The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-22
APPEAL TO BOARD.
Commissary Charge
Deemed to Be
Excessive.
THEY WILL HAVE AID.
Clinton Business Men En-
courage Investigation
at Once.

Clinton April 21-The war against
the commissaries run by the contract
ors on the Wachusett reservoir, as a
means of extracting money from their
laborers, is begun in earnest.
Today $50 Italians attached their
names to a petition addressed to the
metropolitan water board, which reads
as follows:
Your petitioners, citizens of the
town of Clinton, respectfully represent
that, owing to the present system in
force among the contractors who have
contracts upon the metropolitan water
works, of obtaining laborers, which is
both cruel and inhuman, hereby by
these presents solemly protest against
said treatment and ask your honorable
board to in some-way put stop to the
same for the following reasons
An italian coming into the town of
Clinton and obtaining work from any
of the contractors. must first go to one
of the shanty bosses, so called, and en-
ploy him to get him work They must
also buy their provisions and supplies
of him, paying him at least twice as
much for an article as it can be bought
for in town. If they do not buy their
supplies of said shanty boss they are
charged for them just the same, and
the price is deducted from their wages.
If the shanty boss finds that the
laborers are buying goods of the deal
ers in the town of Clinton, he immedi-
ately proceeds to have them discharged,
In this not only working great injus-
tiee to the laborefs themselves, but to
the business men of the town of Gin
ton. 1t would seem that the contract
ors under whom the shanty bosses
work, were as much at fault as the
shanty bosses; but as to that, we trust
your honorable board will see that ius-
tice is fully carried out"
This petition is still in circulation.
Antonio Richardi one of the men who
is interested in it, says that it will be
signed by 300 Italians before the end of
the week. Richard says that the
grievances are real and substantial
ana can be easily proved in detail, with
names. dates and specific instances.
Rlchardi states that the men pay as
much as II cents a pound for sugar, al
though 10 cents pound is the price
they are more frequently compelled to
~. AAC 0clllAG hlllQ Ol sugar can De
bought of grocerymen in town for six
cents a pound. Bacon, ham, salt and
all sorts of supplies are held at equal
ly high figures by the shanty bosses, he
says.
The question was precipitated by
four members of the Italian gang en-
ployed on work on the dixie. who al
lege that when they got their pay a few
days ago they found that the prize of
shanty rent had been deducted, where
as they had never occupied a shanty
but had lived on property not owned or
controlled by shanty boss. They ac-
cordingly consulted Attorney Allan G.
Buttrick, who, it is understood, has
advised them to take legal steps to get
their money.
The matter came before a meeting of
the Clinton Business Mems Association
this evening. The meeting was called
to specifically consider the matter~>re-
lated in the petition.
The association gave the laborers its
full support and endorsement in their
fight for their rights.
A petition will be put into circula-
ton, and signed by the business men
of the town, in which they will also ask
the metropolitan commissioners to in
vestigate the commissary system fully,
with the object of administering
death blow to it,
The contractors commissary has
been bugaboo with Clinton merchants
since work on the reservoir was COM
menced. There is little doubt but that
it takes many dollars from the pockets
of the merchants as well as from the
pockets of the laborers.
1t is well understood that the Italian
laborer who buys his supplies without
consulting the shanty boss finds him
self soon afterward out of a job, al
though usually his discharge is for
some reason that appears good on the
face of it.
The merchants have been several
times on the brink of definite action
against this system, but have refrained
because they found it difficult to bring
proof of the operation of the scheme in
particular cases. This is the kind of
proof the metropolitan water board
must have before it can take action
against any contractor who is supposed
to offend.
1t looks as if the rebellion among the
laborers had given to the business men
exactly the material they need with
which to make a strong case.
A gentleman, whose name cannot he
given, because his situation in the
matter is delicate, says that many of
the laborers. are held in practical slav-
cry by a system that approximates to
the plan upon which it is conducted,
the company stores run in the inter-
est of the mining companies of Penn
sylvania.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton has not yet founu new quarters
for it's work. Architect J. S. Allen is
making plans for the interior Of the
new post Office, which will be located
there. They Will be complete in few
days. The new Office win be commo-
dious, and will be well lighted.
w. w. Wright, Benjamin O. Hagar
and Charles Mayberry are arranging
for the banquet of the Y. NJ. c. A De-
batting Society, in which former MEM
bers Of the society viii participate.
Covers will be laid for 25 persons. The
Oxford House and the Clinton House
win submit menus. There win be
speechmaking and interesting exer-
clses. The date has been fixed for
Tuesday evening, May s.
The Clinton Wall Trunk Company
was served with. an attachment for
$1,000 levied by Deputy Sheriff Charles
A. Bartlett in the interest of NJ. p.
Kittredge. Kittredge alleges that he
suffered injury by the negligence Of the
defendants while they were building
the new Congregational Church. His
attorney is Peter Ward Of Fltchburg.
The ladies interested in Co. ks ba-
gar viii meet Sunday afternoon at 80