St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-26
C0RDACE MEN STRIKE.
EMPLOYEES LEAVE THEIR POSTS
AND DEMAND MORE PAY,
BUT MANAGEMENT REFUSES
Men and Women Then Walk Out
Manager Allison Does Not
Know There Is a Strike.

Manager Allison Does Not
Know There Is n Strike.
A strike that threatened to de-
velope into large proportions oc-
CURED yesterday morning at the
Northwestern Cordage works. But
the officials claim it was really a
trivial affair. About the middle of
the forenoon a man in the rope
room suddenly stopped the machine
at which he was working, and eX-
claimed that he couldn't work any
longer for the pay he was getting"
At once all the other men and boys
in the room followed suit, with the
exception of the foreman and sin
gle young man. The strikers went
in a body to the superintendent
office and laid their case before him.
He assured them that it was impos-
sible for the company to pay any
higher wages, and the men unani-
mously refused to return to their
machines.
Meanwhile all the other depart
ments had been levied upon for re-
cruits to start up the rope room.
AS fast as these arrived they were
placed under the tuition of the fore
man and the one remaining en-
ploye. The latter soon objected to
being thus turned against his old
companions, and was accordingly
dismissed on the spot.
I'LL -
the balling department, and here
also every post was soon deserted,
not, however, without some reluc-
lance ON the part of several boys.
But these were speedily convinced
of the improperly of their course
by certain physical persuasions of
the strike leaders. Most of the en-
ployes in this department were girls,
and about fifteen or twenty were
soon on the outside. A similar num-
Der of girls in the spinning depart
ment joined the movement, and at
one time it was claimed that almost
100 strikers were to be seen about the
works. Many of these later re-
turned to work.
The officials became apprehensive
of trouble, and, at their request,
couple of officers were detailed to
preserve order. One Of them en-
gagged during the afternoon in
ttrifing scuffle with a young fellow
from the ranks of the strikers.
Otherwise the anticipated disturb
ace was not realized.
AS soon as news of the strike be-
came rumored about, many applica-
tons were made for the vacant places,
and between the strikers who returned
to work and the new hands engaged
well nigh every vacancy was filled be-
fore night. 1t is understood that, in
the case of the girls at least, all will
be allowed to return who apply for
their vacated places this morning.
Supt Baldener admitted during the
day that the Cordage company was
not now paying big wages. 1--WE paid
more,'' said he, "a year ago, but we
were not then in such competition with
factories in England. The latter, by
the way, pay only about half the wages
that we 90 now. Nobody at our fac
tory is unaware that wages are very
low, but it is positively all we can
afford to pay. AS for the young fell
low who started this walk-out, he was
only engaged little over a week ago,
and he seemed then very glad to get
the place"
: General Manager S. NJ. Allison was
seen last night, but, with that peculiar
eccentricity of attention characteristic
.of some corporation officers, he had
apparently made no inquiries as to
the cause of the strike, nor did he seem
to be even acquainted with the fact of
there having been a strike. Assurance
was given, however, that Secretary L.
NJ Allison had been out to the works
and could tell ali about it.
Young Mr.. Allison said he had been
there, and he knew that the whole af-
fair was very trivial. "All the girls in
the. balling department, said he,
''about fifteen in number and perhaps
fifteen more of the thirty in the spin
ming room, did go out this morning,
owing to some little disagreement about
wages 1t was nothing serious, how
ever. l believe that no men were in
volvad at all, and the places of the
striking girls will soon be filled with
out trouble. The matter amounts to
nothing at all-absolutely nothing