The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-07
The Great Strike.

900 or more.
The Great Strike.
On Saturday last, May 1st was in
augurated one of the greatest strikes
ever known. The general purpose of
the strike is to establish system of
working but eight hours day. In
some places the demand is for eight
hours work at ten hours pay, while in
others it is for reduction of time and
wages accordingly. The following is
q summary of the movement.
In the anthracite coal fields of the
Eastern portion of Pennsylvania there
are now $4,000 miners demanding the
eight hour day and threatening strike
if they are denied. The strike would
I've inaugurated at once if the men of
the lower districts were confident of
the CO. cooperation of those of the Luzerne
and Lackawanna fields, who are not
yet ready to make stand. In the
Mahoning Valley 5000 miners are like
ly to go out,
In Philadelphia 1000 garment cut
ters inaugurated strike for eight
hours, which will affect from 10000 to
$4,000 other operatives who depend
upon the cutters for work. The car
penters, bricklayers, plasterers, tin roof
ers, sheet-iron workers, plumbers and
stonemasons have compromised on nine
hours. Of the German cabinet max
ers, all but the employees Of nine
manufacturers have been granted the
eight-hour day, and the 400 cabinet
makers and 800 other hands employed
by the nine manufacturers who refuse
the concession will probably strike. In
Camden, N. j., the carpenters, brick
layers and laborers demand eight hours
work and ten hours pay.
In Pittsburg 600 furniture workers
and 1900 carpenters strike for ten
hours pay 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
a Saturday half-holiday.
Chicago at present has greater
number of idle men than any other one
city. The strikers there probably num-
ber 10000. They are principally
freight handlers employed by the sew,
eral railroads entering Chicago, lum-
bermen to the number of 10000 and
the employees of the great packing
houses of the Union Stock Yards. OF
this vast army nearly all are demand
ing the eight-hour day, and some also
ask an increase OF wages. Idividual
employers in various trades, it is esti-
mated have already granted the re-
duction of hours to 5000 employees.
In st. Louis the furniture manu-
facturers have organized and resolved
to operate all factories hereafter on the
eight-hour plan. Those who have al
ready struck for the same concession
are 200 plumbers and 200 employees
of the East St. Louis Water works.
The operatives at the planning mills
promise to strike In some of the
tobacco factories the concession is
granted.
Milwaukee has between 5000 and
10000 unemployed workmen. Of these
5000 are brewers, 5000 are shop tail
ors, 1900 cabinet makers and carpen,
ters, 6OD coal-yard hands, 500 cigar
makers, 100 broom.makers, 200 slaugh-
ter-house employees 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 join
ers and the plumbers-5000 men in all
will strike if the eight-hour demand
is refused. The brick-layers have com
prised on nine hours.
Baltimore has 2000 house carpenters
already in the ranks of the idle army,
while the 1000 brick layers have accept
ed nine hours work for ten hours pay
the hod carriers and stone-masons are
satisfied with nine hours and the cigal
makers, roofers and furniture makers
are still agitated for the coveted re
duction.
In Cincinnati 500 employees in furDi
ture factories and 100 men in the Bruins
wick & Bake Billiard Table Company
are out in Rochester, n. Y, the cigai
makers have already begun work OF
the eight-hour plan; in Washington
building operations will be PRACTICAL,
suspended in Troy, N. Y, 800 Italian
railroad lab.rers are on a strike fo
higher wages in Louisville, KY, al
furniture factories will shut down un
less the men accept eight hours pa.
for eight hours work, and in Detroit
Mich, nearly all the brewery employee
are out, but the carpenters have com
promised on nine hours work and tel
hours pay.
Bradstreets of Saturday gives tn
epitome of the situation
One hundred and five thousand mel
will strike, $4,000 for eight hours an,
10000 for nine hours; 5000 men ar
now on strike for eight hours, au'
eight hours nave been granted to 32,
600 employees at various points Their
are, additionally, $4,000 men who hay
asked for the eight-hour rule, but VIII
have not stated that they will strike
At leading centres alone it is rrobabl
that over 225,000 industrial employee
are actively interested in the move
ment.
These figures are probably as nearl
correct as can now be furnished, excep
that the number of men who may fail
ly be said to have actually gone o.
strike is much greater than 5000, tn
majority of them haying inaugurate
the movement on Saturday at an hou