Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-31
SLASH IN WAGE SCALE
General Change affecting EN-.
ployes At Rock island
Arsenal.
MANY DECREASED AND 1xcREAsEp

OaVs. n 80 ssys Il Z. . Reel sstas.s b
q esrasses Win the K'g"s n sae
hAv so sss Rsgsl stisas % Q. raessrs e.
The Hsssss VII Ne Appellee to veal /.
hOsos.
The employ es at RICK Island arse
nal received formal notification ir-m
Capt. s. &. Blunt. shs commanding
officer, yesterday, that commencing
With the first OF the year. . new
wsge scsl- would be adopted. The
men found on examinatio OF their
individual acrouats that the new
order OF things would affect tteir in
come seriously. and while some noted
. prospective increase. there were
more who felt that thei- resources
we're considerably diminished, aud
the consequences "a, many express
sious OF dis.a,i.f.c.ion that cams to
The Argos from emp'oyes 1t the
arsenal last evening. Indeed,
she feelin. IL such that the labor
unions have been appesled to to exert
their Influence to have he old system
| reestsb'ished. and the macL inists Of
the three cities are to meet this
evening at Industrial hall in Rock
Island TO discuss the matter, and
other branches Of orgs' lied labor
are likely 10 take 1t up, the pros
pect being that the Tri-C,ty Labor
Congress will be called upon to &C.:
with view to bringing influences to
bear on Congres.meI Prince snd
Curtis. snd the senators OF Iiliuoi.
and iowa looking TO the restoration
Of wages In accordance with the plan
previously in vogue.
Side Of the Mn.
A special meeting Of the arsenal
employes will be held a. Turner hail
ut 8 o'clock tomorrow morning 70 act
on the ssme matter. An island en-.
ployc. speaking Of the reduction this
afternoon said: 1T amounts TO from
I TO So cents and the rea.oas Capt
Blunt assigns, as we understand ii.
for the fsduction are tha, the factories
in this locality are paying much les.
than the government and ASSERTS that
there l, lsv that the price paid per
day must DO on an ,qral basis 10.
government employees. But he does
not state that the standard Of work
requires She most skilled AID p:o-
ficiens mem bers Of the various crafts
lie ALEC Leglects 10 mention that the
price paid by private establish
ments inihis locality is higher by an
average Of IS cents Per day for
blsctsmiths, machiIis;s ard csrpsn
ters whil. there il p.si,ive infor-
nation at hand that there has beer
. lie established fcr about 60 year.
to arrange the wsgc scale ia this
way. the ordnance .cpsrtmen, has
also held there vas no surh law, Blu,
IS was said. an established rule.
The price list for piece work va.
posted At noon today. and the prices
are 90 arranged that cath man would
be obliged TO run tvo OF mora ma.
chimes to procure the came com pen.
sation that was psid before this sys-
tenn Was insugurated. II shs ord
nance department Is anxious to
adjust the wages OF the arsenal In
accordance with The scale OF some Of
she factories hereabout. why did i,
not raise our wages when We asked
for II some months ago in conform.
ity with prices paid certain grades
In Davenport"
Csps Blass spsass Of IN. Scale.
Capt. s. E. Blunt, command ant at
the arsenal, when asked this morn
ing - TO the reason for the change,
said: 1T is simply . read jussmsn,
Of wages ~ the arsenal in &C &C Rance
with tho law. There are 4s3 en-.
ployes in the shops. OF this mum.
Der the wages Of % have been in.
ceeased; the wages OF 1856
have not been changed, while
the wages Of 2US have been
decreased. The increases aud dc.
creases, vary from l ceas to 30 cents.
In addition to these changes, some oil
the men In certain lines have been
increased IN even quarter and othsrs
decreased a. equal amount. Tho new
scale was adopted in order to bring
the wage system in conformity vita
the eight hour Law; in other words.
that days wages may be made di.
visible BY eight. To accomplish thi.
10 change OF . cent or two. either
way, was in numerous instance,
all that WAS essential. An
other reason WAS to bring the arsen.
al regulations under the ls~ which
provides that the wages paid BY the
the government for isbor.sh.il be
similar to those paid BY factories en-.
IPloying similar grade. Of l.bos
In the immediate vicipity-the gov.
erument wage scale shall be NO less
no more.
as, me three NOR tbs ago my a.
tention vas called to the isst Iha,
90 wcre paying more at the ARSENAL
than the factories in the neigh Dor
hooc. anf that we we're not com ply
ing with the Law. the ron nd.
dressed Is letters 10 rs m.ny factory
owners In the three cities. A,king
wat they paid each Of she d,feren,
ciastes Of labor. mschiaist., csrpen'
ters ps,tera m.tsfs, ETC.. o. tbS
lease might Be. I received shssers
TO all these communications. sud
II q ar