Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1915-05-12

Hugh Mont tgomery. called as a wit.
ness. testified as follows
Chairman Walsh What is your
name, please
Mr. Montgomery Hugh Montgom-
cry.
Chairman Walsh: Where do you re-
side?
Mr.. Montgomery: reside In Nc
Comb, City. Miss.
Chairman t*4isA = 2SfGES. Gay
Mississippi:
Mr. Montgomery: Yes.
Chairman Walsh: How long have
you resided In McComb. Miss.?
Mr.. Montgomery: About 80 years.
Chairman Walsh: ! wish you would
state what your business has been
during that time!
Mr. Montgomery; have been work.
Ing for the Illinois Central 20 years
Of that time. have worked % years.
20 consecutive years up until Septem'
ber. 1911. when the strike vas de-
ciared. Vas workiAU-on the pay
roll them was off sick. however.
and had been for . month. but ! was
supposed to be employed BY the com.
pany at that time.
Chairman Walsh: In what depart.
ment were you employed. Mr. Mont.
eomery!
Mr.. Montgomery: was in the car
department.
Chairman walsh: In what capacity
car carpenter.
Chairman Walsh: How long have
you followed that particular line:
Mr.. Montgomery: have followed
that particular line about IS yeas.
Chairman Walsh: What was your
rate OF pay per hour at the time the
strike was called,
Mr.. Montgomery: 20 cents
Chairman Walsh: What was your
monthly wage just prior to the strike
Mr. Montgomery: Well. about an
average Of SIS. ! Ithink-something like
that. perhaps = little less.
Chairman Walsh: Are you mar
ried man or a single man.
Mr.. Montgomery: have a family.
Chairman Walsh: What was the
average wage Of the men In the car
department In your shop
Mr.. Montgomery: Why. for the last
fe~ years back think II IL about ISL,
cents an hour. Prior to that. ever
since ] had been working for the COM
pany. they had what they called a fiat
rate. Every man that worked In the
car department. that is. as a car re-
pairer. got lsis cents an hour. A few
years ago they changed that plan and
adopted what they call the scale sys-
TEN. Then they paid a man what he
was worth. do not know exactly
how they came 10 do IT. but at any
rate some of the men got III. cents;
others ISL and up as high as 2sly
! think the general average has been
from that time on until nov about
Isl, cents an hour. some more and
some less. brings the average TO about.
| think. lsis eents per hour.
Chairman Walsh: What was the
average number OF men in ordinary
times at work in the car department
in your shop
Mr.. Montgomery We had. | think
1t was something like 400. about 43o
men on the road In the car depart.
ment
Chairman Walsh: How were those
men with reference to being married
or single or having family or not
having a family"
Mr.. Montgomery: Well. the ma jor.
ity OF them We're men with families
Chairman Walsh What would be
the average monthly wage OF those
men. would you say. getting 1914 cents
an hour.
Mr. Montgomerv. Ahou, s2- ~ tlo
Chairman Walsh; s37 TO $40
month
Mr. Mont tgomery: Yes.
Chairman Walsh: How many men
were working. would ,oy say. approx
lmately. at that wage?
Mr.. Montgomery Well. there were
| suppose. 800
Chairman Walsh From your per
sonal knowledge OF the men In the car
department who were married and
working for Is cents an hour. can you
give the Commission an idea. con.
else idea of their standard OF living.
what sort of homes they had. what
sort OF food they ate. what sort OF
clothes they wore. and all about IT
Mr.. Montgomery: Mr.. Chairman. as
q matter of fact. the buildings, nearly
all Of the buildings. In that town that
Aro tDg rsnt are tust co00co, Wa
- eArA oondAo1oo bu1111nA 70
hDow. T8ay arV q very ordiosry csass
uf cuik'snss. and that d. % buildier
al those men mat vcgf IN taS eAI
ooUaytmon1 with q ~ eyeUytfsns
live b ~ f'pd. O. srans. - haas