The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-28
WANTED MORE TIME FOR REST
TWO HUNDRED NEGROES QUIT
WORK ON HUTCHINSoN's ISLAND.

| uhen the Terminal Company De-
cided That WheeIbarrOws BE
Loaded by the Men, They Struck
and Returned to City Side of
River-LnbOrers in Abundance
VIII soon he Available From
Drainage, Electric Light and Tel
cphone wOrk-DIrectOr Huger
Tells Some Things the Georgia
and Alabama Terminal Company
intends to Do on the Island.
The operations of The Georgia and Ala
hama Terminal Company on Hutchinsons
Island were partially stopped yesterday by
8 strike among the negro laborers. The
boats carried about 25O negroes to the is
land at the usual hour, but little later
thew began TO swarm at the exchange
dock. shortly after which it was reported
there had been strike owing TO reduc-
ton in pay from dollar to rs cents a day
While this was not the cause of the trou-
bic the negroes had for other reasons be-
come dissatisfied and struck.
No effort was made on the part of those
directing the work to prevent the negroes
coming to the city side, as they were anx-
j ious 10 get them out Of the way of the
other laborers who preferred to remain.
4 After the crowd on the city side had SWELL
Il ed to large proportions, there was consid-
4 cradle loud talk by the more aggressive
4 negroes. who doubtless thought they would
i be able to bring their employers to terms.
4 There being no organization among them
4 efforts were made TO obtain concessions,
Il though the stand the company takes would
4 probably make it useless for them to come
4 with any other proposition than that of
q resuming work
Il Mr. T. p. Huger, who is directing the
s. island work. was seen shortly after the
d strike and asked as to the cause of it.
81 He said il was not due to a reduction in
VI pay, as the company had been paying IS
N cents a day, and had no intention of maxi
y ing any reduction. 1t seems the trouble
81 arose because of change in the system
Of hauling earth TO a bank. which the
company is building to prevent overfows
on the island. Heretofore there was one
gang that did the picking, another that
loaded wheelbarrows and third that roll
ed the barrows. Mr.. Huger decided that
& the gang to load wheelbarrows should be
dispensed with, and that each man should
load his own buggy" 1t is said an I'M
81 Outstanding between the wheelers and the
shoyelers gave each a considerable time
TO rest, the wheeler standing for several
q minutes, while the other negro did the
loading. 1t was found better plan could
be worked as the laborers were frequent
e ly getting into disputes as to the amount
that should go on the wheelbarrows. and
otherwise conducting themselves to inter-
n fere with the service
"A When every man was told to load his
"a own Wheelbarrow it is stated there was a
3 loud protest Parting with those little
intermissions was something they did not
u propose to do without being heard. and
IN when 1t was found threats of a strike
NaValled nothing, the men took to the boats
ior the city side. The indifference shown
# by Mr.. Huger and his assistants was
DOUBTLESS more than the strikers expected
as they were given little assurance of get
ting anything in return for their efforts
4 10 block The island work.
mere are still a number of men AT
WORK, said Mr.. Huger, land we expect
10 ada TO the force right along. Within A
lew days hundreds of laborers will he
turned loose by the house drainage con-
tractors the electric light and the tele-
phone companies, so that 1t will probably
not be difficult TO get labor to continue the
Nj work without interruption. The present
strike will not set back our plans to any
appreciable extent.
IN Few days the terminal company in
B tenas to begin the erection of buildings on
.he Island TO be used as dormitories for
Iaoorers. This Will not only assure better
service but 1t will save the time and trou-
DIE now required in setting so many men
over the river twice a day."
Inc bank on which the laborers, who
Iuck, We're at work, is short distance
from the bulkhead now being built at the
eastern extremity of the company's prom
|4erty. 1t is stated the bank is from three
10 -FOUR feet higher than the storm floods
nave ever been known to reach. Ample
|N protection will, therefore, be provided
against the overhows which have always
peeh the means of rendering the island
saIueiess for practical purposes. Within