Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 4, 1891, Page 1

‘ N, 3 s . All ths Men Peacsable and Willing to Wait /)t:).,. not more than fifteen or twenty strike ers, and the others have been coerced or .% L o @ = > L > DEVOTED T0 ORATORY . 4 | ng Smelter Men Spent Yemrdnyi Listening to Their Leadars Talk THREE BIG MEETINGS WERE HELD, e Much Pent-Up Eloquence Lib:rated by the 4 Advceates of Bhort Days, NO VIOLENCE OR OUTBREAK AT ALL. the Affairs Outcome. JCB PRINTERS STILL LOCKED OUT. ' mploying Printers Looking for “Rats” ~No Trouble With Other Trades—What y and Night Brought Forth. sk All day yesterday the strike at the smeltors The pros and cons was discussed in Omah ovor many times, and no conclu- At the threo big held by the mon many speeches were made concorning patience and advising the strikers to n firm and keep quiet. domonstration of any kind was at* tempted, At the smelting company’s plant & forco of polica® is on guard, but about the works all is quict. were o sions uld be reached, meetings ren 2 AU the last mecting held under the Douglas stroct bridge about midnight, the men wero urged to be ou hand by 6 o'clock this morn- No trouble is looked for, however. DEVELOPMENTS. ing. AWAITING Emelters Quietly Holding Out for © mpliance with Their Demands. & Yesterday mornmg's daylight disclosed w very quist scene in the yicinity of the smelter. A couple of policemen chatted together at the north end of the works, and another pair killed time in a similar mauner at the south gate, whilo a fifth wandered disconsolately about among tho furnaces, and Sergeant Whalen gazed with a self-satisfied air over the hundreds of thousands of dollars wortn of property that ¢ iad acquired in such short time and on fsuch briet notice, One M The elect light engineer secmed to be the only porson who biad an active mission on earth, but evon his duties ended with the dawn of another day, and when the whirr of the dynamos censed he 100 disippeared, and with oue exception the immenso plant was dead. n with a Mission, Silver Workers Walk Oat. Over in an obscure corner is located the si'ver shop. It is a little, unpretentious building, but the work done there is by 1o meuns an inconsiderable portion of the busi- ness of the works. Its out-of-the-way loca- tion was undoubtedly what caused tho atrik- ers to overiook it last evening, but it was evidently not a part of their intention to leaye & man at his post., Be that as 1t may, they skipped the silver shop, und there the men wero at work long after the strikers loft and they were still at their posts yeoterday morning. ‘They wero running down the furnace, and the work was completed shortly before noon. As soon as the last brick was cast tho men prepared to leave, and as they departed the great plant became literally dead. Smoice and fumnes from the cooling fur- aces continued to emanute from the tall nueys for hours, but it was ot a syimbol of the life within. Tt was rather a ficeting monument to the energy that had beon. Asscmbling £ the Workme, At o comperatively early hour the employe: of the works began reassémbling, seemingly more from force of habit than from any pre concerted arrangement for definite action, and during the morning hours probably 500 n o were gathered about the track d crossings a few hundred yards from the south gates. They made uo demoustrations of any kind, but githered in littlo knots and discussed the situation, Many of them re- mained but a short time and then disappeared slowly uptown by twos and ihrees, but others continued * to baunt the place, lounging upon lumber piles and making themselves as comtortable as thoy could under the circumstances. The seemed Lo regard the condition into which allairs had shaped themselvos as a mattor of course, aud there was no excitoment, no un- wsiness and no disquietude manifested by any of them. 1t had appavently been thor- oughly improssed upon their minds that thev were to make no demonstration, and their bebavior and _demennor could not tayve beon more eroditable. One or Two Hotheads who aspired to leadership, talked rather swaggeringly of what they would do and how they would make the company come to time, but this was evidently not the spirit of the rauk auna file Tho majority of the men had very little to say, and based their action on the’ legulity of the course thoy were pursuing. They simply declarea as tho legislature had sean fit to enact an eight hour law, tho company ought o give it to them. An' atmosphere of ox- pectancy seemed to envelop them, and thoy wera all looking forward to tho opea sir meeting to be held under tho west eud of the Douglas street bridge at 2 o'clock in the afteruoon, Dl creased the Police Detail. Alarge detail of polico was sent to the works in the moruing, and romained on duty ther under Captain Mostyn and Sergeaut Graves. A few of them were scattered through tho works, but tho groater numboer mingled with the throng outside, Their services were not called 'nto requisition, however, as the mon werenot even vocaily 'demonstrative, Of course, there were uny number of rum- ors us to Whist would bo atiempted, but these incondiary ideas wore not promulgated among the won. A report that the men had tried to burn the works was undoubtedly caused by a slight blazo that roccurod about 4 o'clock this morning in the cupola building Tho five de purtment was called out, and hose compauy No. 2 nipped the biaze in its incipi ency. fire originated from one of the urnaces. Ordinarily, when the furnuces are charged with fuel and ore, the top of the furnace Is dead, but after drawing the churges last night and running down the furnaces the fuel mado tho top of the fu naces pipiog hot, aid this Leatod the udjoin ing woodwork, which finally ignited, President Barton on the Situation. Prosident Barton examined the roof of the building yeosteraay morniug and doclaved that tho damage did not amount W anything. He said he could ro- bluce oy charred stick for 810, Vhon asked as to the situation, Mr. Barton il he could tell very little about it, as it all rewmnined with the men so comply with the terms that they bad themselves asked for | aud which the company had granted It Is w mistake in the first place,” said Mr. Barton, “to think that all these men striking for a new order of things that is to | ern each of thew individually, There are | frichtened into it The