Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1906)
THE MORNING OREGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1906. 9 WHERE ME MEN WHO WANT WORK? Army of Laborers Is Needed in Harvest Fields, Mills , and Railroads. TOILERS 1N GREAT DEMAND Six to Eight Thousand Men Could 1'lnd Employment In Pacific Northwest at Good Wages, and Sobs Go Begging. WANTED MEN TO WORK. Wanted 4600 men to work on th. railroad construction now coins on In the Northwest. Wanted 2000 men to help harvest the grain crop of the state. Wanted 600 men In the logging camps and sawmills. Wanted 500 men to work on new buildings, sewer digging, electric line construction and other work In Port land. " From every part of the State of Oregon and the whole Northwest comes the cry tor harvest hands, railroad laborers and sawmill men. Never was the demand so Insistent and the response so inadequate. Employers of labor estimate that from WOO to 8000 laborers are needed today, tout where they are to come from no one tan answer. Railroad contractors are short of men. while the harvest fields are short-handed as welL Sawmill men are paying the highest wages in the history of the in dustry on this coast, $2.50 a day for green men who never saw a sawmill In their lives. Wages for common labor in the railroad camps were never so good as they are now. The common laborer is paid the eeneral wage of $2.25 a day by railroad contractors, while some camps offer $2.50 for 12 hours or the men can work 14 hours if they like and get $3 for the day's work. But In spite of these inducements men cannot be secured to nil up the empty railroad camps or round out the short handed harvesting crews. But this is not true because every Idle man is busy, for there are hundreds of men to be found in the North End any day, watch ing the electric fans spin at Erlckson's or Blazler's or loafing comfortably in the City Park or plaza blocks, while the industrial interests of the state are clam oring for them. Prefer Loafing to Work. Instead of making hay while the sun shines these men prefer to loiter, secure In the knowledge that whenever their last nickel is gone their services will be in demand and they can go to work again at good wages. If all the idle men would enlist in the army of workers and stick wild their jobs as long as they lasted, the scarcity of labor that is now keenly felt would soon be forgotten. "No matter what conditions have pre viously exlsteoV said C. R. Hansen, em ployment agent, "the situation today is such that-any able-bodied man may . se cure work at good wages and be pro vided with good, wholesome board and accommodations. "Many men are now Idle by preference. If these men would go to work It would help the situation a great deal. "The Northern Pacilic has shipped In tt great many men from Minnesota with out exacting a nickel from them for fare. It was agreed that these men should go to work on railroad construction, but many of them have drifted into other occupations, such as logging, and saw mill work. Of the vast army shipped in In this way. few have remained with lailroad work and the movement has done but little good for the railroads. "Although these men have been assim ilated by the other industries of the Northwest,- they are but as a drop in the bucket. However, these men will be likely to get back into railroad work with the approach of Winter, when the logging camps shut down." Kail roads Xecd Men. The Harrlman lines In the state are in need of GOO men for betterment work, while 300 more could be used to good ad vantage on bridge and concrete work. This number is needed by the maintain ance department, exclusive of the large amount of. new construction now going on. A thousand men are wanted on the Lewlston-Riparia line, which Is being built Jointly by the O. R. & N. and the Northern Pacific. The contractors on the Elgin branch of the O. R. & N. want from 400 to 600 men. while 500 more are needed by the Harrlman lines' alone be tween Portland and Kastern Oregon at intermediate points. It is estimated conservatively that the Js'orth Bank road, now undergoing con struction by the Portland and Seattle Railway, needs from 1500 to 3000 men. The Klamath irrigation work is also re ported to be short-handed. Erickson & Petterson, probably the largest employers of common labor In the state at tills time, now have the construction of i:!S miles of railroad under way1. The Pacific Coast Construction Company, of which H. S. Huson is pres ident and general manager, also has a large amount of work In hand for the O. R. & N. at various points, and the company is Just commencing the rebuild ing of the main line of the O. R. & N. from Troutilale to Bonneville. Sidney Smith, of the firm of Smith & Jones. Is working on the Columbia Val ley Railroad and needs men to fill up his camps. George McCabe. who is com pleting the Blgin extension of the O. R. N.. has had continual difficulty in securing men enough to do the work and he paid the record price for common la bor, $2.50 a day, in order to complete Ills contract. These men. as well as contractors in other lines, report that work has been retarded because men could not be se cured In large enough numbers. The con stant shifting of the