Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-24
Girl STRIKERS
IN RICHMOND.
|, 100 of Them Refuse to Go Back
to Work.
LABOR UNIONS TO AID
Ministers Try to Bring About q Bot.
tlcment of tho DiGereucess but
Have So Far Eniied-Giris Com.
plain of Bcing Dockcd For Talks
Ing. Mnde to- Garry Heavy Blocks
aud sinnd Insults from Negroes.
Especial to virginian-Pnot.)

Especial to Nirginian- PilotO
Richmond. Va, June 23.-The all-ab-
sorbing topic in Richmond to-day Is
The strike OF the cheroot girls at Whit
locks factory. About 100 girls are out
1t is confidently stated by the girls
that they will have every worker idle
unless their demands are complied
with. The labor unions of the city will
support the strikers. Mr.. Whitlock
states that he cannot comply with the
demand for increased wages. The girls
say they will not work until he does. So
there you are.
The girls have secured Rev. NJ. Ash
by Jones. pastor of Leigh Street Bap-
list Church: Rev. J. l.. Cook of tIoge
Memorial Church, and Rev Il. Is. Col
lier. to represent them. The preachers
have not yet effected peace, though
they had II long conference with Mr..
Whitlocll to-day.
The Whitlock factory is located at the
corner of Twenty-Sixth and Cary
streets. and this morning TwentySixth
street and vicinity presented an AMI
mated scene. The vicinity was thronged
with girls, very small portion of
whom. however, came 10 go to work.
Some of them wished to so. but tina
rest were there. as they themselves
avowed. for the purpose OF persuadlng
| were In many cases emectual. Mr.. PhT-Sfs
! Whitlock and his foreman. Mr., He
| Gordon, both attempted to make snt 81
addresses, but the girls were in 10 htSSs
NOR to hear them, and what th3y- saiCs\
accomplished little. Mr.. Gordon then
took his stand ut the gate and allowed
all to so through whom he knew wished
to work.
STOP WORK.
In one department. large number
went to work with the unders - ding
that certain objectionable rules would
be changed. but later stopped and join
ed the strikers. having understood that
they would not be altered. In the upper
room, known rs y room, however. near
ly the entire force went to work, but in
the others. the deft-fngered girls were
few and far between.
The striking girls stood In groups on
Twcnty-sixth street for hours this
morning and gently cheercd as there
We're accessions to their ranks. There
was no disorder, however. and no dem
Cnstration disagrecable to the man
ayers Of the factory was made.
The three clcrgymen drew up for the
girls and presented to Mr. Whitlock tho
following statement OF grievances:
The rules are Of such a character
that work as we will. a the present
rate OF pay. it is impossible for us to
! i4-++3'+e living Wastes
''ro dock a girl ten cents for talking
Is surely a great grievance.
ITO lose our work simply because we
/ forget to bring our ticket or tag with
us when we carry 1t in, is unjust and
unfair.
"To make us carry our blocks across
the ROOM when. Mt times, many of us
are physically unable to do so. Is very
h1t to1-
from negro men. is too much for us to
stand any longer
''In view OF these facts and in view
Of the small wages we have been re-
ceiving. even though there has been no
fall In the price OF cheroots until the
last month or so. we are not willing to
so back-te-&ork unless these rules are
modified and we are paid seven cents
for breaking punches and twelve cents
for rolling.
The packers. composed of both sexes
held meeting just across TWENTY
sixth street from the factory while this
paper was being drawn up. and decided
to 80 out, making the following state-
ment OF their grievances:
"'fhe packers have this complaint to
make. BY the change that has been
made in the sale of the cheroots from
for 10 cents to for cents. thew
have two-flfths more work to do than
formerly. and they therefore request
that they be given twenty cents In
stead Of fifteen cents per thousand for
! packing them"
Mr.. Jones acted as spokesman. The
grievances enuInera ted were then taJse,
up one by one The first reearfline
filming the girls 10 cents each for talking
was first considered, and Mr. Whitlock
stated that II was made only to pre-
vent screaming or other boisteroua