The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-07

/ as the men walked out they sent word
/ to some other men and within an hour
/ at least two Of the contractors were
working half at least Of their regular
force.
Some of the contractors have been
quietly importing men from other cities
! and these Went to work yesterday or
VIII in day or so.
G. c. Borden of the firm Of Borden
Bros. in speaking Of the strike to a
reporter for the Eagle yesterday after
noon, said:
4 am going to your Office to advertise
for fifteen men TO go TO work at once.
All Of our men walked out this morn
ing and we need fifteen more men. We
do not care where they come from. All
we ask is that they are mechanics and
will earn their wages"
What is the contractors stand in this
natter" asked the reporter.
We'll" said Mr.. Borden, I'VE stand
this way: There are some men in this
city who call themselvy3 carpenters
Some Of them can earn as much as 81
per day-no more, generally less-and
they mot earn that if eight hours
is COZ ed as a days work. They can
not make a good joint. but can do good
coarse work. and we employ them for
this line
Now. there are some more men in
his city who can make a joint and do
,le finest kind of work. Those men are
worth 50 or 81 per day to US. Now. the
union demands that we pay all the jour
neymen a minimum rate of $3.50 per day
for eight hours work. and that is where
we baked. / and the other contractors
of this city are perfectly willing to pay
a man all he earns. If he is first class
mechanic, we will pay him s. to 81
per day and not say a word. But there
are a number of men who cannot posi-
bly, earn s. per day OF eight hours and
most of the contractors employ a greater
number Of the latter kind. The union
demands that we pay the poor men more
wages than they can earn and pay the
good men the same wages they hay
been getting all the time. They Go not
exactly demand the latter part of this.
but the good men would strike very
quick If we tried 10 reduce them to the
scale of the poor carpenters.
Il am willing to employ the men
whether they are union or non-union,
just 50 they earn the money.
Mr.. Borden has not signed the contrac-
tors agreement.
one OF he strikers said to q reporter
yesterday ut the headquarters Of the
union on East Second street.
I'VE have secured nine of the contrac-
tors of this city to sign the agreement
as published il this mornings Eagle, and
our president, Mr. Rochelle, is out hunt
ing for some Of the others. Some of the
contractors played US false In this deal.
Many of them signed up an agreement a
month ago that they would pay the union
scale Of wages. Now those contractors
who have since that time completed their
contracts have gone back on their word
and refuse 10 pay the scale which they
promised US they would. There are some
OF the union men who did not so out.
but these are working for men who pay
the union scale and recognize the union"
In talking among the men and con-
tractors yesterday the reporter found
several instances where union men re-
fused to go out These men arc first
class mechanics who earn 50 in day Of
eight hours and the contractors are will
ing to pay them and the men are sat
isfed
There VIII he an open meeting of all
carpenters. whether union or non-union,
ut J. o. O. T. hall. over - East Doug
les avenue, Thursday night at 7:Ss
o'clock Speeches win be made by James
Tapp. D. 3. Crewson and John Davis.