fact is that if theso men could be assured and satistied that they would not be molested, wobbod or an- noyed for comiug buok to work, uearly 4 wot quite WO of he o0 would without further ado, r part of the men do not want any change, The furnace men and tappers | are the only ones who want a change. T'aere | are about sixty of them, and unly about one- | fourth are making apy troubie. They are now on duty twelve hours a day, but their actuul labor is only about eleht Lours. It | akes about two-thirds of their time to charge the furnaces and the balanc » of the tine they are waiting for it to heat. Outside of that the men are satisfied with their work but thoy have been coerced and intimi “Vhon their comuittee camo to said they wanted the same hours and pay as i be willing ‘o go right back to their places | | The gre prevail inothers melters L agreed toit. 1 | told them that we could afford to pay just s much as any of our competitors, and if they could pay moro we could pay more. They saia they wanted the samo a8 is paid ~ in Kansas City, and that tho works there paid so much. I kuew that they were mistaken, ot that the presi- dent had been wmistaken when he told me What they paid, as I offered to send a man down there, pay his fare und give him letters ou which he could secure all the information he wanted and then return and report to the men. They w allowed to pick the man, and the work here was 1o go on as usual un- til his return, when an agreement could be reached according to his report. Ihis was fair and tho committee so acknowlcdged and accepted it, and went away te 2 upon their man. The next Iknew they demanded three eight hour shifts at & per day. We can not stand the expense of such a chanee. It would demand a 50 per cent increase in the number of foremen and assistants, and would increase our expenses, : “\Ve are having a hard time of it as it is to compote with the other smelters. If it wus not for the tremondous tonnage we could not hold our own_ with the works in the moun- tains, Thatis all that brings the ore to the river. If the new orderof things dem: nl]\'bxl\\'n% granted wo would dwindle down and finally » to close, Omaha can hardly afford to Our monthly cash payroll is 00, or $1,200 u day, aud it means a great dedl to the retail interasts of the city to take that mouey out of cireulation. Our men have large families, and it is not putting it too light to say that we represent 3,000 popula- tion. These people must eat, even if they have no income, and it will be a serious blow to the retail merchants. July and August are dull months with us. It costs more to handle the ore, and our contracts always end July 1, and do not begin until October 1, at which time we contract for the whole output af the mine, “During the summer we buy on the market Just cnough to keep running. It nas not cost us much to close now, as we anticipated yes- terday what was coming, and at once begun to run down the blast furnaces, so that when they reachied here they we If they had come two hours carlier they would hay done us somo damage, The dificulty could not have como at a time that would have suited us bettor. I think that when the men understand that they will not be subject to molestation here, as the mayor has promised that the strikers’ shall not again be allowed to enter the grounds, thoy will be willing to g0 to work again.” [7 BRIDGE, D R THE Talks Made to the Men by Speakers from the Rank Between 1,200 and k300 people assemol ed under the wagon bridge at tue lower end of Douglas street shortly after noon yesterday to the call for an opeu air labor m response mass meoting. There were probably very few of the striking smelter employes who were not present, and the lockedout job printers were very largely represented, while moa in various callings who have not as yet been direetly interosted in any of the labor complications were to be seen sprinkied through the crowd and numbers of business merLwere seen sitting in their bugeies around the oulsiirts of the motley assemblage. In their cases it was cvidently more of cul fosity than of direct interest, and aftor listening a short time they drove away and their places were filled by others, All vantage poiuts were covere: fullest capacity; and scores of iuterested spectators leanod over the railings of the bridge, eighty feot above tho surging throng, and watchad and listened. The crowd was orderly, and 1o attontion was paid to tho dozen policemen who loitered about in the bacicground with nothing to do for the time being but keep their eyes and ears wide open and draw their salurics. Turned on the Elogu nee. Altbough the meeting was called for 2 o'clock, it wus nearly an bour luter wnen Mr, Musser called the crowd to order and an- nounced Organizer Kluuk of the Internation- al Tyvographical uniod, as the first speakor. Mr. Klunk had very little to say, mer announcing that he had been called here by reportod strike, and had found that it was a lockout. tiesmid that the laws governing such cases would obtain here, and that the meun would bo looked after by the union. A couple of speakers then harangued the assombly in Bohemian and German, and the gentleman from the fatherland was loudly applauded when he reforved to the smelting works as a ‘‘murder-grove.” He assured the strikers that their action would result in work for more people and better pay all around, T. C. Kelsey next ascended the woodpile and told the men that they were there to see the law enforced that was made by a “good, kind, sympathetio farmer legislature,” He did not tor i Ly taffy the soil tillers who thoughit so much more of the Omaha workingmen than they did of their own em ployes, and incidentally took a whuck at the fow misguidged people who ‘'struck the shackles from 4,000,000 blacks only to rivet them seeurely on 185,000,000 whites. Mr. Kelsey counselled moderation and aep- 301 OF property. not pay any attention to the said the speaker. “They are as sted fu the suceess of this move- as wo are, Thoy are not arrayed t us but are simply doing their duty to are a branch of ‘the oxecutive municipal government, and with out ther a city would' not be as orderly and wceavlo us it should ve,” What Me. Brewster Said. George Washington Browster was next called uvon, and as he wanted to talk for some tune it was several minutes before ho got through, Hosaid: “Througn the labor- ing men who have worked for this institu- tion for twenty voars this corporatiou has to their ed violence to either pe must re “You policomen much intes mont grown wealthy, They can afford anything, yet they say they can't afford to pay #1063 for cight hours' work. Your cause is just. These proprietors have such an ~amount iuvested that they can't afford 10 shut down their works. They can't afford to griud us down. They have somo little soul left, and they certainly will concede the Justice of your appeals, ~ [ am ouc of those hopeful onés. A few years ago there was a strike hero in the smelfer, and it rosulted serfously to a certain extent.’ [ tope and trust there will bo no lives lost and no blood shed now. Many people say we are ignorant and bloadthirsty hope n0 man hore will destroy a doilurs worth of proporty. It is not proper for anyone to eacouvage tho destruction of a cont’s worth of property be lougiug to this company. The polivemen are safo in ourmidst. We don’t want to hurt them. There is no need of their services, as wo don't propose to hurt auy man or allow any man to bo hurt We are here as men to usk for simple jus- tice, und in this land of freedom we propose ave our voices heard in our cause Thoy toll us this eight hour law is class legislation, Lusk, is ité No. The last log- 1slature made two of the grandest laws that ave on the statute books of the state of No- braska. Ono was tho Australian ballot luw and the other 1s the eight hour law. *Wo know no party, Our powt is justice, Good, law ubiding citizens are in svinpathy with our movement and this law. It wiil have better results than auy other law on our books. With the Australian ballot system we will hive men filling public ofiices elected for prinoiple und uot wealth or boodle, If every man who works will obey the law, the employers will also have to do it. Don'i sign these contracts, but obey the law, 1 am sorry the street railway men signed them. They are violating the law. If we violate the law how can we expect the em- ployers to keep tho agreement ¢ The smelting works cowpany works ite mules six hours a day and the men thirteen hours. The reason is that the mules belong to it and the men don't The men eame protty nearly bolonging to the company—the, only received £2.25 a day. Don't use violenc unless forced to do s0.” | The speaker said ho wanted the reporters | toget his speecn, and then with a wild flour- ish of trumpots exclaimed: “Give us liberty or give us death,” and stepped down to make | room for James Bacon. Oratory Shut Off, Bacon said so many familiar things thav | the crowd made up their minds that they | had heard him_ bofore, and intimated as much, o urged the strikers to stand firm, and roasted the smelter managesient in dis- connected ana badly butchered English. Rov. J. H. H. Ready, the presiding genius of St. Timothy's mission, ascended the stack | of lumber for a fow seconds and advised the | men to settle their diffculties amicably. Mr. Musser glanced over the multitude, but seemed to discover no more available | oratorical imber, and after annonncing an evening moeting at Metz' hall at 8:30 o'clock and another at tho Grand opera house at § o'clock this morniug, declarcd the meeting adjourned I'te crowd slowly and aquictly dispersed, while the motor cars rumblea overhead and the river swirlod past the silent and desertod smelter as before. AT METZ'S 1idLL. More Oratory and More Advice Given the Smelter Men, As early us 6 o'clock last evening the dissatistied employes of the smelting works and their friends began to gather in and around Metz hall, aud when Chairman Musser called the meeting to order there must have been upwards of o thousand persons present. The mecting was called, he said, for the purposo of giving other labor organi- zations an opportunity of showing their sym- pathy in the course of the locked out em- ploves of the smelting works, and he was glad to state that many of the other organiza- tions, who were in favor of the enforcement of the eight hour law had turned out in such great numbers and were standing shoulder to shoulder in this great struggle After the Union Pacific shop Men. He then introduced Mr. Willinm Mulhall, who said that it was not the first tine he had stood on that rostram and advocated tnose same principles. Ho appealed to the men of the Union Pacific railroad, and asked them where they stood on this question. Ho had labored with them for fourteen years, and was sorry 10 sav that though thoy were tho first to organize in favor of the present cight hour systom, tonlght they had gone back on their pledges and permitted themselyas to be trampled under foot by au_overbearing mo- nopoly. “Why do you not cowe forward liko men aud - American _ citizens and aid your Polish and Bohemian brothers, who cannot defend themseives on account of the ignorance of your languaget’ It was with saduess that ‘he recalled the fact that while fourtcen years ago he had stuyed with them in their troulo, now they had gone back on him. “If you do unot as- sert your rights you arve scabs. [Cheers.) 1f you do not show firmness now. then vou must odmit you have bent your knees to the tyrants. ‘We stand shoulder to shoulder Knights of Labor and bott organized and un- orgauized labor everywhere. As laboring people you sent three men to tho legislaturo from Douglas county to enact this eight-hour law, and I am sorry to stato that had it not been for the farmors' alhanco I do not be- lieve that it would have been enacted.” Someone Shotited Rats, At this juncturein the proceedings somo with ouo sitting ncar representatives Bertrand and Brenuan shouted “Rate.” Immodiaicly several hundrad voices yelled “Turn him out,” aud excited men from ull parts of tho hall jumped to their feet, leaped on the cnairs, and a perfect Babel ensued. There were Poles, Bohemians, Swedes, Germans and various other nationalitics, all repeating in their various native tongues the sume cry and rushing pell mell over one another in the divection of the interrupter of the meeting. The efforts of the gentlemen on the plat- form to restore order proved utterly futile, and for several minu pandemonium roiguod supreme. After a struggle the dis turbers of the meeting were ejected, Mr. Mulhall then concluded his speech nnd M. Kretzmor addressed the meeting in_ Bo- hemian,and from the frequent burstsof ap- plause it was