The state herald., 1898-08-26
NEAR STARVATION.
MEN WHO SHOULD STRIKE.
Desperate Condition of worklngmen's
Families 1t Oshkosh Wisconsin--M Many
Have Lcss Than 81 per day to Live On.

The woodworkers of Oshkosh, Wis
consin, are on strike for higher
wages.
When the Oshkosh strike was be-
gun 1t made 1000 persons idle. OF
these fifty were girls, $50 boys and
the rest were men ranging in age
from 16 to 20 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 McMllen & Co. met their
men, made satisfactory terms with
them and now their mills are in full
operation. The strikers claim the re-
suit at McAIillcn's is victory for the
union, and contend that If McMillen
Il Co. can pay an advance In wages
the 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, ali
who sympathize with the strikers feel
that the operatives are receiving
""Stc b'ipN tut llNlllS Az u
meeting held Saturday afternoon In
the labor hall of Oshkosh-n meeting
OF the striking woOdworkers-th fol-
lowing statements We're made by men
taken from the assembly:
= -, aged 5S, German, works
in planning mill. Gets so cents n day.
Has wife and three children. all of
whom are mt home. Owns house on
which there is $500 mortgage. Pays
per year $50 interest. $40 insurance,
SS.84 taxes. Doesn't have any meat
Has coffee 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 GO, German. works
In planning mill. Gets so cents n day
Has wife and two children. Owns
his home. Pays $40 Insurance and 81
taxes per annum. Lives on the poor
est flour and the cheapest meats"
- -, aged 30. works in mill
yard for 81 n day: has wife and four
children; boy, 30. makes so cents n
day: boy, II. ~ cents. Owns a home
on which there is a $500 mortgage.
His interest, taxes and insurance are
running him more and more In debt.
One child Is attending school. Fam
lily has meat occasionally"
= -. aged 81 years, American.
glazicr tskillcd work.. gets S1.25 n
day, used 10 get $3.50 Has wife
and three children. Children going TO
school. Wife makes all the clothing
for the family. Pays 81 rent"
= -, aged ~, German. fireman.
gets co cents day for ten hours
work. Has n wife and three children,
all small. owns home and has n gar
den. Pays 50 taxes and 81 insurance
per year. Has no meat, buys n 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 n large gathering Of
strikers. They declare the examples
presented do not reveal the worst con-
ditlons 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 idleness said TO be n month
or more n year ON the average. The
strikers also assert that whenever the
machinery stops for any reason for
five minutes all are dockcd fifteen
minutes. They say further that II
anybody Is n minute late getting to his
work he Is dockcd fifteen minutes.