Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-05-11
THE GIRLS MAY WIN.
THE STRIKING SERVANTS AT SUPe-
 RIoR, WIS, STAND FIRM.
Over Fifteen Hundred Concerned In the Novel Movement For Higher Wages. American Maids the Leaders Many Housewives Ready to Give In.

The strike of the servant girls of Su- perior, Wis, which began the other day is proving to be more serious affair than the housewives of the city im- agined it would be. They had supposed that before many hours had passed away it would be an easy matter to get all the girls they wanted, and that they would be ove1Tun with applications for places, but in this they have been mis- taken, for not girl is to be had. A few girls who have been in their pres ent places for long time have remained loyal to their employers, but outside of these not a serving girl in the city is at work, and not one can be had anywhere.
 The strikers number possibly 1, 300 and are for the most part Scandina- vians. There are also many Bohemians among them. The leaders, however, are American girls, who acted as organizers for the Serving Girls union.
 Notwithstanding the fact that times are hard and money scarce, the demand for an increase i'll wages from $12 to $15 month was made with all the confidence ill the world. and at the present time it looks very much as though the girls would win the strike. In organizing the union the leaders held no public meetings, but made house to house canvass, with the result that nearly every serving maid ill the city had become member of the organiZa- tion before their employers realized what was going on.
 The demand for an increase ill wages was made by all of the girls at the same time and ill every case where it was re- fused the lady of the house was left to do her housework the best she might. When it was found that some of the ladies of the city had granted the de- mand, the leaders of the union decided that all must grant it, and so the girls who remained at work were called out. Nearly all obeyed the call and left things at sixes and seyens-dishes unwashed, floors unswept and the dinner uncooked.
 A large proportion of the girls who are on strike have their homes in Supe- rior, and those from outside are being cared for by them. Several meetings have been held by the strikers at large Scandinavian hotel ill the steel plant division of the city, where addresses have been made by labor agitators Su- perior is strong union town, and the labor clement is with the girls, who are more than hopeful of winning the bat tle Several ladies have brought girls in from points outside the city, but in most cases the new arrivals have been met at the depot by delegations of strik- CTS and carried off in triumph.
 None of the girls who went out on strike has weakened particle, so far as working in Superior is concerned, but 8 number have gone across the bay to Du- luth, where they have taken positions at wages said to be trifle above what they received in Superior. Many of the em- ployers are already willing to give in to the demands.
 Several ladies who have suffered great inconvenience by reason of the strike got together and talked of having the leaders of the girls arrested on charge of conspiracy. Nothing has been done in this direction, however, and as a meeting of the girls and their former employers was held the other afternoon l to talk oyer the strike it is not improb- able that settlement will soon be reach l ed.
 This is the first strike of the kind eyer held i'll the northwest. IN ew York Jour nal.