Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-10
MAKE THEIR DEMANDS FELT
First Combined Movements Made for
an Eight Hour Day.
Thousands of ChicagO's Carpenters
Drop Their Tools and Quit.
Building Operations Suspended in Con
sequence of the Trouble.

CHICAGO, April THE carpenters
strike took place this morning according
to program. 1t is estimated that between
5000 and 5000 men are out. The car
penter work ON nearly all of the large jobs
has been brought to a standstill. No
trouble has been reported from any quar-
ter so far.
The labor situation in Chicago today is
very similar to that which existed
this month four years ago. At that time
the agitatied in favor of an eight
hour day was being actively carried on,
and some 10000 organized men were In
a condition of extreme discomfort. Out
of this grew the anarchist agitation that
eliminated in the Haymarket riot. To
day the men of nearly all trades are Or
ganizing, either for an increase of wages
or for the eight-hour demand, although,
fortunately, the turbulent spirits Of four
years ago are now conspicuous by their
absence, and the radical socialist element
as such is taking no part In the agitation.
Today was the day fixed for the re-
ply of the master carpenters to the ulti-
matum of the men, and failing of salts
The United Carpenters Council represents
penters in the city, and their demands
are in brief the eight-hour day; and adj
vance in wages of from 35 to 40 cents an
hour the establishment OF an apprentice
system, and permanent arbitration COM
mite to which all disputes shall be refer
red and the decisions of which shall be
binding. A similar board has been In
satisfactory operation among the brick
masons for two years.
In the other organizations the union of
packing house employees is demonstrating
unexpected strength, considering the
condition they have been in since their
abortive fight of 1886; and they will ap-
pear in the eight-hour column.
The painters have organized for
the fray under charter from the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, and the plaster
ers, fathers of the building trade are also
well organized. Altogether there are fully
300, 100; trades unionisis in the city. 1t is
understood that the American Federation
of Labor regards the movement of the car
penters as in the nature of the preliminary
struggle and stands ready to render both
moral and material support. They will
also have the support of the National
Brotherhood, which numbers over 10000
A great many of the non-union men quit
work today out of sympathy with their
union brethren, and it was claimed that
most of them would join the carpenters
union. 1--WE are well organized, have
plenty of money and will make a fight to
the last ditch, said Secretary Howard
Reports are coming In rapidly from all
over the city, and, so far as we know, there
is not union carpenter at work. In fact
building operations have been practically
stopped.
Secretary Jones of the master carpen-
tiers, said that so far as he could tell about
all the union carpenters in the city had
left their tools eve shall not attempt to
at once resume work with the help of the
non-mion men, said he, 'but will wait
until our Thursday meeting before doing
anything decisive"
Many of the masons and bricklayers who
were at work on the buildings have been
compelled to lay off, because of the car
penter work on various structures being at
a standstil. Altogether the paralysis of
the building operations in Chicago, is to-
day at least, complete.
Tonight it is estimated that about 1000
men are out. In some places the brick
layers went out with the carpenters, out of
sympathy. and it is reported that the entire
body of bricklayers be called out unless the
trouble is settled within week. In
any event nearly all the other
building trades will have to stop
work soon unless the carpententer's strike
Is settled, In that event, fifty thousand
men will be idle. Some contractors wish
lug to complete the work on hand, today
offered to accept the men s terms; but the
brotherhood is after the builders associ-
alton, and refuse to let any one return to
work until that body has recognized the
claims of the union. Mr. Goldie, of
the builders exchange, thinks it will be
at least a week before the strike is settled
A number of the bosses said today that they
would be willing to pay 40 cents an hour
after the present contracts are filed,
but that these rates were too high for the
present, and they could not afford to adj
vance on them.