The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-03
Many Manufacturing Establish
ments Shut Down on Account
Of Striking Workmen.
Some OF the Men Don't Know Why
They Are Strik-
ing.
No Disorders Reported from the Windy
City-Strike News In Other Places
and Countries.

in this city, which may be said to have
technically begun yesterday when organ
ICED labor took its holiday, were not made
apparent until this morning when the men
failed to resume work at many shops. The
Black road in the vicinity of the McCor-
mick reaper works had much the Same ap-
pearance to-day as it had four years ago.
None but strikers could be seen and they
had entire possession. Every man. boy and
girl employed in the Malleable Iron works,
Twenty-sixth and Rockwell streets, is out.
The total number of employees is LOO. No
particular reason was assigned by the men.
A committee was appointed last night to
wait upon the officials, but they seemed to
President Baileycalled the strikers about him
and upbralded them for going out without
notice and told them that when they found
out what they wanted they should let him
know their demands. The men seemed not
to know what to say is reply. The chair
man of the moulders' committee says they
want 10 hours as days work, Is cents ad-
vance in wages and 80 per cent extra for
overtime.
At the great Mccormick reaper works
about fifty moulders went out, but work
was progressing as usual. A large proper
tion of the employees of the foundries of
Barnum & Richards, the Ajax Forge and
the Chicago Car Wheel Co. went out and
those concerns closed. AS elsewhere no
employers. At the Wells and French
Car company's shops every one OF
the thousand employees went out and
the shops were closed. The blacksmiths
were the only ones who made known their
demands, which was for eight hours as
days work. At the I. z. Roberts foundry
it was said the men seemed anxious for
a strike or vacation, SO the works have been
shut down till next Monday to accommo-
date them and make repairs. The entire
number of employees of the N. X. Fairbank
Soap and Lard company will go out Mon
day.
men employed by Fairbank are receiving
better wages than those paid elsewhere.
They want eight hours and nine hours pay.
About six hundred men will strike. The
coopers are earnest in their demand for
eight hours and in all portions of the city
employers to surrender. In the northwestern
districts Of the city there is not one cooper
working.
From three to four thousand sash, door
and blind men walked out of the various
factories in the southwest lumber district
this morning. This action was apparently
without warning. The men came to their
places as usual this morning, and. with few
exceptions, proceeded to work when the
whsle blew. An hour or SO later they
threw down their tools and quietly walked
out. giving no explanation.
The report is current tonight that nearly
all the planning mill men in the city will
quit tomorrow. It was also said that all
the wood workers, in whatever branch of
the business, were restless, and might join
the strike at any moment. Everything re-
mained quiet, Notwithstanding the large
number of men idle, and the police say
they do not anticipate any disturbance.
Four hundred men in Denman's furniture
factory and seven hundred in the Chicago
Cottage Organ factory struck this afternoon
for eight hours. Several thousand lumber
showers in the lumber district along the
Black road are dissatisfied, and strike is
anticipated among them.