The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-01
Reported Interviews as to Inquiries
for Work Denied by Most
of Those Quoted.
BOARD OF TRADE MAY ACT
WHAT THOSE WHOSE BUSINESS WAS
GROSSLY MIsREPREsENTED SAY.
Knight &c JiIIson Case the Most GIar-
ing One-FactOries All Enjoy
ing Prosperity.

Under scare heads the Sentinel Yesterday
printed calamity howl that discounted any,
thing done by that paper during the worst
days Of the business depression Of 1S94-1S96.
What purported to be interviews with near
ly a hundred firms. where alleged reporters
Of the paper had sought work without find
ing it last week, were published. Inquiry
made by reporters of the Journal yesterday
indicated that there is no reason for the
alarm over labor conditions expressed by
the paper. It was found that most of the
interviewing had been done over the tele-
phone from the Sentinel office. There were
one or two cases where suspicious" look
ing applicants had called last week and
were informed that, their services were not
required by employers, who judged from
their appearance that they never had and
never would do any sort of manual labor
Every one of the firms interviewed" by
the Sentinel that could be reached yester-
day, pronounced the calamity howl as the
worst sort of rot. There was general indg-
nation among business men at what they
called an attempt to hurt the city by gross
Misrepresentation and falsehood. 1t is not
at ali improbable that the Board of Trade
will take the matter up for consideration at
its meeting next Monday night.
Jacob w. Smith, secretary of the Board
of Trade. said that it was an outrage 10 send
such stuff broadcast over the country, and
that it was not improbable that the Board of
Trade would take up the article as one tend
ing to discredit the business standing of
the city. E. B. Martindale, president of the
Board of Trade, said last night that he had
not read the article in question. It's general
tone was explained to him.
''Sheer rot" said he, "a dying gasp. do
not know what action the Board of Trade
will take. suppose that in the next column
the Sentinel printed the commercial reports,
showing that business all over the country
is better than it has been before for years.
Such stuff as that deceives nobody. When
I have read the article, if it appears to be
worthy of notice, will call attention to it
at our next meeting, Monday night of next
week"
LIBEL ON KNIGHT & JILLSON
Two telephones were kept busy yesterday
asking for information of the firms inter
viewed by the Sentinel, beside which Jour
nal reporters called in person on many of
the firms. There was hardly an instance
but that the reports were branded as pure
fabrications. There was the case of Knight
& Jillson, quoted as saying that they only
kept three men at work, while as an in
terview printed with them below shows
they have over fifty employed. There were
number Of interviews with box factories
and canning establishments. In both these
branches of business, it was learned, this is
the dull season of the year. Most of the
canneries have shut down for the season
after putting up an unusually large guam
tity of tomatoes, fruits, vegetables, etc. 1t
was learned that the box factories are
h11c 81
of the demand is for cases in which to pack
the canned goods. Moore & Co., pork pack
ers said it was true that they had not been
doing anything for several weeks. The firm
closed down temporarily. During it's idle
ness many improvements were made. This
morning it will start up again. with $50 men.
Another of the packing firms said that If
the reporter had come around three weeks
ago instead of after the season had closed
he would have had plenty of opportunity to
get work, if he really wanted it. And so it
went all the way through. 1t was not pos
sible to reach all the firms named by the
Sentinel with two telephones. Several tele-
phone numbers were called a number of
times, but the answer they're busy now
was refuting of the charge that times are
dull and business dead.
'"rhe Sentinel garbled our interview"
said one firm, by putting in the word no.
They made us say business is no good
Leaving out the mo- you have the real con-
dition-'business is good
1t would be rather a peculiar thing If a
man We're to employ people over the tele-
phone. Most business men prefer to see the
men who are applying for work. The gen.
eral inquiry over the telephone, do you
want to hire any menu" might naturally be
expected to receive a curt mo- for answer.
ALL DENY THE INTERVIEWS.
81
in the brief period of two hours yesterday
afternoon:
Fred Brandt Box Factory-October. No
yember and December are our dull months
There are less men employed in our cooper
shop than two years ago, but more in the
year. The packing season is over and the
demand has fallen off as a consequence
We were not interviewed by the Sentinel
1nere was young man came here last
week. His action was rather peculiar. We
suspected that he was not altogether
indianapolis Coffin Company-Nobody has
been laid off here for a year. Our trade is
on the increase We employ about the same
number of men all the time.
LangenSkamp Brothers-There is nothing
In the alleged interview. Our business is on
the increase and better as compared with
j. K. Lilly. of Eli Lilly & Conc one
from that paper saw me nor asked for
work There have been a few women laid
a.
change in the method of work. but we have
a larger force of men than formerly. This
has been the biggest year we have ever had
indianapolis Manufacturing Comparative
do not remember receiving any inquiries for
work last week except from three or four
men that we employed. We employ 125 men
now as compared with ninety two years
ago, an Increase of thirty-five. We are busy
now-are behind in our orders.
Blanton Milling Comparative are run
ming with full force In this business
there Is not much change in the labor en-
ployed. We have experienced men who
have been with us for year. Our force
does not change.
A. Minter (cooper)-We are working a full
force. If we had the necessary stock we
could employ our men longer hours. The
conditions are decidedly better.
Dugdaie Canning Comparative have
shut down for our annual cleaning. The
season has just ended. We do not know of
any one from the Sentinel having applied
for work last week. If he had come three
weeks ago he would have found plenty 10
do This has been the best year in the his
tory OF the firm. We put UP 5000, COO more
cans than ever before. This season we had
more people at work than in the last three
or four years.
]. b. Allfree Comparative are not very
busy at present For personal reasons we
are not doing much; not because there is
no business, but because we prefer not to
do much at present. Our work is slack
purposely.
Indianapolis Excelsior Factory-We were
not needing help when application was
made To us last week, IL the Sentinel re-
porter asked for work. We never use very
many men. We have third more men at
work than in 1896, and have many more men
than for the last three or four years
Our business is better than at any time in