The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-10
PROVIDING OR LABOR
Kansas Starts Employment
Bureau for Harvest Hands.
WILL NEED THOUSANDS
D. w. Blaine of Pratt Sends
Circulars to Farmers.

Prohting by experience IN former years
when the wheat yield was large the farm
ers in the wheat belt have made ar
rangements TO amply SUPPLY the demand
for harvest hands. by the establishment
OF employment agencies in Kansas City,
the state labor blreau md the railroads
having joined in the movement.
D. W. Blaine. an implement dealer in
Pratt county and largely Interested in
farming, is interested in the movement
and attended the meeting which estab-
ushed the agency. Acting for II he has
sent out the following circulars to farm
ers in his county:
Harvest hands for Pratt county. All
those who desire extra help through
harvest will please give me their names
and number Of men wanted, also the
price they are willing to pay for such
telg.
The railroads have granted a one cent
mile fare and arrangements have been
made at Kansas City 10 send help to dir
te-ent parts Of the wheat belt Of Kan
Sas on applicatian-D W Blaine"
The Kansas City office VIII be IN charge
Of E. P Scott, assistant state labor COM
missioner for Kansas. and George H
Foots. secretary Of the Passenger asso-
ciaton, and they viii work IN harmony
to give relief 70 the farmers as well as
idle laborers.
The raiir0adsd have adopted plan to
have their local agents along their lines
IN the wheat belt ascertain from the
farmers just how many men they need.
what wages they viii pay and when they
want the men. The agents will report
direct 10 Secretary Foote each day From
the labor organiza tons in each city in
Kansas a report VIII be furnished As 10
the number Of men there who are seeking
work. Then Secretary Foote and AS
sist&nt Labor Commissioner Scott VII
distribute the men over the state In this
way there viii not be a congestion Of
harvest hands IN one place and a dearth
IN another
It has been the practice Of employment
agencies to get commissions from the
men and then ship them all out to one
town Not all the laborers would be
able 70 find work and they, as well as
the people Of the town would be put 20
much inconvenience. Harvest hands will
not be charged by the Kansas City state
bureau Arrangements have also been
made at Leavenworth. Atchison and ST.
Joseph 70 furnish a list Of men each dav
10 the Kansas iCty office OF the Kansas (
bureal 50 that they can be directed 10
places for employment In supplying
harvest hands it viii be the plan of the
Kansas bureau 10 give idle Iaborers in
Kansas the first chance. After that out
siders wiz be given places. /
More than 80 men applied yesterday 70
the superintendent Of the state labor bu-
reau in Kansas City for work in the
Kansas harvest fields. More than half of
these refused to register at this time
when told they would be expected 10 .
hold themselves in READINGS sto 90 to
work whenever wanted. and the number /
registered was but little over go
Mr.. Howard. the superintendent Of the .
bureau. says the demand for men for the .
harvest fields VIII be 4 godseud TO many
laborers who have been employed on
works that has been finished or I'm the
packing houses and other institutions
that are now having their dull season.
He received telegram yesterday from q
Missouri town offering the services OF six (
men for Kansas and expects 10 have n
large mail this morning.
The members of the board OF trade and /
the Implement. Vehicle and Hardware /
club are sending TO grain and implement /
dealers in Kansas the printed circulars
calling attention 10 the fact thac they had
decided 10 cooperate fifth the state labor
bureau in the effort. to secure harvest .
hands.
large number Of harvest hands hear
Ing of the prospects for an immense yield.
are now in Wichita holding themselves
in readiness. IN Oklahoma there are at
least 800 on the ground
tt is noticeable that the harvest hands
are coming west and the tramps going
east.
Harper Kan, June s-Th1 wheat
harvest began Yesterday A small field
in the suburbs was cut and put in shock.
but harvest proper viii not begin for
about ten days. The crop IN these parts
is as near perfection as could be de-
sired
Harper City viii celebrate the Fourth.
Great Preparations are being made and
a big time IS expected.
Harper's Joints were all closed about
one week ago and from all Appearances
joints in Harper are thing Of the past.
There are TWO things Harper Is much IN
need Of One IS an elevator 70 handle
part Of our big crops soon to De harvest
ed. and the other a system Of celenr-Tnes.
There is one wire En- this place from
Anthony; also one there from somewhere.
but the expense on this wire IS greater
than messages over the wsse1~a Unfen.
Send US some one TO build Us q telephone
system.