The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-15
"Gemmen'' of Color Strike
at Atlantic Hotel.
THECOOK "STOOD PAT
And the Management Rushed Into the
Breach With Aprons, Walters
and Dishrags That Guests
Might be Fed---They
Did 1t Well.

Fifty idle negro walters swinging
their heels from the piers or loung-
ing il, the shade of the breakwaters
While in dining room filed to over
flowing with guests the head Matter
the manager OF the hotel, a director OF
tie Atlantic and North Carolina Rail-
road, the office clerks and the bell boys
in their blue clothes and brass buttons
rushed about in the strenuous and
unaccustomed labor of feeding the
multitude, is the graphic story brought
lIy returned visitors from Morehead
City OF a dining room strike at the big
Atlantic Hotel.
Imagine the s,tave and easy ''tilIc
Cooke, with a white apron around his
waist, dancing im3atient attendance
before hot and crowded hotel ran;,e
demanding sheep-head from the fran
tic chef
Think of the tall and stately Black
nall Cook, of Louisburg, with the
blonde curls clinging TO his damp and
worried brow, rushing madly down the
long expanse of dining room, a high
piled waiter poised gracefully on the
tips of his be-diamoned fingures.
Consider the staid and prosperous
Capt b. w. Taylor, manager of the
hotel as member of the board of di-
rectors of the Atlantic Railroad
standing solicitously behind the chair
of the newly-ariryed commercial gen
tlemen of Hebrew descent.
Reflect on Mr.. Ferguson and two
other of the office force pushing q
heated way through a crowd of clum-
sy heavy-eyed bell-boys awed into al
most perfect stupor by their sudden
transportation to- the realm of then
most ambitious dreams.
These are thoughts that paint a pic
ture which would be fanciful to a de-
gree, if only it were not true.
From all reports, the amateurs did
We'll. There were mishaps and blum
ders of a sort to make both guests and
walters laugh, but there was high
good humor and plenty-in the end
to eat. The redemption of the situa-
ton lay in the fact that the cook-ShoI
was untouched by the spirit of revolt:
in that case, there would have been
desolation indeed.
The strike occurred on Wednesday
morning without previous notice, eX-
cept such as was contained in repeat
ed complaints of the head waiter by
the interiors Of his company. These
complaints were ignored and the strike
followed with the unexpected sudden
ness of one of the little squalls that
now and again make the white-caps
dance on the sheltered sound. When
the Raleigh MOreheaderS left the no.
tel the management was praying be-
tween meals that it would pass as
quickly as it came.
The trouble grew out of the quality
of martinez exhibited by the head
waiter, an up-tO-date gingerbread dar-
key from Knoxville, Tenn, who
pleased the guests but not his help
He is said to know his business and
to rule the crew of the dining room
in such manner as skipper might
carry things on the quarterback
While this characteristic was condu-
Give to the comfort of the guests, il
was as a thorn in the flesh of the
more lazy, easy going Carolina ne
groes They commenced to complain
of their treatment but the manage
ment refused to interfere. Finally
after breakfast on Wednesday, they
struck" in BODY.
When the News and Observers
informant left Morehead late We'd
nesday afternoon, the strike was in
full swing and the management be-
ginning to feel the physical effects OF
their change of labor. There was al
that time some talk of settlement
but nothing of a definite character
and it looked as il Mr.. Cook and his
valiant assistants would have to dc
yoeman's service again at supper.
The guests of the hotel were taking
things easy and there was no DISPOSE
ton on their part to leave the hotel
In fact they were laughingly swear
ing that Gus Cook had found in the
waiter and the dishrag opportunity
for the display of real genius
Seriously, the incident shows the
zeal and fidelity of the management
in a good light. The hotel is said tt
he handling large crowds in way
far superior to the traditions of thu
place. The guests are comfortable
and enjoying themselves to the ut
most.
By this time, in all probability, 9th