Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-05-25
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Met at Hallo~elI Last Evening and
Installed Officers Recently Elected.
Words Of Encouragement Tor the Granite
Worsers-The Situation On the Coast.

HAltesfiL, May 24.-l Special The
outlook has Dot changed much e1cep. that
the men are growing more hopeful daily.
| Things were enlisened today by the adseu,
of numher of delegates to the kenaebec
Valley Central Labor Union, who talked
eneouragingly TO 10 the local union men.
IL WAS unnecessary, however. for them to
I tell these local men to be firm as they are
In no danger of weakening
The kennehec Valley Central Labor
Union uei again at G. 4. Il. Hall ia this
city this evening at o'clock Forty-seven
! delegates were present The six organiza-
tions which founded the union were all fully
represented The Mule Spiuners' Union
of Augusta and the Boot and Shoe Workers
( | MON of Gardiner were elected to MEM
bership and their delegates were re
eeired into the union. committee
on organization was elected with the follow
ing members; +. W. Boynton, Knights of
. Labor. Augusta; J. W. Emery. Granite
Cutters Union, Hailoweil; W. {. Farris
Carpenters Union, Gardiner; j +. kenney.
Granite Tool Makers Union. Augusta; F.
Fitzgerald, Quarrymen's Union. Hallowell !;
and ). d. Ella, Paving Cutters Union. Hal
lowell; Reuben +. Chalk of the Knights of
Labor. Augusta, and j. $ Moore of the
Carpenters Dnion, Gardiner, were elected
organlzers-at-large.
Installations of the officers elected week
ago followed The installing officer was
General State Organizer X. ii. Chalk of the
American Federation of Labor. Then all
present took the oath of allegiance TO the
order, which was administered by President
\. w. Nichols.
fians were arranged so that the di iffereui
trades in the three cities of Augusta, Hal
lowell and Gardiner should be thoroughly
organized. Arrangements will be made for
holding series of meetings open TO all, 10 be
addressed by leading labor men.
There were present at the meeting sew
eral gentlemen who have just arrived from
the Knox coast. These men presented Il
melancholy tale of oppression and tyranny
They say that at Rockland nearly 80 men
are out. Recently certain contractor who
has yard on one of the islands. hired
eight men from kockiand to come to work
for him at union prices and with union
dates. The men, he repre- sented, were
to 90 10 work this last Monday morning In
order to get there on time the men secured
saiiboat and went over TO the island Sun
day. As the boat was approaching the
wharf the contractor is said to have come
down and TO have called out. at won't pay
You 10 land boys, for | cant use YOU"
But the "boys" thought that they would
like TO hear the reasons for this sudden
change of base, anil accorlingl,
landed. Finally the contractor
pulled out dispatch sent from
Rockland which read, DO not emplo,
strikers and was signed by well-known
ROcklaud man. The contractor said that
in the face of that he did not dare to en-
-ploy them, so they were obliged TO return
after having made all the arrangements for
beginning work. The trip cost them con
siderable money, as well.
At Hurricane Island 200 men are out
and at Ninalhavcn are over 100 idle men
But they were said to be as determined as
ever not TO yield on the date question. At
Hurricane many men are leaving and at
both islands men are taking to boats and
hsting. They show no signs of weakening
IN spite of the heavy pressure that is being
brought to bear upon them by the manufar-
turers. They claim that their employers
are using unfair means to gain their point
II is said that some of the companies have
turned their men ont of the company board
ing houses, have declined 10 sell them any
goods from the company stores and have
ordered the other merchants to refuse the
men credit and in some cases also, have
etopped their selling to the men.
At Deer Island. out of total of 80 only
30 men are ont the employers of the others
having waived their demand aud having
signed union bills of prices.
The general sentiment along the coast is
evidently as strongly against the plan of
arbitration as are tho men here. They say
that arbitration means a compromise and u
compromise is just what they won't have rs
to the date question. As to wages they
are, as q rule. willing to arbitrate but they
say that on the latter points an easy and
speedy settlement would be reached any
way.
\ communication was received Mt the
meeting of the Central Inon which stated
that one of the largest granite companies in
New Hampshire had voluntarily made
propositions to the strike committee in their
town. Several other more encouraging pa
pers were also received and read.