ovident that his speech was much appreciated. Dennis Kearney Again. Mr, John Quinn_ was then introduced and began by stating that fov the last twenty four houts he had been discussing the matte withall classes of workmen; that he knew what they wanted, what they were entitled to, and that he knew enough about them to kiow what they would claim. He said that he diffored from one of thespoakors who ws in favor of making this a test case, but it wi s not a test case, it was a law, 1If it went to the courts it would be at least four or five years before thoy would get a hearing, and with the influence of the money powers in this state the workingmon stood & good caance of being defeated, He scored the Bourts vigorously, and said thoy were all rotten to the corc. [Cheers. | He confessed that as was stated in the col- umns of Tue Bek that he delighted to. have the opportunity to spread himself. It was his delight to seo men get their rights. He would not eriticize tho action of Tuk Ber because its editor, Mr. Rosewater, was in Europe, but he had 'vory litilo use for the tin horn cditors who “used the columns of Tue Bur to vent their personal spite on hum. He was very happy that ne did not have to work for corporations, as he was now a free man. Ho created a lanch by asserting that a former speaker had been o' little too hard on the Union Pacitic boys, they were only asleep now, but would scon wake up and make things hvely. Mr. Bacon made a short speech and sug- gosted that a committee of five of euch na- tionality present be appointed to proceed. to the smelting works and endoavor to persuade the men who were supposed to be working thero last nieht to quit. Carried, M. Beavman “briefly addressed the meet- ing in Germun and Mr. Witchie did the same in Swedish, After announcing thata meeting of Cen- tral labor union would be held in hall this morning at 9 o'clock the meeting ad- journed, and a procession was formed out- side tho ball, which took up the line of march for the smelting works in a very orderly manner. BAC) T0 THE SME LTER, Another Trip and Another der the Bridg When the meeting at Metz's hall adjourned tho men marched in body to tho smeiter, ‘They marched four abreast down the middle of the street, and the sidewalks on either sido were filled with a ocurious throng, which was bound to see everything that took place. The idea scemed to prevail among the spectators that the men irtended to loot the works, but the strikers were bent only on driving out the flreien who were supposed to be secretly keoping up the fires, The men made no organized effort to enter the works, Meeting although they swurmed about the gates. They discussed various plans for going through the works, but Sergeant Whalen issuaded them and induced tuem to await the arrival of President Barton and obtain permission to send a committeo of through the works and satisfy the that no one was at work. A numbe favor of tuking the works by storm, but milder counsel ailed As @ _precautionary measure two toads of police were driven to the swmelte agallop, The offfcers wore drawn up double line just within tho line of the work @and not a blue coat was to be seen outsic The stricers finally drew back under the | bridge where another meoting was held and | spoeches wero made in Buglish, Germun and Bohemian, Another load of police arrived and excited the jears of the arowd, but no othior expres wagon at in | slon” of disapproval Was wauifested The | day's labor, et leaders urged the men to abstain from vio- | aieht hours shall constituto a day's lence, and finally the crowd @fspersed, Jim Bacon urging thom us n @0od night shot to “'be on hand again not later $han 6 o clock at the outside.” During the strikers’ meetingon South Thir- teenth street, a report Was sémt to heaaquar- ters that n r10t was in_progress, A load of polico wns rush to the plaee in the patrol wagon, but their services were not needed. After the crowd had aispersel a detail of twenty policemen was left on duty at the smelter to guard ogainst any possible out- break, althouglf no demonstration was ex- pected before morning. ¢ Chief Seavey remained ab the station until 2 o'clock this morning, when he was satisfied that all would be quiet for & few bours aud went home, From the Denver End, Dexven, Colo., Aug. 3.—[Special Telegram to Tue Brr.|—W. H. James, superintendont of the Omaha and Grant smelter in this city, was seen this morning and asked about tho | trouble in Omaha. “we have raceived a fall account of the affair,” ho said, “‘but it is not as bad as dis- patches mako it.” ““Has the Omaha smelter askod you to fur- nish a crew of men to run the plant “No, there are pienty ofidlemen in Omaha, and if the company Wants to startup its plant there are pleaty of men to do it. Our dispatchies say that the company is prepared to stand a shut-down for any length if nec sary, but I thiuk it will start up again in a few days." Wil 1t strikers “‘No, the demand is unreasonablo and the compuny will never grant it. Our men in Denver” are all paid by the hour, and the same rule is in force overyw iere. The striko will not affect us nero in the least,” accede to the demands of the THE TOW WILL ¢ RAT New Developme the Job Printers, Sunday night the indleations pointed to an early adjustmont of the diffi- cultios existing between the job and the em- ploying printers. The samu indications ox- isted Sunday morning, but & few hours later everything was changed, and now the end is favther away than at any time since the lockout. This come about on account of a mauifesto upon the purt of the owners of the shons They held a meeting lass“ught, and by a unanimous vote decided to “rat’ the town. Yestorday they kept the telegraph wires hot. suges bave been sent to various cities, asking that job printers ba sent ut onee, This means that a number of the largest. offices will be wide open and printers will no. be compelled to show their cards when tkay apply for sit- uations. in the meantime, bhe offices will be kept oven and will take care of all rush work, while other orders for work will hang on the hook. The new men whl b8 put to work as 5001 as they arrive, and it is elaimod that the oftices will be running on full time by the last of the week. The printers, like McGiuty, are dressed in their best Sunday clothes ard ave rather en- joyiniz the vacation. They meet in little Knots on the streot corners and in their halls, where they discuss the situation from every couceivable standpoint. They laugh at the idea of the bosses beiug able to ‘“rat” the offices, claiming that it wili take months to ather eaough men to handle the work. Lwithstanding this statement wen have stationed at all of the depots, and overy in is being watched. This is for the pur- po:e of explaining the situation to job print- ers who may happou to float in in résponse to the telegrams. “The printers say they are all anxious to go back to work, but will not nake the conces- sion and sign’ the agreements, which arc as follows From and including Auzdse 1. 