The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-06-06

Aii"iNhN W AHAAEs " III hAh q
son. president Of the Alaska Central
Railway Company. who came from
Seward on the steamer James Dol
lar yesterday. the stories told b.
returning iaborers regarding the
situation there are greatly exnE
Eeratsd- The construction com
rany 10 now employing from zoe 70
800 men, he says. and r. giving the
work 20 iaborsrs as fast a. they ap.
ply. The work IL now progressing
az fast 40 the frozen ground viii
permit and about sfa miles o. road
bed have been prepared for track
laying
Mr.. Dickinson says that most Of
the men who have complained went
there expecting 20 get klondfke
wages. bot that there vas no rep.
rsHentntiun on the part Of the
T'anana construction company that
such wages would Be paid.
NJ. Dickinson says there arr
many men at Seward who
would not work n they could get
princeiy wares. and that these are
the men who have sent down the
sensational reports.
II more than 100 men Disguised
reach Seattle from Seward on the
Bertha this evening every one Of
them win have passed notices
which are posted ~ Valdez. calling
Tor Labor Ia the mining camps back
~ there az the rate u IS cents per
hour and N they have passed these
notices. u win show how anxious
they are 20 work and the extent of
credit that can be placed IN what
they say about the Alaska Central
said Mr. Dickinson this morning
wlth reference 70 the story that the
Bertha would have D large eon-
tinEvnt from seward
John ~ Bailains. president 81 the
Tnnana Construction Company. said
senfation on the part Of the eomnany
a. 20 ths amount Of wages 20 be
paid TIE company had certain
amount per mile 10 expsnd In the
construction work. he said. and II
this amount were exceeded the road
would have TO be abandoned. lie
says wages 1T Seward are higher
than In Seattle aud the msn ere
permitted 20 board themselves n
they 20 desire.
we ngreed@to pay a minimum
scale Of f1s0 per daY for common
iahorcrs and nom that up 10 ttsa
for skilled labor Mf. Haiiaine sald
Some men went up from here and
the minute they got there. met and
agreed 90 demand faso per day a.
n minimum scale FOR common labor
and 90 cents per hour for skilled
labor We would have been pleased
10 pay that amount. but IL would
have made the road 50 expensive
that the construction must have
been abandoned.
AFTER this meeting and our ex-
PLANTATION that We could not pay the
scale demanded. the men began TO
kick. Some Of them went 20 work
az our scale. while others. who would
not work under any circumstances.
decided that they would knock the
road
we have kept our agreement
with the men. and. the fact that
we have such a large crew At work
and there are not many idle men st
Seward. shows that We are fiEht
and these kicks are 10 a certain e.
tent Eroundiesa OF course. n men
expected Kiondiko wages. they are
disappointed. but that IL not our
fault"
TO corroborate the statements
made BY Mr.. Dickinson and himself
Mr.. Balinine showed a star man a
letter received today from a. W
/ Swanitz. chief engineer OF the con-
rtructlon company. addressed 70 Mr.
Bailaino aud dated at Seward. MAY
30.
Engineer Ewanitz says in part.
Dear Sir; have your favor Of
May ~ and have noted enclosed
clipping from the Star and what
you say In regard 10 stories brought
by returning iaborera. l beg TO ad.
wise you that these mon are hardly
laborers. but rather saloon laafers
who are physically unable to do a
days work az any price. could
safely offer them 81 q day and then
/ they would not work. Every steamer
brings some OF these beauties who
on their arrival. expect 60 be re-
ceivsd by n committee with a brass
band and an Invitation 20 work al
any price. That class of people are
the curse Of every new community
dare say we may expect our share
OF that pest wish 10 say 60 you
most emphatically that this day wa
have approximately ai0 men in our
employ.
''seventy-fivs of these men are al
work on section 3 at the following
prices, Common labor $3.50. drillers
t2.75, powder men 50. Seventy five
men are az work on sections G and 5
at $3.50. grading for sub-oontractors
! Fifty men, in punches OF three OF
sour. have small sub eontfaeta of