The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-01-31
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NE'Ill0D HILL.

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There was a big strike on at New
toms. Every mill. hand In Willow: civ
was out and; 1t would have been It's
much as a human life was worth. for a
man 70 venture ,. within the mill until
Germs were agreed upon. e: Il i 4 ~:
Newton was stheAnleanestsnl we ever
knew in the saw mill business. He act
ually> believed. that every man in his
employ should be his slave =<ss-57 ;sss,7
In Willow City his. word was law: He
owned the town, He owned every bust
ness in town except: a saloon, and 1T
was generally supposed that he owned
that and the man WHO ran II was sinnp-s
~ a straw man for Newton. Every
single man boarded at. Newton's board
ing house.. A. married man could build
shanty on a Newton. lot, He was.
Charged for the lumber, and for, the
privilege or building he must first agree
not to destroy the shanty.: It he. should
leave Willow City the shanty< should
become the property Of: Newton. One
of the provisions of the agreement was
that the builder Of the shanty could
not sub-let to another. For q: twenty
nve foot lot Newton charged $500 per
month ground rent.
Newton had been in business at Wills
low City for eight years, and. during
that time the biggest check he ever
paid in a month for labor was $1,000 to
lI!W uoWuoO I76Mgs eV1 '9MoT qoa
hands seldom received anything for
whole seasons work. After paying
grocery, clothing, and general merchant
disc bills at Newton's stores and of
course at Newton's prices there was
sure to be but little to give to the men
on pay day.
The hours of labor we1N from six in
the morning to eight in \he evening.
with q half an hour for lunch at 1880,
and an other half hour for supper at
$50. Often there was occasion to work
two and three hours over time, but
Newton never allowed extra pay,
although he would never work his men
on Sunday. The old hypocrite built
IL handsome church in Willow City.
1t stood out in bold relief from every
house in town save Newton's. No man
was compelled to go to church. but it
was understood among the men, that 1t
would be better for them to CO.. The
old man had peculiar way Of letting
the men know what he expected Of
them. Newton's church was not con-
nected with any denomination. He US
ually made arrangements with preach
ers in other cities to occupy his pulpit.
On one Sunday a Methodist would
preach. The next would bring a Pres
byterian, and so on. "
Tn, Ii
we'll known throughout the country.
Preachers who had visited Newton's
church at Willow City often preached
about this model little saw mill town.
Newton was praised and lauded as a
model employer. Newspaper men took
up the matter, and the whole country
was referring to Newton, the Christian
employer Of labor. 49,. - III: i II
Down the river from: Newton IS mill
was little western eftysin which there
were several large mills. The favor
able talk about Newton, the philanthro-
pist (D caused considerable discussion
among the mill men. This deepened
into agitation, and later a demand was
made upon the employers for the ten
hour day. The strike spread through,
at war. save Newton, who boosted to
his competitors about the happy rela-
tons existing between he and his en-
ployes.
1t was a busy year in the lumber
business. Employers saw the folly in
permitting the season to pass with a
shortage III their cut because of diff
ference with their labor. So after a de-
lay of one week all men returned ia
work OIL the ten hour basis.
10 sooner was this strike settled
II the men at Willow City began to
think about the ten hour day. One
morning Il committee waited upon New.
ton with series of demands. The
committee was Immediately discharged
That night every man in the mill had
quit except the engineer and the fore
man. The engineer had been requested
to stay ait his post by Bob Lowe the
sawyer. who had been chosen president
Of the mllmens' union, The foreman
was Newton's right hand man, and i,
was not expected that he should quit
He was not very popular with the men
but he and Bob Lowe were cIlurds
and Bob knew just how O'Mal1ey the
foreman felt about the strike. .
1t seems that but a few Sundays be.
fore, Newton had invited popular
young preacher from one of the large
cities of the state to fill the pulpit al
the Willow City church. The young
preacher had a friend, a college mate
who was a rising young newspaper: man
and as it was good fishing season, the
latter concluded to accompany his
preacher friend, and both would take
an outing for a day OF. two up the river
They arrived at Willow City Sunday
morning and were met at the station
by Mrs. Newton and her: daughte,
Ethel. Mr.. Newton had4~been unex,
pectedly called away the day before
1t had been Mr.. Newton's custom to en-.
tertainr :his preacher: visitprs after thu
Sunday service: A trip through the mil
and yard was always in: order, anf
Newton took special pains to see tina
no preacher ever conversed with TIL,
men outside Of his presence. :<:,..
After the services on this Sunday
Mrs. Newton, as was her custom
ln.+aoe1 hc,,,o n o1,orcoo :: ~.