The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-29
THE JUDSON MILLS,

The Union Men Present Their Side oil
the Case
Editor Gail Knowing that the columns oil
your paper are ever open to communications
bearing upon just cause. we feel it our duty to
request portion of your space that we may
state cur side Of the recent trouble in the Judson
Rolling mills. and correctly inform the public as
to the real cause which has forced us into con.
fcl with our employers. Reports concerning
affairs Of this nature often lead the public 10 the
conclusion that organization OF workingmeu
is body from which nothing hut oppression aud
arbitrary methods can be expected, aud that a
union Is always the aRgfessor. We wish 10
prove that In this case, as IN many others, The
agaressor Is neither the men who furnish the
!, operating capital nor the men who by their toll
Increased that capilal-the union men-bul one
who has been placed in a position 10 control the
business OF the concern-the SUPERINTENDENT.
This Superintendent was interviewed by sew
efat reporters soon after we had vacated the
mill, and II is our desire 10 place our side OF The
case before the public. In the first place, the
Superintendent stated That lie did not discharge
Mr.. Drake because he was union man. giving
as his reason that MIR. Drake refused TO do some
oIiDg which he had ordered him 10 do. In re-
gard TO this, We wish 10 state That when we
waited upon The Superini endent to learn his rel.
sous for the discharge OF Mr. Drake, mat gen
tleman stated that upon one occasion, about four
weeks ago, lie bad told Drake 10 clean some
Skating, and that at the end Of The week lie ex.
amined The shafiDg aud found 1t had not been
cleaned. and that was why he had discharged
HIM. But Drake was not discharged until tive
weeks after this discovery. He also informed us
at that time that we would be called upon to in-
tervew him in short time again, rs there were
four or i've others who would soon be dis
charged. We also found upon investigation that
the work OF cleaning The shaiting lad been at.
tended TO propetly by Mr. Drake until be had
fnish was attended TO satisfactorily by the
man who took his place ON the day shift.
We believe that these statements Will clearly
demonstrate that MI Drake was not discharged
for the alleged reason OF dlsObedieuce. Again,
the superintendent stated that another man.
who was member OF The unioD had been given
Mir. brakes position, but that this man had
been persuaded 10 abandon the job, thus preclDi-
tating the trouble. Also, that he lttie Superln-
tendenI) Is III no wise antag0nistle to union piin-
ciples.
Fist OF all, the man VINO took Mr.. brakes
place was not member Of the union. but upon
hearing of the circumstances OF brakes dis
charge refused TO accept the position. Then
man WHO is laboring in the yard was ordered 10
take Mr.. brakes place, and he being member
OF tie Coast Seanen's Union, and "nowing the
facts Of the case. also refused, whereupon he
wa, promptly hidden 10 get his money and
skip" Our union has been organized for over
two years. Up TO the commencement o. the pres
ent superintendency-about i've months ago
there las never been The least trouble IN connec-
ton with the rOliDu-lnllls. But with The incohl-
ing OF superintendent Beauregard came fumors
OF antagonism.
Shortly after Superintendent Beaureeard en-
teled upon the discharge Of his duties he
manifested In various ways his opposition 10
u1ionism ana union men.
There is still another Point which the public
should be informed about. Every one knows
that where steam power Is USED there is more Or
less danger from explosions, and that lie dan
ger is lesseDtd by The employment Of competent
men 10 attend To the boilers, and, Increased by
the employment OF men who Know nothing about
the business. Mr.. Drake, the discharged EN-
plUye, was IN every respect competent man, as
Is shown by The fact thai he has held the posi-
lion fol- SIX or even years under several super
intendents, The first few years being unGer the
maD WHO recently discharged nim for incumpe-
tehcy, and our men felt safe when lie had charge
Of the boilers. But When our lives were endah'
gered by the placing OF green" hand on the
boilers, we felt that men who value existence
We should protest. We stated TIE case 10 the
Superintendent and were received very rudeiy,
with the under standing mat several more OF US
would be let out very soon
We did not feel that We could Work with such
a sword OF Dam0Gles" hanging over us, ana We
vacated, believing that iii DOING SO we would
save The company from the possibility OF an ex-
plosiou ana most Of all our own lives.
We have stated our side explicitly and truth
fully. aud we challenge any OF the eoinpany5
officials TO dispute any OF The facts mentioned.
Our union Is not az bittary, but there are some
things we do demand, and one OF them Is The
American right TO organize TO save ourselves
from the harm that may occur by reason OF nav
Ing incompetent men In dangerous positions and
to protect ouI selves from those who are aniagO-
nisiic 10 our principles.
W. j. Mullender, William Kftto. Ed Roekhili,
Ed Murphy, Jen O'CGnDor, Executive Committee.
Emeryrtlfe, NoU. 49, 1880.