The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-31
$500 Men From ST. Paul.

IC SCdOOu COIIlIu0uCOQ ldSC
and up to last night nearly 600 men
had been sent west by local brokers,
who conduct agencies for the employ
ment of this kind of help, and it is es-
timated that about $500 men will be
sent into the harvest fields from this city
this year.. In contrast to this, over
1000 men had been shipped into the
harvest fields from ST. Paul by this
time last year. In this connection it
may be said that almost every day
farmers living in the vicinity Of st.
Paul, come to the city and watch
around the union depot in hopes of Sc
curing help. A representative of one
of the local employment agencies, in
speaking of the situation yesterday,
stated that it was even hard to get
men to supply the demand for harvest
ing in cases where free fare was offer
ed. Most of the applicants that have
arrived in. ST. Paul so far have come
from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and
Michigan. The bulk of them, however,
seem to come from Wisconsin. j
Although the harvest in North Da-
kota has not commenced yet, the great
est demand for help seems to come
from the northern part of North Da-
kota, especially around jamestown,
Valley City and Casselton. There is
also rather heavy demand for men
ins Montana, and some of the local
agencies are sending men as far west
as Montana.
The demand for laborers for the har-
vest fields is not any greater this year
than last year, and considering the
fact that the wages paid last year were
considerably lower than offered this
season, the employment agencies are
at q loss to understand the marked de-
crease in applicants. for work during
the harvesting season.
Fewer Men Than Last Year.
Tn speaking of the present situation
to The Clio b e yesterday, a repre-
sentative of Frye & Corbett said: 1.-The
season started last Saturday, and so
far we have only been able to secure
about 200 harvest hands. Of course it
is little bit early yet, but the present
indications are that the demand for
help will be very heavy. Last year we
sent in the neighborhood of 5000 men
into the harvest fields, but we will con-
slider ourselves lucky this year If we
succeed in securing 1000 men. I ex-
pect that altogether the local employ
ment agencies will probably send out
about $500 men this year."
j. B. Schmidt stated that he had
sent out about seventy-fiv harvest
hands since last Saturday, which was
the opening of the cut-rate season,
and hoped to send out total of 800
men before the season closed on Aug.
20.
A. H. Anderson, the ticket broker,
said that so far he had only sent out
about forty men, and that from pres
ent indications the help would be con-
Sidefably scarcer than last year. Most
of the men he had secured had been
sent as far. West as Montana, where
there was a good demand for harvest
hands. THE prospects," said Mr.. An
derson, "are excellent for good crops
throughout the Northwest, and am Of
the opinion that the farmers will have
hard time securing the necessary
help
Mr.. Anderson said that he only ex-
pected to send about ESQ men into the
harvest fields this season.
III. H. McBurney stated that he had
only been able to secure about fifty
laborers for the harvest fields thus
far, and that owing to the apparent
scarcity of help he did not expect to
send out more than about 200 men.
T. E. Edwards has sent out about
thirty five men so far, and, according
to the statement of his representative
yesterday, he does not expect to be
able to secure more than about IT'S
or 200 harvest hands.
w A Miller also stated that he ex-
pected to send about ESQ men into the
harvest fields, but up to date he had
only sent about twelve.
All of the above agencies stated that
the greatest demand for help came
from the northern part Of North Da-
kota, and that judging from present
indications there would be a shortage
in help this year in spite of the big
wages offered that will inconvenience
the farmers in harvesting their large
crops.