The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-05-13
STRIKE ESTIMATED AT ONE
MILLION DOLLARS.

SptCldl lelegrdul 10 Ine SldleSLndu
GALVESTON, May s. The congressional sub
committee to investigate labor troubles held Ii
night session and examined a number of witnesses.
OF the committee Messrs. Grain, Parker and
Buchanan were present, Representative Cultivate
having left the party at TT. Worth. A good deal
of interest is centered on the session of the com
mttee in this city in anticipation of thorough
investigation into the Mallory boycott, its causes
and effects, but chairman Grain announced the
committee on consultation had decided il had no
power to investigate the Mallory boycott troubles
as the resolution creating the committee embraced
only such labor troubles as excited between rail
roads and their employees in Texas and other
states mentioned. This decision was disap-
pointment to representatives of the Knights Of
Labor present, and confined the examination ex-
clusiNely to tue recent strike on the Gould sys-
TEN. lnasmuch rs that strike did not extend to
Galveston the testimony was OF an uninteresting
character showing only the disastrous effect of the
strike on the wholesale and other trade of the
city.
ThC principal witnesses testified in substance as
follows: Jeremiah Sawyer, agent for the Mallory
line, believed the strike on the Gould lines took
off 30 per cent of the business of Galveston during
its continuance. The Mallory line had lost "A to
50 per cent.
Julius Runge, leading wholesale grocer, test-
fled 10 the disastrous effect of the strike and rela
ed instances of serious delay and damage to several
hundred bales OF cotton en- route to Mexico via the
Gould lines.
George Seegson, wholesale grocer, swore the
sales of his house diminished 30 per cent. during
the strike. He did not believe this loss would
ever be got back.
Leon Blum head of the largest dry goods house
in Texas testified he believed Galveston had lost
million dollars by the strike. His firm had lost
in the sale of goods nearly Sl0O,OOJ. Their aggre-
gate sales reached S3,OOO00O per annum and except
for the strike would have reached that amount this
year, hut had |, st 10 per cent MANY country mer-
chants Wrote him they we t afraid to buy goods of
his house for fear they would be bOycOted by the
knights Of Labor, He swore this was an out.
pt La AlIl
VIM. &. Halsey, mill owner and store keeper at
harrisburg, reiated how the knights bOycutted his
store because he bought goods Cf Galveston mer-
chants. Ills trade in April dropped off onethird.
Al TINS point the committee held an executive
session, and concluded to exclude any further tes-
umOny touching troubles between aburing men
and the Mallory company.
H. b. iawley, lobber in groceries and grain, tes-
thed DIS hrm dld business of one to two million
dollars per annum, and sold goods largely on cred
IT, because of labor troubles these credits were
curtalled, and almost entirely cut off Their bus
mess sustained loss OF 30 to 40 per cent He was
not opposed to the organization of labor.
). l.. Finlay, uphOsterer on the Gulf, Colorado
" santa Re road formerly occupied two official
positions in the Knights of Labor organization
lie sad 1t was the intention of the knights to strike
on all leAas roads, but better judgment prevailed
Witness said the first week in March, at Fort
worth, Martin Irons told him the men should
strike. Irons showed him grievances which, he
salIl, hau Deen presented to the Texas IL Pacific
plying TO question whether he had been expelled
from the organization of Knights of Labor, the
WltAess had read i'll an obscure paper that he was
eNpeIed but never received any notice of expul-
SION. II some law were enacted to enforce the CON
sutuuon OF the Knights of Labor that would be all
tEat was necessary to settle the labor troubles.
T., W Farrell, carpenter, Knight of Labor, re-
iated the form of mandate which was issued by
the executive board, district u.s. to freight clerk
IN the Texas Pacific office at Fort Worth, ordering
him to strike for the purpose of sustaining the
strikers who were out by order of the executive
committee, district lOl. Witness denied having
been expelled from the order
W. d. Burke, edi or of the Labor Advocate and
county treasurer testified to the demoralizing eff
iec' OF tue strike on the Gould system. lie said
lhe aOoIer OF the south in better condition than
northern working men. There is not such a surplus
OF LABOR in the south. The absence of employ
ment Tor labor in the north during several months
Oh me year was most serious drhwback He be-
IleNeu tne only remedy the introduction of
manufactures into Texas. He attributed much
trouble IL the want Of confidence between employ
ers and men, and thought workmen not ont
spoken enough about their grievances In reply
10 question, who was benefited bv the seizure
OF engines, and the destruction of property by the