The Monte Vista journal., 1898-08-27
NEAR STARVATION.
MEN WHO SHOULD STRIKE.
DssSss.ss csaaasssa Il Weski.sHs.'s
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lasvs Les FAaa u psr day to Live On.

The voodworkers Of Oshkosh, Wis.
consin, are on a strike for higher
wages.
when the Oshkosh strike was be-
run It made 1000 persons idle. OF
these dfty were girls. $50 boys and
the rest were men ranging in age
from 10 to 70 years. During the last
few weeks several hundred of the
strikers have left the city to seek
work, while about 200 of them have
returned to work In the Robert Nc
Millen & Co. mill. Originally there
were seven milling companies In the
strike.
Recently McMillen & Co. met their
men. made satisfactory terms with
them and now their mills are in full
operation. The strikers claim the re-
suit at McMillen's is victory for the
union, and contend that II McMillen
q Co. can pay an advance in wages
tne other manufacturers ought to be
able to do the same.
Whatever may be the condition Of
the woodworking Industry from the
standpoint Of the manufacturers, all
who sympathize with the strikers feel
that the operatives are receiving
wages below the living limit. At u
meeting held Saturday afternoon In
the labor hall Of Oshkosh-a meeting
OF the striking woodworkers-th fol-
rowing statements were made by men
taken from the assembly:
- =, aged 5S. German, works
IN planning mill Gets SO cents a day.
Has wife and three children, all Of
whom are nt home. Owns a house on
which there Is $500 mortgage. Pays
per year x:'O interest. SO insurance
1884 taxes. Doesn't have any meat.
Has conee with no sugar or milk.
Two OF the children attend school.
The mother makes the clothing for
herself and children. The family has
no source of income except the faith.
ei's wages"
- -. aged 60. German, works
In planning mill. Gets so cents a day.
Has n wife and two children. Owns
his home. Pays $40 insurance and s.
taxes per nnnum. Lives on the poor
est Hour and the cheapest meats"
= -. nged so. works in mill
yard for 81 day: has wife and four
children: boy, 20, makes so cents n
day; boy, IL. 70 cents. Owns a home
on which there IL n $500 mortgage,
His Interest. taxes and insurance are
running him more and more In debt.
One child IL attending school. Fam
lily has meat occasionally"
= =. aged 81 years. American,
glazier tskilled work.. gets $1.25 n
day. used to get $3.50. Has n wife
and three children. Children going to
school. Wife makes all the clothing
for the family. Pays SO rent"
- =, aged n. German, fireman,
gets 90 cents dny for ten hours
work. Has wife and three children.
all small. Owns home and has gar.
den. Pays 50 taxes and 81 insurance
per year. Hns no meat. buys a 5-cent
soup bone occasionally. The wife
washes three days In the week"
The men who gave their testimonies
as shown above were called out hap
hazard from q large gathering Of
strikers. They declare the examples
presented do not reveal the worst con-
dltiOns that prevail In Oshkosh. The
men get comparatively steady work.
but yet there are occasional break
downs In the mills and stoppages
from other causes that aggregate n
period Of idlencss said to be a month
or more a year on the average. The
strikers also assert that whenever the
machinery stops for any reason for
five minutes all are iOcked fifteen
minutes. They say further that II
anybody Ia a minute late getting to his
work he ID dOckcti fifteen minutes.