Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-09
DEMANDING BETTER PAY
Workingmen Engaged in Street
Work Quit Work Yes
terday Morning
They Demand Two Dollars Per
Day and Payment Every
Two Weeks
Meeting Held at the Opera
House Block Addressed
by Several Speakers

All the laboring men working for Nc
Coy & O'Brien on the Improvement OF
Bennett avenue, and for Evans Templin
and Mundy on Mckenzie avenue, quilt
work yesterday morning and resolved to
strike for higher wages and for the pay
ment Of their wages semi-monthlv In coin
and for the privilege Of boarding where
they please. About 125 men are effected
by the strike.
Yesterday afternoon about one hun
dred workingmen met at the opera house
block for the purpose OF discussing their
grievances and take somedelnite action to-
ward adjusting their difIerances with the
contractors. The meeting was an orderly
one, no loud or boistorous talking was
heard and every man present seemed de-
termined to obtain some redress for his
grievances.
At $3.50 the meeting was called to order
by James Smith, who stated that the OBJ
iect OF the meeting was to take formal
action relative to the strike that had
been inaugurated. The chairman suR-
gested that a committee OF three or iVt
be appointed TO confer with the contrac-
] IDlS 10 lIN duh llluhNt Ahfhl w 'NH'N' w
the terms which they asked.
Fred Mimic, James Cole and 9. Richard
were named as the committee. The chair
man put the motion whether or not
strike should be inaugurated, and II car
ried without a dissenting voice. a sug
gestion was made that as the contractor
had threatened to hire men in Seattle ant
Tacoma for the purpose of importing
them TO take the strikers place
that telegram be sent to the labo
unions of Seattle, Tacoma and POr
| Townsend, notifying them Of the strik
and warning all workingmen agains
coming to Bellingham bay. A hat wa
passed around and almost every lahore
| present threw in a nickel to help defral
The expense Of transmitting the message
| After general conversation the assem-
blage dispersed quietly,
j. c. Rfckard, a member OF the commit
tee appOi nted TO confer with the contrac
tors, was seen by a HERALD representa-
tive and IN reply TO inquiries, he said tha
| the men working on the streets receive'
but 81 rs per day and that they were pai'
In time checks on which they were com
PEELED TO pay a discount Of 20 per cent
thus the laborng man was receivin
but 81 40 per day for his work. The work
ing men resolved to strike for s. per day
and that they be paid every two week
in coin. Another serious objection wa
Il the boarding HOunb SyS tSiHs iio ''hiPu
sion of workingmen to board at contract
ors' boarding houses practically barre
married men from obtaining employment
The workingmen, the speaker claimed
was simply asking for reasonable com
pensation for their labor, and their claim
will be seconded by every resident OF th
Focal City.
The outcome of the strike will
watched with considerable interest an
n an attempt Is made to import labOrer
trouble might ensue. The men engage
in the strike appeared to be hard working
law abiding citizens. SO long as they al
not molested, they will not commit an
. act that can be considered a breach
the peace or violation OF the law.