The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-03-25
DIRECTORS PLAN A MODERN
LABOR TEMPLE FOR EVERETT
Labor Organization Should
Prepare for the Needs of
The Future Growth Of
City and Purchase Site
Now.

This is a brief account of the sacri-
fices and struggles organized labor in
the City of Everett went through eight
or nine years ago to build a home for
union people as well as a story of the
hopes and prospects of today to replace
the present building with new and
modern temple of labor that shall be
a credit to the organizations as well
as to the beautiful city in which we
have cast our fortunes. We want this
message to appeal to the individual
YOU are simply a unionist because you
think you have to be to hold your job;
or if you care for the welfare of no
union but your own-stop right here
this is not for you and you need read
no further. But if on the other hand
you are a unionist because you believe
in the principles of trade mionism and
believe in the motto, Gone for all and
all for one we ask you to 90 with us
through this article and give the sub
iect matter your earnest consideration.
Everett was the first city on the
coast in which organized labor planned
a building of their own and saw their
plans grow into fruition. In 1901 Ev-
erett had population of less than TO-
600. The city was just getting on its
feet again after the panic of the '90's,
which had hit her particularly hard.
The unions were small in number and
small in membership. We do not pre-
sumo their combined treasures at that
time would have created much splurge
in financial circles. They were meeting
in a basement room underneath what
is now the Empire hotel on Wetmore
avenue. If a man stood up in the room
he bumped his head on the ceiling and
when the boys smoked WELL say ina
gine the atmosphere.
Early in the year 1902 some of the
boys began agitating for a Labor Tenn
pie. 1t was not hard to convince every
body that they needed a building-ev-
cry time they held a meeting their
need was forcibly called to their atten-
tion. But where was the money to come
from? $50 down into your treasures"
said the old timers. "we'l raise the rest
somehow" So in May, 1902, several
of the unions organized the Everett
Trades Building Association with 5000
shares of capital stock at a dollar a
share. They made 1000 shares COM
mon stock, which could be held only by
some member in trust for his organiza-
ton; 1000 shares were made preferred.
which could be purchased by anybody
and which bore per cent interest. And
then they talked labor Temple stock
day and night. Such old timers as
Steve Mitchell, A. E. Durrant, Jake
Michel, VIII Clock, Bill Hicks, and a
half score of others-many of whom are
still active in union work in this city
kept the agitation at white heat. And
the unions went down into their treas
uries; individual members took blocks
of stock ana if they didn't have the
money they worked out the stock in
construction work on the building.
Business men took up a good bunch
of the preferred stock, The present site
was purchased and on Labor Day of
that year, William Backman delivered
the dedicatory address and consecrated
to organized labor the first Labor Tenn
pie on the coast. The temple was a
reality, but the struggle wasn't over,
The debt had to be lifted; the preferred
stock called in and cancelled.
The building had to practically de
pend ON rentals from unions for its
revenue from the day it was built up
to the present time because the plan of
the building made it impractical for
other uses. The question has been often
asked why the building wasn't planned
to accommodate lodges or public meet
ings or a ground floor suitable for
simple: organized labor considered it.
self lucky to get any kind of a build
ing at that time and with the money
they We're able to raise The rentals
were placed at a very low figure but
at that they were all the majority Of
the unions We're able to pay with their
small membership and consequently low
treasures. The association struggled
along the best way it could. always
watching the corners and keeping the
monthly expenditures inside the rev
enues if possible. 1t was no picnic.
Month after month the money neces-
sary to meet current expenses, pay in.
terest ON preferred stock just about
balanced the income But they held on
Cont inuQd On Para Eaur