The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-10
FAIRHAvEN LABoRERs STRIKE.
Street Grading Contractors Try to Pay
Their Men in Orders,


FA1RHAvEN, June 9.-[Speciall-A general
strike OF laooring men employed on city work,
and particularly the contracts of A. L. Mccoy
and Evans, Templin & Mundy, was inaugurated
yesterday, when the men EMPLOYED by
Mccoy were offered in payment for their
work ume-eheeks payable July 5. The men
have been working for si.75 per day, and hava
found it difficult to get their money even at
those wages. Their grievances are of long stand
ing. They say they have been deceived, hood
winked aud hooded by contractors until they
have at last reached point where patience has
ceased to be a virtue. Just previous TO the
bond election held May 2, their demands for
the correction OF some OF the abuses, under
which they have suffered for year or more.
were so unanimous and eouched in such terms
that the present city council, which has evinced
a disposition 10 treat them fairly passed
an ordinance providing for a new city
contract, requiring the city engineer
to furnish semi-monthly estimates on all
public work, and providing further. among
other thing, that the men should be
paid in full, in cash or its eouiva.
lent, every two weeks 1t was also
provided that contractors should not
dictate the boarding places OF emnloves
or require men to obtain work through the
medium of employment agencies. The Mccoy
contract, which is for the improvement of Rem
nett avenue, is the frst one let since that ordi
nance was passed, and the failure OF the con.
tractor to comply with the provision relating 10
the payment OF the men is the immediate
cause OF the present strike, which has
also put stop TO work on the
opera-house excavation, from which earth
was being taken by contract for filing on Ben
nett avenue. The men now demand that wages
be not less than g per day; that they be allowed
TO board and trade where they please, and that
they be paid every two weeks, in cssb
sfaS Ss,FA -
due them. Colonel Hskes is the onIv
contractor against whom no Complaint
is made. He has used his men well and has
made no attempt TO reduce wages below the
amount asked by present strikers. whose de.
msnds are just. Much OF the trouble is dpe n
the letting OF contracts by the old council To
irresponsible and not prescriptions men
who operated on the principle that
nothing comes aniss SO money comes
withsl" Some OF the men employed by sheri-
dan & o'Brien on the Front street contract have
had no pay for weeks, and many Others are
losers by reason OF the failure OF E. C. Bur.
lingame. OF Tacoma, TO meet his obligations
He came here with great flourish of
trumpets and tried to play even bv
herding his men in shacks and reouir.
ing them to board at his "boardinz-honse,,
and pay s. per week for s. food. The contract.
ors affected by the present strike declare thew
viii import men and this afternoon DISPATCHES
were sent by committee of laborinr man tn
Seattle and Tacoma Knights OF Labor expIain.
ing the situation and urging them 10
advise men not to come If snv
considerable number do come and
undertake 20 go 10 work in defiance of the pro-
tests Of the men here, trouble is likely 10 oeeur
The present difficulty is not the result OF the
Vaccinations OF labor asitators. Ii is q
question OF bread and butter with
many hard working and deserving mar, With
whose cause the best people of the city most
heartily sympsthize. M McCoy's excuse for
the non-payment OF the men doubtless is tbs.
although his first estimate was allowed by the
council last "Wednesday he has not been AHA
10 obtain any money on the contract. be-
cause, by reason of somebody's negligence. no
grade fund for Bennett avenue has vet been
created, aud until that is done the clerk can
isace no warrants for the work