1831, all ves of mployed and paid ¢ bour for the nuniber of hours they work. ut thesumerato of wages now paid and not by i day. ‘Any einploye who ts unwilling to wi same number of hours a8 heretofor rate of will report in writin slened July ), 1801, * +7 % "Recclpt of the aboverule and rezu- lation 1s heroby acknowledaed. T am willl to continue in the service of — subject to the sumo July 0, 1801, Me om- rk the L ut the [ What the Printers Ask. The printers demand $16 per week and double pay for overtime. ‘The claim is mado thatif they signed the agrecment the wages would be less than 12 per weol which would mean starvation to men with familios. There aro some of the married men, howaver, who look at_the lockout from rather a gloomy standpoint, They claim that cieht hours and eight hours pay will not make them a living, and if they cannot gat fair wages and more hours they mustleave town. The bosses are more hopeful than at any tuno since the begiuning of the lockout. At the Kees company’s establishment a few men are at work. Sam Reos, the proprietor, is at tho case “stick” in_hand and is taking care of all “rush” work. Ho declares that from this time on his office will be open to all printers with or without cards. Me. Rees explains why an oflice cannot adopt the eight hour plan. He stutes that under the old rule, an offico that was doing a busimess of £,000 per year, the net profit. would be $300. Reduce the working time one-fifth, the other expenses would be nearly as much, which would in- creaso the debt and place tho baiance on the other side of the ledger at the end of the year, Attho Republican office the trouble is attributed to the news printors, who are in the majority in the union. ‘The proprietors claim that the job men were satisfied with their hours and pny, but that tho news printers, who had nointerest in the dificulty out voted the job men and _brought about the lock out. Both the news and the job men deny this statement. In all tho oftices the binding hands and the pressmen and feeders are at work, they having signed the requirad agreement. There is somo talk that these people will go out if the oflices are declared open, but the men themselves refuse to talk, BRICKLAYERS 5 ant a Seven Hour Saturday. Yesterday thore was & strong probabil- ity of a brickiayers' wali out, but this far the present trouolo has boen bridged over and now the only place in the city whero the men are out is at John Rush's building at Thirteenth and Castellar streets, There the thirteon men rofused to go to work unless the contractor would give them seven hours aud eieht hours pay on Saturday. This the contractor refused to do. On other jobs the men wéntto work with the unaerstanding that foture Saturdays would ve elght hour days, The men are all working elght hours at 50 cents | per hour ‘The extra pay for extra hours has been ais- cussed by the men and the bosses, but this question is open owing to a differenco of opinion iu the interpretation of the law. The nien clatm that for extra time they weuld, under the provisions of the, law, be paid douvle for each hour, $1 for the first, $2 for the second, #4 for the third and so on in the geometrical progression The contractors laugh at the iden and stato that such a law would be ridiculous. If a storm came up just at quitting time and a mau was compellod to Work six hours in order to save the building his salary for the ovor time would be 833, They claim that the legislature never lntendea such u plan of robbery. ATISFI ). TALK OF THE TROUBLE, Law Constitutional?—Big Pay for Firemen —Notes, The manufacturers of the city have some grave doubts about the constitutionality of the cight-hour law and a movement is now ou foot to have it tested at the earliest possi- 15 the ble date. A fund will bo subscribed and & case be tuken to the supreme court Their doubts are caused by this fact: On the old statute books thera 1sa law which provides that ten hours shull constitute a The new law provides that its in the Lockout of lavor, but the new law is without a ropealing clause, It is claimod that the two laws loaves the state being in the shape they a without any labor law Another point raised is that is clasa leislation and that it provides for town and city workmen chanics and artisans, but furn emoloyes and domestics are compelled to work for a3 many hours as their employers may dictato, Woild be Millon new law It the is invalid Firen n res., Mayor Cushing has dissceted the labor sit- ion, and as far as it applies to the five de rtment views it with considerable alarm Firemen are on duty twenty-four hours and if the eight hour law is applied to them and they araw their pay in strict accordance with its provisions, tho eity will bo bank- rupted. The state'law provides that for ad- ditional hours the pay will increase according to the rules of geometrical progression The mayor has fivared this out and finds that for the last hour ot each twenty-four ach fireman would receive the salary of $15,532.20, to say nothing of what the salary would be for the preceding hour: Will T At the Davis & Cowgill foundry whoro fifty men aro employed. all of the hands are working eight hours. The rule went into fol force toda Mr. Davis held a mi ing with his meu Sunday, and pleasantly discussed s ight dours, tho cight nour law. Some of the men want- od to work ten hours Lnder the old scale, but all agreed to try the cight hour plan for awhile. 