New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-17
previous training are the "sweepers" 3hsy now
earn about 81 80 a dav. while there used TO De sys.
tenn by which they go; % cents an hour ana WORKED
fewer hours than the other men

about 81 30 a dav. while there used 70 pe sys
tenn by which they got % cents an hour ana "o'Ae"
fewer hours than the other men.
DECREASE FOR THE COoPERs.
The smash in wages has likewise extended 70
the coopers OF the trust In this department ltai-
ians have secured the places formerly occupied by
Germans and lrishmcn' The coopers get payment
by the barrel Formerly. when employment was
steady. they earned from $40 10 81 week. Now
with full time the Italians are said to earn ohiy
s. TO SO week while most OF the coopers are
said 10 get only abou; three or four days WORK
a week
The small wages paid by the trust dwindie stH
further when 1t il known that Labor IN sugar.
houses is OF the most trying and deadly Kinds
% work there is The dryirg-roorns on the top
floors OF the houses kept at temperature
of ~ degrees. and. to use an expression that IL
common in the ncighborhood. the men die hke
flies in the Many give up Jobs IN tho
drying and boiling rooms in the summer rather
than endure the torture Those who endure II
| for few years are wasted away and shattered
/ in health for life. The in the drying-rooms
! wear nothing while at work except shoes ana
/ those they keep their feet from burning
| on the heated floor.
| A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL NOW
Public criticism has made the Havemeyers
! little careful TO the treatment OF their
Formerly who complained OF illness
! would be told to work quit. Now he Is per-
!
cold-water pools in which the men can plunge
| when nature will no longer stand the strain. ana
| physicians kept hand to apply ice ana
various remedies 10 those who are prostra.,rc NY
| the heat and to inject morphine IN the ""'i"'S
VITO 20 n n1 Of he Eastern District OF Brook.
lvn receive many sugar refinery patients In inc sum.
mer months and heat victims are rep9r,ed qS"s
by the police Of the Four,eehtm s repor,ed
that the policy is to get him our OF the , rennetty
] nred
! The Tribune reporter was told OF one case n
which a man was hurried across kent-ave and
died on the opposite side OF the street on door.
| step An accommodating policeman gave me
no'u one ps sspe et afa that The man dropped
dead would ss1 d sad IN come ,ne few
| minutes sooner
A BLIGHT on THAT REGION.
| There is only opinion about the trust among
the Intelligent citizens OF the Eastern Dstrct-thes
Is that K has been blight on that once prosperous
| part OF the city. When thousands OF Germans ana
! Irishmen worked in the rehn"r,es at living wages
all lines of business thrived. beCaUse the American
standard OF living was maintained. The change OF
! labor has resulted in sending the Germans ana
| hem into other trades The Poles and Eungarians
who have swarmed in do not 50, nd even ther p oor
the coveted s. 90 or ,o1O that will make them com.
! Portable in their own country. Few OF them ers
naturalized citizens. 49, .
! Their diet is of the cheapest kind Black bread
sausag" an onion and ne Zen a, eass
! meat he eats Il alone. that ne may nave inc
strength to bear the strain. Meat shops ana gro
Gerry shops along IN" rver-front seem To nave pech
succeeded in measure by wretchcd Polish shops
in which meat OF good quality ana no 9ther ,ood -
! Of good quality is sold. The low grade OF living OF
these people IL illustrated by the experience or
little eating az tne ena o. ,ros sugar
houses kept up prices laborers from the rehner.es
midnight meal The owner made little fortune.
. sold out and retired. His successor ekes out NY
Ing from 'transients" who come across the Grand
| -, fsrry III thinks or such a tnlnE az n
sugar aborer dropping in for meal some or
! these laborers go to cheap sausage s"op IL"
! doors above n =
WRETCHED SLEEPING QUARTERS.
A. for sleeping places the slavs. Poles and Hun
! cariaus pack themselves like sardincs. Eight or
| ten men and three four women, not 10 speak OF
children share the rent and space OF floor OF TWO
or three rooms. Beds laid on the floor and In
The awful heat In which the laborers work. and
their insufficient nourishment cause ne men men 20
/ drink beer freely. Nearly quarter OF their wages
goes for beer. The trust. or r. ther Il man VINO IS
said pay heavily FOR the priylege delivers S,6 peer s
| the pound. pound being about pint. Ihey pay
four cents pound ana so fn ,i r ar r ISr T
! payday. They prefer hve-cent schooners OUTSIDE;
N T ana r rT py AT cost and as an accom-
notation is asserted by some OF the companys
The secretary OF the Sugar Trust Union. which
| conducted the strike of $50 was LOUIS schaefer'
! Speaking of the strike he said:
| an hour and they struck for Zig cents an hour
| This refused II. o. Havemtyer said he didn't
care for the Dutch or Irish. and he would bring IN
italians He brought them in by boats, and after
| ward replaced them by Hungar.ans and Poles
The union was broken. and In order to make mo
| victory OF the trust more effective and overwhem-
| ing "a temp rary increase OF wages was given 20
the men who went 70 work. and a weekly payday
was granted instead of Il monthly or fortnghty
| payday.
UNDER 4 CROWD OF BOSSES
When the trust organized 1t j. understood
| he. Uar,tes agreed OppOSp illegal
| combnat ions Of labor" IL in carrying out this
agreement that Poles and Hungarians were ethor
brought or invited to come. Some Of these men
say they were brought over and some say ihey
| came from the coal fields OF Pennsylvania. They
never take a step in the direction Of organiz!ns.
/ and they arr ,ractabe and accomplishing under
/ he driving Of multitude OF petty bosses. Union
! labor men Of Brooklyn do not even attempt 70 GEE
! them TO organize. looking upon any such "rort as
According to the Statement, Of William Everett.
! an American. VINO lives IN housetul OF Poles g.
non ,r. GIiiected by their pett5 bosses are almost
/ Incredible in free America ,,
speak about their wages outside or me rehneries
! II = foreman looks out OF me window ana sees
/ will call him in ard ask MIN what ne was talking
10 the stranger about There was an increase 81
wages about s-ycn months ago which lasted just
! four days one Of the men who lives i'm the same
house in which live was complaining TO some
foowed The ,r nc 1 rb oserhTrG Mn
discharged and has been a2 rs, 20 set no work
since II Was reported last thursday that thero
he, another cut
CAUSE OF THE LATEST STRIKE
The latest strike in the sugar houses that Of
the nremen in 1885. They mostly Scotchmen
and lrisrmeH. Tney wanted eight-hour instead
/ Of tcn-hour shifts. Two hundred OF them went
out. including helpers. Their places taken by
Danes from steamships and by lremen from Bati-
more where the refinery was shut down. The fire.
men demanded eight-hour day because % the
/ intens. which they mad to endure. This Is
even more trsghtfu than that or the drying room
The furnaces are arranged IL tiers. sbovs
the other. The heat which the men who feed The
upper tier have endure IL sonnet hing that n sala-
} nlander could hardly stand. According Master
Workman = j O'Reillsy. OF District Assembly No
221 one Of the TIavemeyers said 10 him in tho
I course. strike.