The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-16
BOYS ON A STRIKE
A DOZEN TUB FACTORY EMPLOY
ES Go OUT.
The Trouble Due to Boys Who Left
Work Friday Afternoon to At
tend the Bicycle Races -Factory
Closed Down Until Mondays trik-
ers' Places will be FilIed-The
Adult Employees do Not SympatElize
With the Strike.

y
With the Strike.
The Creamery Package Manufacture
ing Co.'s factory in this city closed
down Saturday until Monday
morning, on account of a small sized
strike on the part of dozen boys who,
are employed there. AS their ma
chimes were stilled, the Others could
not operate, and it was necessary to
shut down the factory until the places
could be filled, which it is expected
will be the case by Monday morning.
The strike was not due to any ques-
tion Of wages, as the boys were salts
fed with what they have been receiv-
ing. They have been paid by the
piece and have made probably about
Is cents a day each, which is fair
wages for the work for boys of four
teen to eighteen years.
The trouble had it's origin Fri
day forenoon, when three of the boys
applied to the foreman, John Robb,
for permission to leave to attend the
bicycles. AS they were the only ones,
who applied, and as by their leaving
the circuit of work would be broken,
the pieces passing from hand to hand
in the various processes of manufacs-
ture, their request was denied. When,
the factory whistle blew after dinner,
twelve or thirteen of the boys were
not on hand, including the three who
applied for half holiday. This
caused serious interruption to the
work, particularly as the boys did not
return during the afternoon.
their work, but Mr.. Robb discharged.
three of the boys with whom the fac
tory had no contract for work, and
who were considered the ringleaders
in the affair of yesterday afternoon.
They were Immediately iordered out
Of the building and off the grounds,
before they could communicate with
the other boys. They got npon the
Omaha railroad track, however and
shouted to the other boys that they
had been discharged and for them to
go out, and those who were at work
heard them through the open win
dows. Mr.. Robb telephoned down to
the city hall for police to keep the
boys away from interfering with those
at work or trying to induce them to
go out. Officer Grant started for the
factory, but just at the moment that
he arrived the other nine or ten boys
went out. All went Immediately to.
their homes.
Manager Higgs is in Massachusetts
for the benefit Of his health, and does
not expect to return for three or four
weeks.
1.-THE boys whom the company en-
ploys," said the bookkeeper, Walter
McBroom, to FREE PRESS reporter
Saturday, "have about all gone
out on a strike, if strike it may be
called. The company had sixty-fve
people on its last pay roll, and the
balance are grown men, many of them
with families. The men are not in
sympathy with the strike, and are in
dignant with the boys, for the action
of the latter throws all the men out
of employment, which the entails the
consequent loss of wages. The boys
were very foolish, for if it was known
that any large number of the employees
had wanted to attend the races they
could have had half holiday. We
will have no trouble in ii the
places Of those who have re out
The factory is having all il Co. 40 to
keep up with the Orulrs nj in fact
| his boul behind ia ii T. out rderS.
This made everybod. llize tn. This
was poor time to take a vacation,
and this probably at the root of the
matter. There has been no complaint
as to wages. This matter is of not
enough Importance to hasten Mr.
Higg's return. The boys who went
out are from fourteen to seventeen
and eighteen years old"