Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-07
GRAFT CAUSES
GREEKS TO STRIKE
Men Employed on Main Street
Ditch Throw Down
Their Tools.
HOW THE SCHEME WORKED.
"Straw Boss" Alleged TO Have collect
ed Sa from Each Man and Then
Discharged Them.

Before the mornings mists cleared
away from Salt Lakes streets today
good sized strike had been pulled IN
right boz the main thoroughfare.
The strikers were Greeks employed
by the Utah Light 4 Railway company.
and I'm explaining the causes for their
action TO reporter they apparently d.
vulged a source OF graft on the part OF
their straw boss" that was ingenious
and extensive al the same time.
JAKE snyder was an the name for tho
boss that they knew. Most Of them
knew him only as Jake. but they de-
clare that he was a lot OF things that
can't be printed because they can't be
pronounced, and each one Of them told
the reporter about II all In choice Greek
as they paraded up the street from
Main and Third South, pulling every
Greek cut OF the ditch as they pro-
ceeded on their way 20 the company
headquarters TO file their complaint.
TROUBLE STARTS.
The trouble started at Third South
street about e. IS o'clock. The gang as
sembled for work on the Utah Light 4
Railway company underground con-
duit. and after they had been at work
a few minutes the word was passed
along that Mike TRIES had been
'ired." For why?" asked each Greek
on the business end Of a shovel. and
the answer came from each other Greek
that TRIES was fired so that the straw
boss could make another commission
OF 81 out Of another Greek for giving
him a job, In the place made vacant
by TRIES who had Just put up his s.
for the privilege Of working on the
gang and was therefore no longer an
asset TO the straw boss"
ALL QUIT WORK
For a few minutes there was a
wordy war among the Greeks, and
through an interpreter with the straw
boss. Then there was a process sion
up Main 10 the alley just below First
South street. which leads TO the new
Utah Light 4 Railway company's
headquarters. All the way up the
street the Greeks quit work to Join
in filing their protest. They allege
that the practise OF hiring Greeks 10
get the IS fee out OF them. and then
discharging them TO make vacancies
for other Greeks. in order to extract
more fees. has been going on a Ions
time and has got 80 extensive OF late
that a Gretk laborer works practically
for nothing. while his straw boss
works him heavily for graft
Securing an Interpreter, an inter
view was held with the management
shortly after o'clock this morning,
with view of getting an understand
ing on the question Of graft among
the straw bosses. No complaint as TO
wages was made. The Greeks are
working for S2.25 per day which is
the standard for unskilled labor.
WHAT COMPANY SAYS.
At she Offices OF the Utah Light &
Railway company Il was given out at
noon that the strike was not impor-
tant and with them was a very usual
occurrence. The men went out for
more wages" declared General Man
ager Wells" so we paid them on. Mon
day" he continued, 1--WE expect most
OF them 10 be back asking for their
jobs This is the way such strikes us
ually occur" About a third Of the
men returned TO work this afternoon
while the rest continued on strike.