The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1907-06-07

Joliet, Ill.-Employes of the Elgin,
Joliet & Eastern and the Chicago,
Lake Shore & Eastern railroads,
which are owned by the United
States Steel Corporation, were SUR
prised to receive notice that their
wages, dating from May 1, had been
raised The skilled employees get an
increase of 80 cents a day, and the
common laborers Is cents a day This
applies to employees in the yards and
shops, as we'll as on the roads. About
l,O0O men are affected. The action of
the companies means an addition Of
100000 year to the pay roll.
Omaha, Neb.-E. F. Ptacek, clerk
in the Railway Mail Service, has
worked steadily during the. last Is
months. with an average of but two
hours sleep day. His home is at
kearney, and his run is on a mixed
train between that town and Gallo
way, distance of 67 miles. Owing to
heavy traffic this train is usually late.
The postal clerk leaves Kearney at
three O'Clock in the morning, and it
is rare that he gets back till late in
the night. It frequently happens that
he is in his home but single hour,
when he is called out again to take
his run. Once in while he gets from
three to four hours rest in his bed.
1t is matter of record that for the
last year and half he has not had
an average of more than two hours
sleep day. AS a result of the strain
to which this loss of sleep has SUBJ
jected him, he has grown very thin
and exceedingly nervous, and physi-
clans tell him that unless he takes
thorough rest he will within a few
weeks be complete mental and phys
ical wreck. Not only has Ptacek got
along for year and a half on two
hours sleep day, but he has gone
without his breakfast and supper, and
frequently has eaten only sandwich
and piece of pie and drank a cup
OF coffee at dinner time. The train
ran SO he could not get breakfast, and
he got home SO late he cared not for
supper.
MISUNDERSTANDING is to have a I'm
ion Labor Temple, erected at a cost
approximating $25O,OOO, if the present
Union Labor Temple company are
carried out A charter was granted
to the company on Monday. It's
object is to erect a labor union build
ing In central part of the city The
company was incorporated through its
attorney, James Byron Drew, with a
capital of $4,000. The officers are:t
James L. Quigg, president; Simon
Burns, formerly of the Window Glass
workers, vice president; Thomas L.
Slater treasurer, and James Galbraith,
secretary. Other labor leaders whose
names appeared in the application for
the charter are: John Ferneau, Frank
p. Smith and Henry Legleightner. AS
soon as the present capital stock Is
sold it is intended to increase the cap
italization to 100000 and from this
gradually to about $25O,OOO. Attorney
Drew stated that the building, If erect
ed, would be patterned after the La
Dor Union Temple at Montreal, Cana
da. The first floor would be occupied
by number of store rooms. Above
will be offices, while the two top floors
will be set apart for lodge rooms and
large auditorium. There is whis-
per in labor circles that the incorpora-
tors would endeavor to get the gov
eminent to grant them a portion of
the wharf property Immediately adj
joining the Smithfield street bridge,
on the west side of the structure.
What argument they would advance
to secure such a site is not stated.
Paterson, N. because they have
been denied the privilege of bringing
beer into the shops during working
hours, and also because the company
refused to discharge an unpopular
foreman, $50 men employed in the
blacksmith shop of the Rogers Loco
motive works walked out. One of the
first acts of the new foreman, George
Browne, was to post notice that no
beer be brought into the works and
that the men were not to leave the
shops during the work hours to visit
saloons.
Chicago.-P. J. Dolan, general Sec
rotary and treasurer of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Steamshovelers
and Dredgemen, in an interview de-
MED recent published reports that
strike of shovel men and dredgemen
working on the Panama canal had
been called officially. Some shovel
men have quit because they were dis
satisfied" said Mr.. Dolan, but no
strike has been called You may say
no strike will be called at present.
We realize that while we must uphold
the rights of labor, we must remem-
Der that we are factor in something
of patriotic concern, and will do our
full duty as citizens"
San Francisco.-An the electricians
in the employ of the United Railroads
struck in sympathy with the striking
car men. There is direct authority
for the statement that the electricians
employed by the San Francisco Gas
& Electric company will not strike, as