Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-08
not A BIG DAY FOR LABOR
An Some Cities There Was no Celebra-
tons of Any Kind.
Where Strikes We're Expected They
Proved FiZZle.
In Some Locations There is a Growing
Demand for 3-H0urs.

half of eight hours work per day has come
and gone and the predictions of riot and
Eloodshed and an almost universal strike
has not been realized. Labor indeed, was
In a great measure suspended; but those
who dropped their tools for the day did
not do SO for the purpose OF taking up
sticks and paving stones and lndulglng
in riotous demonstrations. Thousands OF
hem quit work for the day to march IN
the great parade, and many more thous-
ands made it holiday. 1t was an Or
dery good natured crowd and an orderly
parade. The marching line was about
four miles long. 1t occupied two hours
In passing the given point, and the num-
Der of men in line is estimated about. thirty
thousand.
The carpenters, who had been placed by
the American federetion of labor In van of
the eight hours movement, lead the dem
Onstration. They had about six thousand
men, including three assemblies of knights
of labor. They were followed by three
thousand stone masons and brlcklayers.
Then came delegates from unions of
printers, metal workers and moulders.
These were followed by dozen German
turner societies forming the second divis
ion Next marched furniture workers,
cabinet makers, carriage and wagon build
ers, cigarmakers, cloak makers, boiler
makers, rattan workers and business
harness makers.
Many of the trades escorted in their
ranks gaudily decorated floats, on which
were realistic representations OF members
of the craft pursuing their daily Occup"-
ton There were brick layers building
miniture house, boiler makers pounding
with frightful noise, coopers working on
l. low, or nra
One of the features was the enormous
number of banners carried. Among the
notices were the following:
''Arbitration is our motto, down with
monopoly"
mo carpenters, no houses"
Eight hours and arbitration is the
just demand.
1--WE live by labor, not by war
<'When arbitration is compulsory strikes
will cease.
Child labor should not be on the bench
or in the shop, but in school"
Eight hours for work, eight hours for
sleep and eight hours to do what we will. >
The line of march was crowded with
people who cheered the marchers and the
notices. After parading through some of
the principal streets on the west side they
marched over to the south side and to the
lake front of the park where they lis
tened to addresses from several stands.
FIrTsBuRG, May Labor day in
Pittsburg was uneventful. Peace and
harmony prevailed in all branches of bust
ness. except the cornice and tin work in
dustry Three hundred timers came out
this morning for an advance of Is cents a
day, and seven firms have already granted
tneir demands. It is thought
the strike will be over by Saturday.
Throughout western Pennsylvania, how
ever, number of strikes were reported to-
day. At Johnstown, Scottdale, Jeanette
Greensburg and Braddock, the carpenters
and joiners came out for eight hours work
or increased wages The demand has not
been granted and operations have been
practically suspended In these towns. At
Mckeesport there was a monster demon
stration tonight, undtr the auspices of
the carpenters union, in which several
thousand Sorkmen representing all
branches of trades participated.
In the Smithston mining district the
strike situation is unchanged. Both sides
are firm and settlements seems far off.
MILWAUKEE, May There was no
strike or labor demonstration of any kind
here today The carpenters continued at
work, having decided the date for the
eight-hour movement in this city on
May ,. If the contractors do not grant
the eight-hour day tomorrow, the Carpen-
tiers union with 700 members will strike
OTTAWA, May 1.-The brick layers,
stone cutters and masons, numbering
1900 went on strike today for nine
hours work and ten hours pay. The car
penters made like demand and threaten
- IL, 4ol
PHILADELPHIA, May six master
carpenters employing 200 hands, after
holding out until noon conceded to the
demands of their men. Some of the en-
ployers say they will concede the demands of
the men as individuals but will not recog
nize the union.
LOUISVILLE, May Tonight the car
penters resolved to go on strike to-mor
row unless the master builders accede to
their demands that eight hours constitute
a days labor, and IS cents an hour be the
mlnlmump pay.
viii Not Strike.
OMAHA Neb, May NO strike has
taken place here, either among the car
penters or packing house employees, and
none has been contemplated The car
penters have decided to await the issue of
the strike IN Chicago 1t successful there
the local union will undoubtedly demand
eight hours and increased wages. There
are three unions of carpenters in the city
comprising about 1000 men. The men at
the packing houses are not disposed to
strike even should the men in Chicago
gain their ends.
All is Quiet.
New York, May ALI is quiet. At
downtown building where carpenters are
employed the men are all working The
proposed reduction in the wages of the
employees of the United States Express
company was enforced today. Everything
goes on as usual and the men say they
look forward to an early return to the old
rate of wages.
Want Eight Hours
BosToN, May 1.-The strike of carpen-
tiers in this city for an eight-hour day was
inaugurated this morning, and about 1000
men are out. Il is estimated that there
are 1000 men in the city who have been
granted eight hours by about 100 firms not
members of the Master Builders associa-
ton. The strike is of much smaller di-
mensions than was expected.
KANSAS CITY, May kansas City is a
notoriously non-union town. consequently
there has been hardly any agitation at all
of the eight hour question. There is
practically no prospect Of the occurrence
of strike. No demonstration was at
tempted.