The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-07-19
$4,000 men WANTED
They'll Be Required to Harvest
Crops of Three States.
THE SUPPLY BEING LOOKED UP
No Special Alarm Is Felt Among the
Traffic Men of the
Railroads.

Conservative estimates place the num-
Der of men required to harvest and thresh
this years crop in Minnesota, North and
South Dakota at from $4,000 to $4,000.
| This estimate places the requirements Of
North Dakota and Minnesota at 10000
each and the number for South Dakota at
$4,000 or 10000.
The men to meet this demand will come
principally from the lower peninsula of
Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Kan
sss and Nebraska. Railway men gener-
ally believe that all of the men needed
will be here in time for the wheat har-
vest
Manitoba is already at work import
ing laborers from eastern Canada. Premier
Robin estimates that 10000 outside men
VIII be needed to harvest the wheat crop
of the province. The estimate of Vice
President and General Manager Nc
Nicoll of the Canadian Pacific is about
the same. He believes that the road will
be able to get all of the men required
in good time.
The fact that North Dakota farmers
have been unable to secure men to assist
in haying operations has caused much
uneasiness in that state. Farmers fear
that the fact that few men were needed
in the northwest last year may have its
effect upon the influx this season.
F. A. Miller Not Alarmed.
F. A. Miller of Chicago, general pas
senger agent for the Milwaukee system,
who is in the city to-day says that in
his opinion the movement of farm labor
ers into the northwest will at least be
as large as that of any other year. ''This
alarm over scarcity of harvest hands
is regular thing said Mr.. Miller; "and
have yet to the year when the situation
was really serious At the proper time
the rates will be put into effect to bring
the laborers into this country. The rail-
roads realize the necessity of doing what
they can towards taking good care of
this crop. Michigan usually contributes
we'll toward the movement of harvest
halsAs and 1 believe that she will send
as many men into these states this fall
as in other years. There are also many
men working in the harvest fields of
Kansas and Nebraska Rates will prob
ably be made to bring these north if
necessary. Some of the roads have an
nounced that their rates will go into ef-
feet Aug. 20. That is probably a little
late. Aug. 10 will probably see a large
number of men arriving here
Demands ON the 500.
W. R. Galloway, general passenger
agent of the 500, says that the alarm
over the possible scarcity of farm Iaborers
in seasons past has not been borne out
in the final results. He does not look
for heavy demand Of men much before
Aug. TO- He does not regard the situation
as at all alarming. The 500 has had no
requests for men to date
Another traffic man says that the alarm
occasioned IN some sections over the
report that there are no laborers to be
secured in Chicago is groundless Chi
hnr .s=I,z
small percentage of the northwest har-
vest demand
Manitoba farmers began the campaign
for help early. Many of them began
by writing to friends back east to come
west and earn stake" in the harvest
fields. 1t is estimated that this letter
writing in addition to the letters written
local papers in the eastern provinces will
bring an additional 5000 men,
The possibility is suggested that the
northwestern farmer may be forced to
pay higher wages this year than for some
years past. Two dollars and board Is Of
fered at the present time. There have
been years in which the farmer was forced
to bid $3.50.
May Employ Indians.
The general alarm over the possible
scarcity of help in North Dakota has
through the suggestion from several
quarters in that state that the farmers
employ the Indians residing on the reser-
vations who are willing to work 1t is
estimated that there are l 1000 young men
on the Cheyenne reservation who are
able to work. While the reds can not
compare with a white man as laborers
yet many OF them are willing and can
save much grain. The rations of 700 men
on this reservation have been stopped bv
the department on the ground that the
Indians are self-supporting, and the per-
mission of the commissioner will be asked
allowing the reds to seek work in the
harvest fields.