The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-19
A HINDRANCE TO COMMERCE..
Chamber OF Commerce Committees Re
mort ON the CaurxA of Lanasha.a.a.

Chamber OF Commerce Committees Re.
port on the Course of Loneshoremen.
The action of the Chamber of Commerce trus.
tees at their meeting a few days ago with ref.
erence TO the effect on the city's shipping inter
ests OF certain rules of the Longshoremen'.
Union relating TO the employment of men for
the discharging OF vessels coming in here. was
considerable OF surprise to the mem bers of the
union. Just what action they propose taking is
still unknown, but from the stand taken by tha
chamber, conflict seems imminent uulsss
some modification is made in the rules of tina
union whereby settlement may be reached.
Following is the full report of the COMMITTEES OF
the chamber f. o. Graves, d. H. Gilman and u
b. Ward. appointed TO investigate the matter:
Your committee appointed to investigate al
legged determinations against the port of seattle
by Puget sound stevedores and the exac,!ons OF
tue Longshoremen aud Sailors Unions of this
CITY, osg leave to report that they addressed
letters 20 the following members of the Pnset
sound steyedores' Association: Bartlett &
Steeb anu BaTue>ou & Chilcott. both stavador;,,
firms OF Port Townsend. In response We ra
ceived letters in which These srms frankly s,ste
that they mad refused To take vessels to tInloaj
or load AT Seattle, and gave as the resson :hcrs
ior tne exactons OF the longs Union
OF this city. Thereafter. The 2ith day OF De
tooef, meeting YVES arranged al the mayor,s
onlc5, at which the officers OF the fopo,hora
men Union, Capt Chlicott and Mr. Mc1Iahe Of
the sieyeiores' Association and this committee
were present lhe stevedores maintained tbat
as cheaplv In Seattle at Port pIskslav
or Tacoma and some other points on the sound
ana That eonseq uenJiy ;bey sent vessels 10 thesa
ports instead OF 10 Seattle. They admitted thai
the union at seattle was composed of ooo1
workmen, but that the system under WbirS ths
union worked was detrimental to the rights 81
the sievsqores: that the iongshoremen select
tEeir own foTemen, and that the steysiors,
must hire ioTemen SO ssiectsd. The sieye.ores
S11.n sha' they "oold DC on an equality in this
port with Tacoma provided they mad the par
al selection of their own foremen and ststai
thAt they were willing and desirons OF seIectinc
such ioremen from the Longshorsmen's Union
ana to employ none bar union labor the fore.
man. OF couras. having the right 10 select mis-
crew from the union
IL appeared that this was the ONLY nor. IN
Eaget sound or, in fact, in the world whera
sGch System prevails. IL further auDesrai
thst ;he union men of Seattle were accustomed
mainly 10 the handling OF general rnercbanoiss
CAGES, such a. IS brought in By the steam
SHIPS aad That they are not very familiar with
'ne Handling OF lumber carCoes
Ne aisc at subsequent dates, took the tastf
4l'oF Q! tue wASFbngers of the Pacific Coast
Steamship tompaEy and ScaWabAcher Bros q
% "ha:Ts-. sGd L 30 of H. " Baker Tha
ise'nc coast sisamshi p COMPANY seems IN "a
sANsnei with the WORK of the Ioueshoramen's
hioa, and has no complaint 10 make against
mem, except that the union VIII no. PERMIT ths
Tvs - asnile Ifeigh, II this pott, which is A
"A~sa'p upon nat company. scawabaches