Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-03
ONLY JUST BEGUN.
The Labor Troubles at the West
ern Metropolis.
A SCORE OF NEW STRIKES ON HAND.


The Number of Strikers About Doubled
and the Carpenters Difhculty Not Yet
settled-"Biack Road" Workers Ex-
tend Their Holiday Indefinitely and Are
Followed by Numerous Other Industries
The Coal Miners and Owners Find No
Common Ground to Meet Upon.
CHICAGO, May 3.-The great parade of
labor Thursday seems TO have been the
signal for action among the dissatisfied
workmen of this city, and now the ranks
Of the actual strikers have been swelled
20 twice the number that was on strike
Wednesday. The most unfortunate feat
ure of the situation is that the bulk of
the new recruits comes from that portion
of the city called the BLACK road. where
so much turbulence took place in 1ss6, and
If signs count for anything they are ready
for the same scenes this year. No sooner
were the men out of the shops than the
latter were @picketed," and the word went
the rounds that no man should work. This
spirit pervaded the girls and women en-
ployed, and those who hung back yester
day mOrning-and they were a majority
of the girls-were promptly bulldozed into
going ont with the rest.
Nolders Lead the Movement.
The first 10 strike were the moiders at
the Chicago Malleable Iron works, where
700 men banked the fires and quit Their
demand is eight hours day and pay-and-
a-half for overtime. The other employees
Of the concern then struck out of
sympathy The Deering Reaper works
next fell into line, and the Illinois Steel
company's men would have quit but the
company conceded the demands. The men
in the Wells, French & Co.'S car works,
The Ajax Iron works and several other iron
manufactures also quit work TO the uum-
Der, probably, of 1900 more.
wood-workers Follow Suit.
These men had hardly been heard from
when the planning -mill men started the
ball, but the strike was not general, less
than 800 men going out. The furniture
factory men also took the strike fever and
several factories had to close down pending
negotiations. The men employed at the
Goodwillie box factory struck for eight
hours. At noon their demands were ac-
coded to and they returned to work. The
men at the Cooper Lumber company's
yards were also victorious. The firm
agreed to grant the eight-hour day and the
men went TO work at noon.
Lumber Men Growing FESTIVE.
Trouble is brewing in the lumber yards,
and the prospect is that unless granted
eight hours and more pay the lumber
shovers-several thousand men-will quit
work. If these men strike it will shut
down work in most of the yards and tie-up
all the southwestern lumber trade The
IL l.
strike unless certain demands are com
piled with
Four hundred men employed by Demma
& Durkas' furniture factory struck for
eight hours. Seven hundred men en-
ployed by the Cottage Organ company are
also affected by the strike fever and re-
fuse to work until granted the eight-hour
day.
Little Progress with the Carpenters.
The carpenters strike is still on and the
situation remains exactly the same as
when the arbitration committees were ap-
pointed. At a meeting yesterday after
noon the bosses conceded eight hours, but
when it came to granting 40 cents an hour
there was mitch, as there was also in the
apprentice question. While discussing the
latter question, the subject of the ability
of the new bosses association to employ
enough men to justify the carpenters in
completing the negotiations was brought
up. The carpenters insisted that the bosses
furnish a guarantee 10 employ 5000 men
within thirty days. To this the bosses OBJ
jected.
Decision of the EMPIRES
The umpires decided in favor of the
strikers, limiting the number, it is under
stood to 1900 men. The carpenters pro-
tested and finally demanded statement
from the bosses showing exactly what
each could do. They were not prepared
for this, and finally after a heated discus
sion, the conference adjourned to meet to-
day. The bosses held a meeting last night
and it is understood completed arrange
ments for the conference. The umpires in
these negotiations are Judges Tuley
Briggs, and Mcconnell
Other Strikes Settled.
The Garden City Springs works compro-
missed with their men by granting them
an eight-hour day with nine hours paw.
and the Morgan Sash, Door and Blind
company settled with their employees on a
similar basis. A strike at Maxwell Bros.
Box factory was settled by the employers
agreeing to consider the grievances of their
employees at an early date. They are now
working eight hours.
No Grievances Formulated.
Everything was quiet on thu "bIack
road" at latest reports. The striking mold |
ers have made no effort to procure meet |
ing with the employers, and the latter are |
in absolute ignorance of what is demand |
ed. The bulk Of the men also do not seem |
to know their own mind, and say that |
they struck because ordered by their lead |
ers to do so. The whole affair has the |
appearance of being a simple case of strike |
fever. The authorities apprehend no fur
Their disturbance, but the neighborhood is
well patrolled by officers, and any incipi- |
ent outbreak will be speedily depressed.