1t may not be adopted perman astho men are inclined to tne bolief that eigiit hours work and cight hours pay will not eui ble them tosupport their familios. “Tho Grant Slagolithic compan itly, employ s twenty-fivo men. Yesterday morning Mr. Grant informed them that he would comply with the law and fron this time on eight hours and eight hours' pay would constitute a dnys’ work. Tho men protested and claimed that they could not earn money enough to support their familics The OId Schedule Goes. John I, Coots employs fifty men at his stone stone yards. Today they were notified that cight hours would bé a diy. They wanted to know ubout the pay und were informed that W they would be paid for the number of hours they worked. This settled the and nine hours go at the stone yards. No Strike at the Shops. A rumor was current on the streets noon vesterday that the men at the Union Pacific shops had struck, but a_tour of the shops furnished a substiutial denial of the report. Al the men were at work as usual und several of them who were spokeu to about the matter stated that they had heard noth- ing of n proposed strike. T. H. Daily, chief clerk in tho superinten- denv's oftico, said there had not been any in- timation of trouble. I'he men decided some time ago," said he, “that they would rather work nine and a half hours per day as long as possible, and they aro doing s0. If they want to work cight hours no one would object. They aro paid by the hour and want to earn as much as possible. ‘There have been no committeos to ask for e1eht hours or any other change, and no trouble is anticipated.” Elevat)r Boys Oateh the Fever, Tn some of the buildings in the city some of the elevator men and bovs, m order to be in it are catening the short hour fover. These men and boys are paid from £33 to £5 por month and work from ten to twelve hours. Nothing has been detormined, but still there is a fecline among tho boys to be on the side of short hours. matter about East Omaha's Situation While all the labor cxcitoment aud eight hour hue and cry 15 1n full blast in the heart of tho city, East Omaha is quietly pursuing the even tenor of her way, and when anyoue wants to know how it wili affect her, she simply throws ap both hands and solemaly affirnis that sho 1su’t in it. And indecd this seems to be the Everybody 15 wondering what the Carter White Lead works will do abont1t, and ad- vaneing theories as to what the result will be, but the Carter peopie go right along mak- ing hay and white lead with the greatest ap. parent unconcer and indifforence. Theyaro out of the world for the present at least and will not come back to earth until the supreme court is veady to locate them either in Towa or Nebraska, Their location and_the result it will have is the subject of much comment, and opinions are as numerous and as widely variance as could well bo the casi tion thit offers ample opportunity for careful investigation at the hands of people with a fair stock of time aud brains ut - their dispos: ase. Notes for the oilers. All members of the Machine Wood Workers union are requested to attend the regular meeting that will be held at Wolff's hall on Cuming street tonight, Important business will be transacted. Cady & Gray, manufacturers of sash, doors and biinds, have refused to nceept the' eight hour duy. They employ fifty hands, all of whom have signed contracts to work by the Lour and work ten hours a day. A Special meeting of the Central Labor union will be held at Gate City hall at 7:30 this evenng, to take action on the eight-hour law. Al delegates are roquested to be pr ent, GronGE SEnriNG, Seeretary. The report has gone out that the Central Labor union had hired a lnwyer to test the constitutionality of the eight-hour law. Mr. Soebring doncunces this as falsehood. Last night be stated that the union had not even consulted an attorney upon the question. The mills of John I, Coats are now running eight hour shifts and the men are all working likke beavers. Mr. Coats has complicd with tho provisions of the law” and has not nsked any of his men toenter in contracts to work cight or any other number of hours, OTHER LABOR TROUBLE Glucose uployes Given Notice Cut in Salaries. Burrato, N. Y., Aug. . —The statement was current on tho street this morning that the employes of the American glucoso com. pany’s works on Seott street have been noti- fied of a reduction of 10 per cont in sataries and wages which took effoct August 1 When scen by a reporter this morning Mr. William Hamlin, the treasurcr of the com- pany, corroborated the rumor and stated furtor that ouly those workmen who recerved i per day would bo subjected to sucha cut. And further conditious which rendered such a move necessary were over production of glu- cose in the country, active competition und tho high price of corn. Tho low price of sugar has not affectod the business in the slightest degree. Textile Faun River, that the Workers Conve Mass., Aug. #.--Tho second convention of the national union of textile workers bogan this morning. The conven tion will be devoted to the discussion of plans for & more thorough organization of textile workers throughout the country. ipt Senor la, tho Spanish republican, in an iuterview today denied that be was in any way implicated in the Barcolona affair. He said that he would do nothing without the certainty of success. Phe lutest report from Barcelona justifics the beliof thav the affair was a genuine lutionary uttempt ou the purt of tho repub Licans Business Lroubles, Bostox, Mass,, Aug. 3. —Samuel Lano, a veal estate opers Allston, Mass., has assigned. His liabilities are $300,000 ana assets §1,000,000. Inability to obtain ready cash was tho chiof cause of the assignment New Yousk, Aug. 8.--Abraham Backor, dealer in commercial paper, made an assigu- ment today without prefe, -~ Italians Killed i a Duel, Sr. Louis, Mo, Aug. 8.—Ant Jentles and Marento Kieto fought a duel with knives in East St, Louls today. Jeutles' body lies in the morgue, Both the killed and the Da1Ly BEE. OMAHA. TUESDAY MORNING, AUGU They % | slayer wero Italians, laws, and o th lived at S0; St. Louis, They went to K morning each with a bask ch being anxious (o ou v met during the conrsa the man whose basket w plained to the other about dolug him in a bus words the men went to a cant lot and there discar: weapons ana substituted kniy son of the dead man, who accompanied his father, being the only witness of the duel Jentles' slayer escaped. - NEWS FROM © brother-in rgan stroet, Z 't Louis this lemons and . the other. he day and s n t full cor tl ury ho was wal ftera few st W and va- words as s, The little MEXICO, Politics and G of the 1 Gossip Neighboring Republic, City oF Mexico, Aug. 3.