement and
OF the labor agitation in general as it appeared
throughout the country on Monday is shown by
the following synopsis compiled from the Phil
adelphia Press and from B1aHstreet's of May l,
In the anthracite coal fields of the Eastern
portion of Pennsylvania there are now IS. 900
miners demanding the eight-hour day and
threatening strike if they are denied The
strike would have been inaugu rated Monday If
the men of the lower districts We're confident
Of the CO. operation of those of the Luzerne and
Lackawanna felds, who are not yet ready to
make stand. In the Mahoning Valley 5000
miners are likely to go out.
In Ph1iadelphla l000 garment cutters Monday
inaugurated a strike for eight hours, which viii
affect from 10000 to $4,000 other operatives who
depend upon the cutters for work. The car
penters, brlcklayers, plaStererS, tin roofers
sheet-iron workers, plumbers and stonemasons
have compromised on nine hours. Of the Ger
man cabinet makers, all but the employees of
nine manufacturers have been granted the
eighth day. and the 400 cabinet makers and
5000 other hands employed by the nine manu-
facturers who refused the concession probably
struck Monday. In Camden, N. j., the car
penters, bricklayers and laborers Monday de-
manded eight hours work and ten hours pay.
In PlttSburg 600 furniture workers and 1900
carpenters struck Monday for ten hours nav
for eight hours work. The stone-cutters are
already out for ten hours pay and eight hours
work. and the BRASS workers will rest content
with Saturday half-holiday,
-, G7hlcago at present has greater number of
IDLE men than any other one city. The strikers
there probably number 10000. They are prin-
cipally freight handlers employed by the sew
eral railroads entering Chicago, Iumbermen To
the number of II, 600 and the EMPLOYEES Of the
great packing houses of the Union Stock Yards
Of this vast army nearly all are demanding the
elght-hour day, and some clso ask an increase
of wages. individual employers in variants
trades, it is estimated, have already granted
the reduction OF hours to 5000 employees
In ST. Louis the furniture manufacturer have
organized and resolved to operate all factories
hereafter on the elght-hour plan. Those who
have already struck for the same concession are
200 plumbers and 200 employees of the East ST.
LOUIS Water-Works. In some of the tobacco
factories the concession is granted
Milwaukee has between 5000 and TO- 600 nm
employ ed WorkIaen. Of these 1000 are brewers
$3.50 are shop tailors, 300 cabinet makers and
100 broom makers, 200 slaughter house EN-
ployees and $50 brick-yard men. There are
some local issues involved, but the eight-hour
demand is paramount in almost every case
In Boston the carpenters and Joiners and the
plumDerS-500U men in all-struck Monday
hours
Baltimore has 1000 house carpenters already
in the ranks of the idle army, while the 1000
Drlck-layers have accepted nine hours work
for ten hours pay; the nod carriers and stone-s
masons are satisfied with nine hours and the
cigar makers, roofers and furniture makers are
still agItaLing for the coveted reduction
In Cincinnati 500 employees in furniture fac
tories and 100 men in the Brunswick q Ball, !
Billiard Table Company are out; in Rochester.
N. Y, the cigar makers have alreadv heonn
work on the eight-hour plan; in Washington
building operations were prac tically suspended
MONDAY IN Troy, N. y, 300 Italian railroad la
borers are on strike for higher wages; in Louis
vile, KY, all furniture factories will shut down
unless the men accept eight hours pay for
eight hours work, and in Detroit, Mich, nearly
all the brewery employees are out, but the car
penters have compromised nine hours
and ten hours pay.
Bradstreet's of Saturday gives the epitome of
the situation
One hundred nd and five Thousand men will
strike, $4,000 for eight hours and 1000 for nine
hours; 5000 men now on strike for eight
hours, and eight hours have been granted to
30 900 employees at various points. There are
$4,000 men who have asked for
the eight-hour rule, but who have not stated
that they Will strike. At Leading centres alone
it is probable that over 225 600 Industrial en-
ployees are actively interested in the move
ment.
A despatch from Charleston. W. Va, under
late of May 1st, says:
tThe discomfort which has been brewing among
bhe miners of the Kanawha and NeW-Rjyer VaIs
leys since the first of the year eliminated to-
lay in a strike by those of the latter Valley 1t
had been thought that those of the former who
have not already done so would strike to-day
out at meeting held this morning 1t was de.
cided to continue to work for the present
By the strike of the New-river men all the
mines between Kauawha Falls and Hinton, a
distance of fifty miles, are closed except that of
5he Longdale Iron and Coal Company, which
loes not employ union men. The number of
mines thus far closed is nineteen, employing
IN average of 125 men. The demands made by
jhe miners, which were given in my dispatch
Of April 29th, were such that the operators were
Unable to comply with, on account, they say, of !
he price which they are compelled to accept |
or their Goals. All the coal from the New-river
district is bought by the Chesapeake and Ohio |
Railway Company, who are compelled to pay |
such price for it as will enable them TO put it
IN the market at a cost not greater than that |
If competing mines The price so paid is, the |
say, only enough to allow a small |
,rofit to the operator and not enough to permit |
lin to add more to the cost of production. The |
miners of the Black Band Iron Coal Company's |
mines, which are situated on Dav1s's creek o l.
tributary of the Ranawha river yesterday de-
handed an increase of half a cent per bushel I
Or coal, and on being refused quit work. 1t is
ot probable that any of these mines will re-
ume operations before the winter, and the loss
0 the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company
nd this city will, it is claimed, be half million
ollarS OF more.