Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-01-05
LABOR LEADERS ENCOURAGED.

Although the Year Has Been Disastrous
They Have Hopes for 1890.
Notwithstanding the loss of some i'm
portant strikes and the consequent disrup-
ton of several organizations, the labor
movement during the past year, through
ont the country, has been generally satls-
isfactorv to the leaders. Here in Wheeling
labor troubles were few, and amounted to
little. the most noteworthy strike being at
the Nail City Lantern Conpsny's works.
The question of shorter hours Of labor has
received greater attention during 1889 than
ever before, the period preceding the
eight-hour uprising in 1886, not accepted,
snd more men understand now what the
unions desire TO accomplish by shorter
hours.
The first three months Of 1889 were par
tieularly disastrous 20 labor organizations.
TIE street railroad men of New York on
eighteen lires struck January % to force
the companies to recognize their organize
tion. District Assembly 10, of Brooklyn,
had ordered strike on Deacon Richard
sons roads in that city OF the twenty
fourth, and the situation there was any
thing bat encouraging to the mon when
the New York men struck. February
fifth the Executive Board of District AS
sembly 226 saw il was hopeless to further
prolong the strike and declared 1t oil.
When the strikers applied for work they
found themselves frozen out, and thousands
were "blacklisted." On Richardson's
lines most of the old men returned to work
and again tried, few weeks ago, to bring
him to their terms, but as unsuccesstully
as before. The street railroad msn In
Minneapolis and st. Paul were also after
wards defeaten, and the railroad men or
CARNATIONS in these places and this city
have gone by the board.
January 8 some seven hundred employees
in Higgins carpet mills. West Forty
third street., struck, they claimed, against
a reduction. The strike was lost, and the
Progressive Carpe, Workers Union in that
city is now only name. Eight hundred
ostrich feather workers, all young women,
formed a union, and strike was precipi-
tated by the employers January %, the
purpose being, the girls claimed. to dis
rupt the organization. The strike lasted
until March y, when il was declared of,
and the union is a thing of the past. The
Havana cigarmakers of this city were more
fortunate, and the thousand of them who
stuck in January for the restoration OF 81
thousand were successful after about
three weeks.
The next strike Of moment in the East
was that of the Fall River weavers, March
II. They wanted a restoration Of the
wages of 1884, when about 20 per cent was
Topped off. Nearly ten thousand men and
women went out. At the end Of two
weeks they hsd to admit defeat. Protec-
ton did not help them any more than 1t
does the other wage-workers. About
month afterwards, April 10, the cotton
spinners in Clsrk's 20. n. T." thread
mills. in Newark, struck against 10 per
cent reduction, and after being out three
months were successful. In May about
ten thousand coal miners in Indiana and
Illinois struck against reduction OF ~
cents a ton for mining. In Braidwood,
Ill. the strike lasted until July. Spring
Valley, where the mines are owned by
William L. Scott, ex-COngres5msn, the
works we're closed, and thousands were
cast starving on the world. Others started
no in September at az advance OF - cents
over the figures set by the companies.
Among the great strikes in the pro-
tectected industries during the year wss
that in Andrew CaFnegie's Homestead
Works at Pittsburg, where 2. 400 men
went out against a reduction In July
After two weeks the officers compromised:
Six hundred girls-wirdets, doublers ano
otbers-employed in four Patterson n.
J.. silk thread works struck IN July
against q reduction of so cents a week
They had no union, but saved halt the
amount. Three months ago the knee
pants makers in New York struck for the
adjustment of certain grievances, ana were
successful.
The labor men look forward hopefully &c
the year 1890, when organization Will DC
pushed more vigorously than In the Pas,l
two or three years. The steam railroad
men have made a peaceful settlement o.
the troubles on the Erie. The beginning
of the year 1889 saw the Chicago, Burning
ton and Qaincy strike failure; 1t closes
with a great moral victory, which Will In
fuence other corporations and other laDol
organizations. The last day of the yesl
brought news to this city of a strike o.
500 coal miners in Punxsutawney, Pa,
for an increase of wages, and the Intention
nj the companv TO evict the men and theil