—Mr. McWood, whose railrond concession has beon declavod forfeited by President Diaz for noncompli ance with contracts, now claims that he bribed various oMeinls, aud the latter have decided to bring the matter fnto the courts, ceusing MeWood of calumny The reports of fiuding groat Mouterey are false, Yellow fover is exte the hurbor of Vera Cruz troasures in ling tothe ships in Bl Tiewpo, newspaper, claims that the death of Mr. Baker, British consul at Vera Cruz, was caused by poison The work of putting up a fire alarm tele- reaph ifi this city hus commeneed The people of San Luis Potosi have nomi nated Joso Verastequez for governor in oppo sition o the Diaz and Guterrss families, one or another member of which has arbitravily ruled over the state over since Presidoit Diaz has been in office, and lively times arve expected at the election. The continuea preseuce here of ex-Prosi- dent Gonzales is considered ve signific Tho state of Jalisco has been in g financial difiiculties sinco the accossio Goneral Galvan to the governorship. He is i to favor the closing of the schools and favors all kinds of gambling. The state is also overrun by brigands, A German syndicate is trying to purchaso large traets of cofteo and rubber producing iunds in the state br Ohiapas IXxcitement over tho commg clection in Guatemala is very futenso, but 1o open rup- turo has yet occurrea. President Barillas will undoubtediy leave for Europe as soon as his termexpires. The coffee aud tobaceo crop promiscs to be abundant this year, PLEASED WITH THE PRESIDENT, ison's Views on the Cahensly Question Favored by the Pope. Ko, Aug. 3.—The recent interview be tween President Harriscn and - Cardmal Gibbons created intercst hero as an indica- tion of the importance in America of the Cahensly question. The pope, Cardinal Simeoni and the chiefs of the propaganda have been much impressed with tho declara- tions of the'president. Tho tributes of the American press to the wisdom of the pope’s decisions aro also groatly aporeciated, “The holy see sincercly regrets that the fricnds of Mr. Cahensly have spread a report that Rome placed the obstacles in the way of his schemes. I'rom the fiest the propaganda declared to Mr. Cabensly that the holy see would vever accede to tne demands of national bishops. Cardianl Simeoni and Mur. Pers- both assert that the Caheusly sehme will be accepted by the propagauda. ever,” they declare, “will it 1ecord such prerogatives o immizrants. Mr. Cabensly committed u grave imprudence. We cau never enter upon such u course.” - NE FAVORE ic never 2 Carey Rrothe's Pur-hase An Exten- rive Picce of that City's Proverty. Crevesse, Wyo., Aug. 8.—[Spocial Tele- gram to e Bek.| —Senator Carcy and his brother, R. Davis Carey, today bought the Cheyenno opera house block for $30,000, Tho property was owned by a stock company and has lately been allowed to lapse into a state borderini on dilapidation. The new owners will do some. thoroughly renovating the entire building and place it in first-class condition, no mat- ter what the cost may bo. The opera house auditorium will bo fitted up in first-class style so as to make it 1 every respect worthy of the town. rebuilding. - & FOIECAST. WEATHE For Omaha and Vicinity—Continued warm and fair weather, Wasmycroy, Aung, 8.—Forecast till 8 p. For (Minnesota and North nerally fair, followed by showers m. Thursday: Daltota Tuesday night: stationary temperature, ex- copt wirmer in eastern Miuzesota; winds generally southerly, For Nebraska and South Dakota—Con- tinued warm weathor; generally fair; south- erly winds. For Towa—Generally fair; warmer, except stationary temperature in extreme western portions ; southerly winds. For Missouri and Kansas coming soutnerly, and warme Pair winds, be- , with acon- sidorable raiso” in tomperature for eastern Missouri, For Colorado —Generally fair, except showers in the mountains in the northern portion in the evening: st ture; varisble winds, genel Curious Relic o Wounde | Kne W smiNGroy, Avg. 8. —Major John Van R Holf, post surgeon at Fort, Riley, Kan., has sent to the war department a battle-murked relic of the late campaign against the Tnd in South Dakota, It is an ambulance guido which has upon its field of white the sign of the Red Cross. According to the terms of the Geneya convention this cross, when properly displayed, is respected by all com- batants in civilize{ warfaro. There are more than a dozen holes iu the guide, made by the shots from the Indians’ weapons, and Major Hofl in his letter accompanying 1t oxpresses the opinion that the Genevi convention cuts no figure in Indin warfare, ‘The guide was one of thoso displayed in the Wounded Kneo fight Private Richard Costner ana Girdwood were grantod certific tautry displayed in this fight, as the fight av White Clay creck. tionary tempera- ally southorly. William os for gal- well s in Des SURASKA CITY, Nob., 3. —[Special Pelegram to Tuk Brr)-—J. Caston and S. Desmond wrestled at the Standard tonight for u wagzer of §0 a side. Tno hall was well filled. The match was that Desmond should throw Cason four times iu tive falls, Porter Hand ucted as referce. Desmond won the first fall intwenty-sevon minutes and the the second in nineteen minutes. Caston won the third fall in three minutes, but Dosmond took tho fourth und fifth in four and three minuses. as Fight Among Laborers, Cuanees, Lo, Aug. .—Yesterd & Co’s steam tramway an altereation between the men thore employed took place In which ten men were shot, six of whom were killed at once and one mortally wounded, 'Thie remaining three are seriously injured, but they may recover. The difficulty took place about two miles from here, and as v LAKE at Lock Moore the meuns of communication are very poor we have not been able to learn full particu- lars, but it is kuown to be the result of an old feud. e Alliance Will Not Fuse Toreks, Kan, Aug. n ot the plan outlined at the democratic conven tion in this (Shawuee) county to fuse with the farmers’ alliance in county politics, the democratic managers today approached the alliance people to arrange’ for such fusion, The latter ropelled the democratic advances. pursuance They said thoy were fighting both of the old partics and would fuse with nobody. They will vowinate a full ticket of their own o ol Dr. Fling Accepts the Chair Binoerokn, Me., Aug. #.