The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-11
Growers Becoming Alarmed at
Difficulty in Securing Help.
SERIOUS SHORTAGE FEARED.
seattle Furnishing Only Small Part
of Number OF People Wanted
From Here--Com missioner Grout
Says Prosperity II the Reason
western Washington Trouble
over Amount of wages Continues.

Another excursion or hop pickers will
leave this morning FOR North Yakima. IL
will, however, he composed OF only TWEEN
ty-sIx people and the Indications are
that the hopes OF sending several hum
dred pickers to the Yakima fields this
week will meet with disappointment
Labor Commissioner Grout has doubts OF
getting enough TO run the third, and
probably last excursion, announced for
Thursday morning. Should he fail In
this, the Yakima growers will DO left
with only 1884 Seattle pickers In their
fields. Last year 4e5 pIckers went from
this city and this season an even larger
number is desired. As no new point OF
supply is available 20 make up the short
age II Is apparent that the Yakima hop
men are not able to take care or the
heavy crop without considerable trouble
Tho situation in Western Washington
is not as serious. The picking Is just
starting on this side OF the mountains
and the work Is not yet in general
enough progress for the scarcity to be
seriously felt, but the orders placed In
this city for pickers are not being filled.
More pickers have been sent there than
10 Yakima, and yet not one-half the num-
Der desired has been secured.
II sufficient help 70 properly handle the
hop crop Ia to be provided. over 1000 pick
ers must be sent out within the next
Owe days Unified orders In the hands
Of Labor Commissioner Grout run for
beyond the figure, which Is placed as
the minimum force with which the yield
can he properly taken care of. but Mr.
Grout stated last evening that he would
consider himself lucky II able to get go
pickers.
THE orders for pickers are this year
much smaller than usual. but even with
tho decrease do not have much hope Of
being able to Ill them,' said Mr.. Circuit
yesterday. II have orders from twelve
Western Washington fields that want.
altogether $50 pickers. and the number
still needed at Yakima Il probably about
as great. To MI these have few, per-
baps nifty, persons ready TO go. Beyond
that have no idea how many pickers
I will be able 10 get. Inquiries have not
been frequent during the past few days.
and ! fear that tho number will not be
very great
THE delay by the hop men In giving
out definite Information as to the begin
ming OF the season and wages Is prob
ably responsible for tho decision OF many
families not to go to the hop fields An
even more important factor IL, | believe.
the scarcity q idle men. In other years,
when hundreds OF men were working at
Irregular periods only they were only
too glad 70 90 with their families to the
hop acids and have three weeks Of
working steadily. their families are pros
porous and there Is no need for them TO
work In the hop fields"
Western Washington hop men are stili
badly divided on the question OF pickers
wages, Around Auburn the 81 scale Ia
being generally adopted. The owners OF
i've fields there. who want about go
piekers. announce their willingness 10 pay
that figure. Al Kent. only four miles
from Auburn, tho T5-oent scale ia being
maintained. Picking started there Mon
day. and II win probably DO several days
before the growers will be In a position
TO know whether sufsicien. plckars can be
secured ~ ~ cents a hox.
The Puyaliup association, which official
~ adopted the accent scale ls Introducing
Japs into the fields there. an innovation
te which the white pickers are ohiectlng
III Ia said that there II n possibility OF n
general strike ~ both Indians and whites