The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-01

copyrighted by Associated Press.)
Paris, April 2S.-A famine of clean
linen is more disturbing 10 Parisians
than the incomplete condition Of the
exposition grounds. Eight thousand
Paris washerwomen have struck for
higher wages and shorter hours, and
serious inconvenience has already
been caused The hotel managers and
keepers of restaurants bitterly COM
plain half their linen is not returned
from the wash and private families
are also feeling the pinch. The strike
commenced at Bologne-sur-Seine and
spread to several other environs where
laundries are situated. The laundry
work people around Paris number be-
tween 10000 and 10000 and if the strik-
ers succeed in securing their adhesion
the mass of PariSians Will nave 10 20
unwashed.
The fact that the influx of visitors
to the exposition has begun necesslta-
ting heavy demands on t-e laundries,
gave the waSherwomen an opportuni-
ty ito put the screws on their employ
ers. The masters offered a partial IN
crease of wages, but the strikers thus
far have refused to compromise. No
serious disorder has yet occurred, but
the police are taking precautions, and
detachmentS of gendarneS nave peen
| drafted to the districts where trouble
| is possible. There is some talk of the
| strikers marching into Paris TO urge
| the city laundry people to cease WORK
| a sort of CoXey's march of washer
| women on Paris.
| This ebullition of labor difficulties
calls attention to the serious possibil-
| ity of much graver disturbances, aris-
! ing from the thrownfng on the labor
| market Of the thousands OF workmen
| by the completion of the exhibition
| and of the central portion of the new
| Metropolitan railway. These great
| undertakings attracted to Paris great
| numbers of provincial carpenters. ma
| sons painters and unskilled laborers;
and the problem the government has
| now to face is the disposal of these
| through the country in order to avoid
a great labor crisis in Paris, the con-
| sequences Of which T. would be diff
| cult to foresee. The first measure OF
the government has been to post at
all centers of work placards enumer-
| ating undertakings in the provinces
, directed by the ministery Of public
| works.
| The work on the exposition since the
opening has done much to bring order
out of the chaos which obtained when
| President LOubet declared the eXpOSi-
! ton open. Perceptible progress is
| being made daily, and sightseers can
find sufficient to repay them for the
trouble of a visit.
The galleries are filling up with the
! exhibits which are being rapidly in
stalled. The foreign sections, in this
respect, are further advanced than
Frances own building, and the Ameri-
can exhibits are keeping we'll abreast
Of those of other countries. Most Of
the foreign national pavilions are now
on the eve of inauguration, and several
have already been open, Bosnia and
Hungary being the latest to unclose
their doors. Both of these offer charm
ing interiors and are Enthusiastically
and artistically representative of their
respective countries.
Two small fires within the exhibi-
| ton ground have caused an Outcry
from the French and have brought
home to the administration the danger
of a confiagration. In view of the
meagre facilities for fighting fire, meas
| ures are now being taken to remedy
the situation.
The oldest cafe in Paris, the Cafe
| Procope, which was founded in 1859 by
| a Scilian, closed it's doors this week
Among it's clients were Voltair and
Rousseau and Harat Dandan and Her
bert who used it as revolutionary
club. Napoleon was a frequent client,
and there Gambetti, F'loquet and Ferry
often spoke against the regime. The
cafe had fallen upon evil days and was
ance vanishes a famous literary and
political landmark that attracted pill
grims from all countries.