Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-04-21
THE ITALIAN STRIKERS
Are Making Trouble For the Cor
nell Dam Contractors.
THERE Is NO VIOLENCE REPORTED


Get Sufficient Number of Labor
ers, Despite the Presence of over
Thirteen Hundred MiIitiamen.
Croton Landing, N. Y, April -
Yesterday was a day of hustle at the
new camp in the Croton valley. The
military force was augmented by six
companies of the Seventh regiment,
and now the number of soldiers under
canvas is about. 1850.
This force is deemed sufficient to
protect any number of workmen that
the contractors may decide TO put to
work on the new Cornell dam. The
old Croton dam, four miles to the
north OF the new one, is guarded by
two companies of the Seventh regi-
ment, and the remaining two COM
panies are encamped at the quarries
near Peekskill, from which the stone
FOR constructing the huge wall is taken
and hauled by train down to the scene
of trouble.
At o'clock yesterday morning all
the non-strikers who were thrown out
of work when the striking laborefs
went out reported to the several time
keepers, in response to the request of
the contractors. Their idleness was
enforced by reason of the lack of la
borers to do the rough work. Among
them were engineers, firemen, stone
nBasons, drfllers, quarrymen and wagon
drivers. The contractors, Coleman &
Brenchard, decided to test the strength
of the strikers by opening the entire
works with the assistance of about 40
new laborers. They claimed that a
dozen or more of the striking labor
ers had returned to work, but this was
strenuously denied by the Italians who
hung around the Bowery and Little
Italy.
When the whistle blew the engineers
of the locomotives which haul the
granite trains jumped into their en-
CINE cabs, the stationary engineers
got up steam and in less than Is min
utes the entire works, extending along
the valley, took up their oldtime busy
appearance. 1t was only an appear
ance, however, as the lack of laboring
men was very apparent, the few that
were on hand being totally inadequate
to keep one-tenth of the works, in mo-
ton.
which Gen Roe has taken up his
quarters, conference was held be-
tween Contractors Brenchard and Cole
man and Rev. Father Shapiro, of
Yonkers The latter asked the en-
ployers to concede the demands of the
men, but the contractors were stub
born in their refusal. Mr.. Coleman
said it had been the intention of the
firm to increase the laborers' wages
from $1.25 to S1.50 per day, beginning
the first of May, but they had ADAM
doned this idea since the men had
gone out on strike.
Another Catholic clergyman, Rev.
Father Garofolo, of Brooklyn, visited
the Bowery and Little Italy, in COM
pany with Mrs. John Hanny. the wife
of the chief engineer of the works.
They visited the homes of the strikers,
and after counseling with them to
avoid violence Father Garofolo begged
them to return to work, but invariably
he was informed that the men would
not go back until their wages were
increased That the contracting firm
will have a good deal of trouble in Sc
curing a sufficient number of laborers
goes without saying, and it is a ques-
ton if they will be able to continue
the work, Notwithstanding the pres
ence of the cavalry and infantry
Gen. Roe, with his staff and deputy
sheriff, visited the Italian quarters in
the afternoon. The commander of the
military forces advised the men to go
back to their old positions, and assured
them they would be fully protected
against any of those who might try
to assault or otherwise injure them.
On the other hand he told them all
new laborers would be carefully guard
ed, and he impressed his hearers with
the fact that the militia were there for
business and not for pleasure. The
Italians listened to the generals re-
marks, which were translated, but
showed no sign of weakening.
In the afternoon Contractor Cole
man sent for Angelo Rotefla, who is
looked upon as the leader of the strik
ers. Rotella went to the main office,
where he denied that he was the lead
err. Rumor has it that warrants are
in the hands of the sheriff srepresgnta
tive for some of the most prominent
among the striking Italians, and one of
the Italians SAID this morning that
Rotella was too smart for the en-
ployers, who, he said tried to make
him acknowledge his leadership in or
der to place him under arrest on such
a confession. Rotella is a shrewd fell
low, and when asked later about his in
terview with Coleman refused to talk
Of it and insisted that all he knew was
that the Italians would never go to
work on the dam again unless they got
ST. for ten hours day.