--Dr. Fred M Fling of this city has received ice of his election to the chalr of European history in the university of sk and Wil assume his duties in Septewmber, NUMBER 47, BLOWN TO ATOMS. Terrible Effet of a Boiler, Explosion Near York ENGINEER KILLED AND FOUR OTHERS HURT Frightul Acoidont Ocourred While the Men wers Thresiing Grain, FIRE ADDED TO THE HORROR OF THE SCENE Much. Property Destroyed Boforo the Flames Wore Extinguished. MACHINERY TOSSED OVER TREE TOPS Corone s Investigation Disclosed Nothing of Value in Explaining the Awful Affare—Statements of the Witnesses, Yonk, Neb., Aug. 8. —[Special Telogram to Tue: Bee. | —This afternoon at 3:3) o'clock o threshing engine blew up whilo threshing grain at tho farm of Thomas O'Brien, six miles uorth of this city. The engincer, John MeCullougtly, was killed and four other persons wore wounded, The wjured are: James Houstos, inter- nally injured about the stomach, WitLias Teneey, hips and right elbow. Conxrrivs Kei, vight olbow broken Foikst Syiri, left shoulder, Tho separator and all the stacks of grain was fired by the explosion and complotely de- stroyed. The engine was Aultman & Taylor traction machine, belonging to Henry Poor and bad been run three years A few days ago it wus fired up for tho first timo this season and tested and had not been run sinco until today. The men had just commenced to thresh a small stack of rye and had only been running # tew minutes when the explosion oceurred, The ongine was standing seventy fect wost of tho sep- arator and the fues and main part of the boiler were thrown about ten fect north of ity 1o an landing sevonty-five foet from the engine. Anothier large pieco, weiching about four hundred pounds, was thrown over several tall trees and lunded over two nundred foot away. Force of the Explosion The force of tho explosion was and the engine was scattorod over in small pieces. Bngmeer McCulloughly was stanaing on the north side of his machine and had just started the pump. This is supposed to have caused the explosion. The boilor was dry and the cold stream of wator rapidly did the work. A small piece of iron struck the enineer just below the rignt ear, cutting the jugular vein. He was picked up on the spot where the front wheels of the engine formerly stood aud was gasping in the throes of death, which ensued betore he could be 1emoved to the house, only a few rods away McCullonghly was unmarried, about fifty- five years old and made his homo most of the time at Rising City. He was an old soldier and was with tho Second lowa boys. Ho claimed to have runan engine for twenty years, torrible, tho field Work of the Cor The wounded mon woro taken to the house and doctors soon had their wounds dressed. None of them are seriously hurt bat it is miraculous that only ono man was killed as soveral woro standing closo to the engina and wero knocked down by tho force of the explosion. Coroner Flock arrived at tho scone this evening and empanclod a jury who investizated the enginecr's doath. Testimony was introduceda indicating that the engincer had said that the stean guage would not regyster correctly unless he tappod it and that he could mot make the pump work this morning without working with it. The jury brought in a verdict to the effect thut John MeCulloughly camo to his death by the explosion of a threshing engine while doiug his duty as engmeor and that 1o one was to blame, e MES. BLAINE, JR., ANXIO Taking Measurcs to Soc Divorce Speedily. tovx s, S. D, Aug |Special am to Tuk Bre.]—Bver since Mrs. J Blaine, jr., has been in this city she has bourded, with her son, maid and nurse, as theleading hotel. Today, under the instruc- tions ot her attorney, who is prosecuting her cluim for divorce, she rented the Fleming cottage, located on Duluth avenue, the prin- cipal residence thoroughfare, 'I'his move is on the theory that boarding at the hotel does not perfect one’s residence, and if sho con- tinues at the botel the judge would refuse w0 uta decreo, Mrs. Blaina is anxious toget her separation pavers, and is willing 10 comply with the vequirements necossary o securo it. Miss Annie Nevins of Columbus, O., will arvive taday to spend the summer with her stster, Mrs. J. G. Blaine, jr. An O1d Cinzen Jailed. 10vx Fatis, S, D., Aug. 8, —|Spocial Tolo- gram to Tne Bre.]—Captain C. T, Jeffors deputy warden of the penitentiary, cantain of compuny B, South Dikota state guards, and a rosident of this city for a dozen years, has been sent 1o jail. The cirommatances are that on the night of Novewber 17, 1884, when the ratification of the election of 1. 1. Potti- grew us United States senator from South Dakota was in proj vess, Captain Jcffers, who is on Near whera causing u background auy one old soldier was firing the cannon. ho stood wus & grove, which prevented him from seeing who might attempt to pass. Miss Mugeic O'IRourke, & girl aged about thivtecn yoars, camo along the sidewulk in time to inve a small piece of skin knocked off her leg 0y tho explosion of the cannon, Sho brought fuit against Captain Jetfers and ex-Muyor Porter Pock for damages. The suit was roleased so far us Pock was cons cornod and judgment given against Joffors for 2,500, Mr. Jeffers s not peeuniarily able to pay and Miss O'Rourke’s attornoy has gone to the length of getting an execution agninst Mr. Jeffors’ person and ho will have to remain 1n jail for ton days at least. The community unites in the belief that the pro- ceeding {5 spite work and an outrake on Captain Jeffers. wong th Aug. social Tele- gram to T Br It hus boon discovered that diphtheria in its most malignant form i prevalent in the South Dakota hospital for the insane, located near this city. ‘There are 100 people in the institution and the groatest rosults. Six well dev- Dipthe YANKTON, a A N Insa ulurm is felt for the eloped cases are being treated but there is every cause for fear that tho scourge cannot be coufined 1o these. ‘Phe hospital has no sowerage connection, suve o huge coss pool on the premises and the accumulated rofuse of two years is deposited there sweltering in the August sun, ‘Tho hospital is under rigid quarantine aud attachos of it ave forbidden 10 visit the city - Queen of the Belgians Dying. | Bursseis, Aug. 3.—The queen of the Bel- | giaus bas been seizod with a sudden illuess aud is dying, The sacramentof extreme uugs tion has been udiministereg,