The wageworker., 1908-02-28

ing, according to comparative state
ment made public of locomotives in
reserve. The company now has 169,
good locomotives idle, as compared
with 145 in January, and % on the
first of last December. The company
in order to keep together it's operat-
ing forces, will on Monday put into
effect new order whereby the train
men now in the Service will be put on
four-day per week basis Those of
the experienced men it was necessary
to suspend by reason Of the falling
Off OF traffic will be brought back into
the service SO as to give all It's good
operating men employment.
New York.-Miss Mary Van Kleeck
who, with several other young women,
recently has made an investigation Of
some typical blocks of New York tene-
ment houses, not picked out because
they were especially bad found 558
child workers, of whom 406 were girls
and 1852 boys, all under 16 years }of
age. One was only three years old,
three were aged four, 21 aged five, %
aged six, A aged seven, 40 aged ten,
81 aged IL, 80 aged 12. rs aged IS,
46 from IA to 16. OF the whole num-
Der 491 were attending school but
working at home after school hours.
Twenty-three were under age-too'
young even for kindergarten but old
enough to work!
Boston.-Mayor Hibbard announced
his intention to be free from the dic-es
| tations of labor unions. In an inter-
| view on his selection of James II.
Smith of Brighton as superintendent
Of the municipal printing plant, he
said: Il believe in the union shop;
| but I want man that will be with
| me wholly in what am trying to do
| at the city hall. For that reason /
have made up my mind not to appoint
| to Office any active members of
! union, for I am convinced that their
| first interest will be for their organi.
zation and not for the mayor"
Cincinnati-Vice President Murphy
stated that, in view of the falling off
| enues, the arrangements of the Gin
| cinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific
railway and Alabama Great Southern
railroad have determined on reduc-
| ton of ten per cent. in the pay of the
president, vice president and other
general officials and employees receiy-
ing monthly salaries of $3.50 or
over. 81 \ 4sg ssSs
| Cleveland, O.-The rational execti-
| tive committee of the Industrial Work
| ers of the World announced that a
national convention will be held in
Chicago on April 6, when matters OF
! great Importance to labor will be
| discussed. The purpose of the con-
vention is to establish "one large in
dustrial union, with large defense
fund to be used for strike purposes
and to encourage sympathetic strikes.
Louisville, Ky-The Louisville &
Nashville railroad reduced the salaries
of all employees making more than
| $3.50 per month. Those receiving 500
and over are cut ten per cent. while
those making more than $3.50 and less
! than $500 suffer reduction Of eight
per cent The reductinns take effect
with the current month.
Pottsville, Pa.-Notices were posted
at the collieries of the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron company
notifying the men that work would be
suspended Friday and Saturday. as
has been the custom during the past
month. 1t was thought the cold snap
would change the order and full time
would be worked
Elgin, Ill.-The Elgin National
i Watch factory will not operate on Sat
urday until further notice. This ac-
tion is necessary because of the dull
ness in trade, but the management
hopes that it will be Of short duration.
Three thousand employees are affected
Wages were readjusted the first of the
year, and since that time it has been
rumored that the factory would run
| five days per week.
| Sunderland, England.-The big ship
building syndicate of Sir James Laing
| & Sons has suspended. The yards of
| the syndicate at Sunderland and Dept
ford employed 5000 men. The concern
had built liners for the Peninsular and
| Oriental and Cunard companies, as
well as several men-of-war. A scheme
| OF reconstruction will be submitted
| to the creditors at an early date.
| Chicago.-The resumption of trade
| in the steel business caused the llli-
nois Steel company to announce that
5000 men would be put to work in its
mills at South Chicago. For several
weeks the steel industry in all parts
Of the country has been practically at
standstill, but orders have been COM
ing in rapidly of late, and the indica-
tions point to an increased trade.
Chicago. painters and
decorators met and voted to refuse to
pay an increase of ten per cent. in
wages recently demanded by the paint
ers' union. A committee report was
| adopted declaring 1t the sense of the
employers that the present scale Of
wages OF SO cents an hour be contin-
ued during the next two years.
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