The morning call., 1894-06-09
AND THE NORTHERN COUNTRY
Think That the Floods May
Make Rebuilding Necessary.
LONGING FOR BIG WAGES.
A Few Youths Who Would Like to
Pack Sandbags for $40 Per
Day.
AND THE NORTHERN COUNTRY
LONGING FOR BIG WAGES

Workingmen nowadays lose no oppOr-
tunity to secure employment. The steamer
Columbia. hat sailed yesterday morning
for Portland, Or, carried large number
Of steerage passengers, who have been at
tracted to the north by the reports that
laborers are making 81 and 81 30 an hour
by working iu the flooded districts of Ore
gon. Washington Territory and British
Columbia.
Brawny men and sturdy looking boys
crowded the steamers decks forward,
while hundreds of mechanics and laborers
who could not afford to go until few days
later because funds were scarce with them
looked wistfully at the departing vessel.
and shouted promises to their friends to
join them before long.
From the telegrapnic dispatches and
other sources Of information the local I'M
employed have become imbued with the
idea that there is a great demand for
labor In the Northwest. Not only did the
departure of the Columbia Illustrate the
fact that there is sudden influx OF skill
full and unskilled labor in that direction,
but several hundred men left last even
ing hv the Northern overland, some bound
for Vancouver and others for Portland,
Oregon City and other points along the
Columbia and Willamette rivers.
a group OF three men, carpenters by
trade, was standing on the C0lum bias
deck discussing the chances for getting in
a good seasons work at Portland.
what are you all going north for%
asked the reporter.
"Oh, there will be lots of work up there
when the waters subsde." was the reply.
Where did you get the idea that there
is plenty of work 10 Portland for carpen.
ters?"
Il
there for carpenters especially, but L see
By the papers that men are making big
money moving merchandise and handling
goods. OF course there will be plenty of
work to be done rebuilding wharves, re-
pairing buildings and erecting farmhouses
10 the country districts.
IF men are being paid SO an hour for
rushing freight out of the way OF the wa
ter that is a pretty good sign, to my no
ton, that the people up there have more
money than we have in California"
One old man, mechanic by trade, was
taking his wife and baby along with him.
He was carrying his tools away for good
from San Francisco. he said. and he
though that the floods in the north were
a good thing for The working people.
DO you remember the Seattle fire?" he
asked sharply. That fire put $1,000, 600
into the pockets of the poor people. Those
Seattle people have grit. They Just got
D = -
n feather how much it might cost them 10
do so. Nearly 10000 men found EN- ploy-
ment there. and steady employment at
that.
Now if the Seattle fire gave employ
ment TO 10000 men why shouldn't the
Portland food, the destruction of property
on the Fraser River and the damage 90
property up the Oregon rivers create a
demand for ten times that number Of
menu"
But Oregon and British Columbia have
plenty of unemployed men OF their own to
look out for" was suggested.
"Oh, you don't understand those people
up north, said the sage with a shrug Of
his shoulders and an emphatic thump of
his big fist They ain't like people in
Frisco"
Some few mountaineering passengers
explained eepishly that they were going
to Portland to try their luck at building
levees and sailing salmon; either occupa-
ton would prove accepta bic 10 them.
Say, is it true. mister. that fellows
are getting $40 for packing ssDdbags up
there?"
- don't know, but guess the story can
not be true"
well, / saw 1t in the papers, SO guess
/ it's right" Then he walked away as if
satisfied that he was right
4 party of fifteen laborers who stood
near the wharf were planning to get to
| Portland by the railroad. One man sug-
gest ed that an attempt be made TO secure
cheap transportation BY applying for
| tickets in body.
The Union Pacific officials say that they
do not think that there is any room in
Portland or any of the northwestern cities
for San FIanciscO's unemployed There
are skilled and unskiled laborers enough,
they declare. in that part OF the country.
a large number of whom are out of en-
ployment.
People lose no opportunity TO better
their condition in these dull times" said
one gentleman, land the workingmen
naturally think that when property is
being destroyed a demand for labor is
/ created -