Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-10


Then your employment has not been
continuous?
on, no; you see we were ont on strikes
eleven times during the eighteen years.
Out on strike under protective tariff!
Is that possible?
Yes, sir.
How much time did you lose by these
eleven strikesp
That is hard to tell exactly; but the
shortest strike was for two months, and
one lasted for eight, but it was really a
wear before some of the men got back; Tor
shat time, you see, the firm imported a
large number of laborers from Europe, and
il took as some time to work them out. L
should say that during the eighteen years
we were idle on account OF strikes and
lock-outs almost five years.
What made Grab, Get, Hold q 70.
strike?
They didn't. 1t was their employees.
Why did you strike against good
wages?
We didn't; we struck against reduc-
tions, and often outrageous reductions.
There is some mistake about that, isn't
there?
No. indeed? What makes you think 80?
Because there has been no bad wages
peId in the protected industries for twenty
wears at least. 1t has been period Of high
nrotection, and there could be no such
thing AZ low wages.
That is simply nonsense. 1t has been
struggle, and hard struggle, right
along. Employers have seized upon every
opportunity to reduce employees to the
lowest possible point. Why they i'm
ported ship-loads Of foreign pauper labor
to help do it. ~.
That certainly can't he true, good srti-
san. You must be mistaken.
How mistaken? Why do you say that
/ am mistaken?
Principally because of your own state
ment, You started out by saying that
the tariff protected labor and secured 1t
the highest possible remuneration. Now
Won say that about one-ffth OF your time
was spent in idleness fighting against star
Walton wages. And yet during these eigh-
teen years the highest tariff Of modern
times has prevailed in this country. If
the tariff bettered your wages, why did
Won strike at all! What necessity was
there for iR
Well, | can tell you. We either had to
strike or work for next to nothing.
Is that true?
IL is.
And this in the face of the tariff tax for the
benefit of the manufacturer which nearly
doubled the cost of the commonest neces-
stiles of life? Comparatively, then, what
did You make by means of the tariff?
What would We have done had there
been no tariff?
You couldn't have done much moSe than
strike against starvation, could youP Sup
poss we pursue this matter of comparison
iurther. When did Grab, Get, Hold &
Co 90 into business?
10 1870.
You were employed by them in the be-
ginning, then?
was,
In what capacity?
As 3 principal foreman.
Do you know how much the firm put
into the business in the beginning?
Each member advanced $40, 600 in cash
and $40, 900 in notes-$S0 900 cash and the
same in notes, secured bv., their friends
Then there WAS actually $50, 900 in cash
put IN st the beginning?
Yes
Bat the plant has been greatly enlarged
since then?
| should say so. The firm has five i'm
mense mills, representing million invest
ment each, beside the private fortunes they
have accumulated. When the firm started
it had only Ave hundred employees, now it
has twenty Thousand.
Did they borrow money to invest in adj
ditonal plant?
oh, no; they put in their profits, and,
maybe, little nerve.
Aud all this grew up from $3.50 900,
half cash, in matter Of less than twenty
years?
Yes.
And you were foreman?
Certainly.
take IL that your services were worth
six per cent on $40, 900, or say 81, 200
year?
A little more than that sometimes. At
Other times didn't average quite so
much.
Then your skill and labor were really as
valuable as the $4,000 cash put in by
either OF the partners?
I think so, of course. A mans wages
should be fair interest on the real value
of his seryices-his services should stand
for his capital.
What is Mr.. Crabs private fortune
estimated at to-day?
That is hard to tell. He is a great
genius, you know, and it is put at from
$50 OOO, 600 to $50 600, 900.
He owns villa at Naples, does he not?
So understand.
And has splendid private yacht?
Yes.
And castle in Scotland and another in
Wales?
Yes.
And is building another castle on the |
crest of the Alleghenies, which will rival |
any Royal palace in. the world?
He Is. Quite number of us went up |
one day lately to look at the foundations. |
What is the extent of Mr.. Gets private
fortune?
He doesn't amount to much. He isn't
" orth over S., OOO, 600.
And Mr.. Hold-what's he worth?
Well, I should say about SIC, OO0, 900.
Mr.. Snatch, 1 believe, is the Co. of the
irm. What may he be worth?
1 should say from 81, 600, 900 to $1,000
BOO.
And they all made their fortunes out of
heir business inside Of twenty yearsp
OF course, for they doubled their plant
light along for years, and are the greatest
irm of Tia kind in this or any other coun-
nv.
What did you hare eighteen years ago.
I had a w a and shahv and q honoa and !,