Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-11-22
INDUSTRIAL
A. F. L. Convention Opens.

A. F. |. Convention Opens.
AT Norfolk. Va. the annual conven-
ton of the American Federation of La
Dor began its sessions Nov. II in the
auditorium of the exposition. There
were 400 delegates in attendance. in
Guiding some from Cuba. Canada and
Mexico. Reports of the secretary and
treasurer showed receipts for the year
amounting to $2S7.SI0 and disburse-
/ ments of $159,960, leaving balance of
| $127.910. of which $103.O7S is in the
defense fund. To sustain members on
strike during the year $3,29OO53 was
expended. President Gompers in his
report took the aggressive stand no
wage reduction" and proposed action
to Offset the capitalist antagonism'
indicated in the policy adopted by the
National Manufacturers association in
voting war fund of $1,500,000 Com
pers went on to say that no less than
10000 secret agents of the Pinkerton
detective agency We're now employed
by associations of employers to spy on
the unions and misrepresent their ac-
lions. The report further protests
against the abuse of court injunction,
child labor and unrestricted immigra-
ton and for the eight hour day. the or
| ganization of farmers and the union
label. The convention promptly au-
thorized him to appoint committee to
take up the question of defense fund
and OF establishing the universal eight
hour workday.
| Victor L. Berger, the Socialist editor
from Milwaukee and member of the
| Wisconsin delegation. announced that
he was continuing his fight against the
policies of Gompers-not against him
E*personally-but that he did not expect
to get change at this meeting.
P. r. RS Electric Speed Test.
Tests of the new electric locomotives
adopted by the Pennsylvania railroad
were made at Clayton. N. j.. over vari-
GUS types and weights Of rails One
| big engine went sixty miles an hour
with less than half power in use. A
specially devised apparatus enabled
the experts to test the strain on the
rails at curves. Later one exceeded
eighty miles an hour, and Il steam
locomotive went nearly ninety-two
| miles Oh a curve
Corn and Cotton Off.
The preliminary returns of the crop
reporting board of the department of
agriculture indicate an average yield
OF twenty-siX bushels of corn to the
acre as compared with 3O.3 in 1906 and
2S.S in 1905. The total production is
placed at 2,553. 732. 600 bushels. The
quality is also off. it being marked
down to SIS compared to 500 last
year. The total cotton crop of this
years growth ginned up to Nov. is
6.l61.600 as compared with $685. 1896
bales last year.
Washinston's New Station.
| The new union station at Washing
ton is now ready for use by all the
! railroads entering the city, the first
train having entered it from the B. and
+! o. system.
New York Skyscraper Limit.
Drastic regulations adopted unani-
mously by the building code revision
commission of New York city to be in
effect after Jan. ! provide that no new
| building shall be sover $50 feet in
| height. This is expected to end the
mad race of builders for the prize of
"the highest building" If the regula-
lions. are approved by the board of al.
dermen. Already more than twenty
buildings in New York have exceeded
/ 10.
to the warning recently sounded by
the fire underwriters and by the fire
| fighters.
HOLSTERS For the Pacific.
The first experiment in the breeding
| of Maine Holsters in the Pacific has
begun with the shipment of IL carload
| Of fry from the government hatchery
| at Boothbay by order of the fish COM
| mission
Industrial Retrenchment Signs.
From all parts of the country comes
daily news of factories running on
short time, laying off employees or
! closing down. The Hines Lumber COM
pany of Iron River, Wis, has shut its
| big mill, throwing out 1,500 men. The
various works of the General Electric
company have cut down their force.
The Brockton (Mass.) shoe factories
are on short time. Mills in and around
Pittsburg have laid off $4,000 workers
At Chicago 80 per cent of the shops
and factories have curtailed In one
way or another, and half of the men
emDlOye(f~--iu the bniIdinr Trades orp
now idle. Many sawmils in northern
Wisconsin have shut down Other
closings reported at this writing are
the Detroit Stove works and dstileries
and farm machinery plants ut Canton.
Q. Railroads in all sections are lay
Ing Off mon ON ga .ral in ay tnusiun u.nrlc