men I commented upon by employers. After a short time spent In one camp the men wander off to other work or to spend a long vaca tion In idleness. Harvest Fields Short or Hands. F"rom the harvest fields comes a call for men. It Is estimated that at least 2000 hands are needed to gather the grain crops. So severe ly the shortage that it Is reported from "Walla Walla that a family of society girls took charge of heir father's teams to help him gather his wheat crop. Within the city limits there Is plenty of work. Contractors who are putting up new buildings In the business district have difficulty in keeping full crews and signs are noticed on the work stating that men are needed. The streetcar lines that are being built about the city need more laborers, as well as the contractors who are putting down sewers and build ing streets. The shortage of common labor that was reported several months prior to the Lewis and Clark Exposition has appar ently continued unabated, although the situation has now reached an acute stage. It is likely that the new railroad work constantly being opened up will cause this condition to continue, possibly all Winter and another Summer. The Coos Bay extension t the Southern Pacinc, the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul ex- tentlon to the coast, the extension of tne Hammond lines in the bpnng, to gether with the continued activity in the lumber trade, promise- to keep an army of men busy for months to come. WORK IX FIELDS OR GO TO JAIL Stringent Vagrancy Law Is Revived In Inland Empire. SPOKANE. Wash., July 31. (Special.) Idlers In Southern Washington must either enter the harvest field or go to Jail. The old "blue law" of New England that "he who will not work shall not eat," has been revived throughout the wheat belt of this state and Northern Washing ton, at the instance of farmers, whose chagrin upon having an offer of $3 a day and board rejected by a man who was apparently nothing more than a loafer, must be appeased. Accordingly, the Town Councils of Pull man, Colfax, Garfield, Pomeroy, Palouse and a half-dozen other towns, have ren dered It possible to Inflict double penalty for vagrancy, a fine and Jail, sentence of 30 days being Imposed and the prisoner required to work on a specially provided rockpile in the broiling sun. The defini tion of the term "vagrancy" has been en larged in Its application in the wheat belt until it practically devolves upon the ac cused to show that he has some means of support Involving some physical effort on his part, for. If it not . "visible" to the police magistrate, the prisoner will surely be held for vagrancy. The demand for help Is almost a tragedy in some localities. Farmers, realizing that their crop will be practically ruined should it not be harvested within a brief time, make frantic appeals to any man or woman capable of wielding a pitchfork. They offer from $2 to $3 a day and board and stipulate readily that the quality of the board shall rival that at Delmonico's, and the "hired man" can have the best bed in the house for the asking. J. N.TEALWILLIKVESTIEATE GOES TO SAX FRAXCISCO TO FIXU CAUSE OF CONGESTION". With W. A. Mears He Will Also Re port on the Inadequate Har rlman Steamship Service. The transportation committee of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday de cided on a practical move to get at the reasons for the prevailing f-eight con gestion between Portland and San Francisco and the unusually Inadequate steamship service now given between these two ports. J. N. Teal will go to San Francisco as the personal repre sentative of the chamber with the idea of making a complete investigation Into the causes of tne transportation dif ficulty. With him in this work will be associated W. A. Mears, who is on his way to Hawaii. Mr. Mears is now in the Bay City and he will delay there long: enough to go into the rail and water transportation problem jointly with Mi1. Teal, so that they can make an ade quate report to the chamber on the causes for the neglect Portland is get ting by the Harriman Interests. A communication was received yes terday by the board of trustees of the chamber from the Alaska Short Line Railroad asking assistance in promot ing a direct steamship service between Portland- and Alaska. The proposed Alaska railroad will have for its term inals Thlamna Bay on the Coast and Anvlk on the Yukon in the Interior. The promoters of the road are anxious to secure an outlet for their road by way of steamship to Portland. The mat ter was referred to the chamber com mittee on Alaska steamship service. Edward Newbcgin, chairman of a special committee, appointed some time ago to propose subjects for discussion at the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, which will be held at Kansas City in November reported that the fol lowing subjects are of vital Interest to Oregon and could be profitably taken up by the congress: "Opening of Rivers and Harbors Generally Alonar the Coast." "Preservation of Forests." "Ir rigation." "Isthmian Canal." The following 17 new members were admitted to membership In the cham ber: J. E. Shears, Laeey Bros'. Packing Company, Matson Navigation Company, Crescent Paper Company, Charles H. Carey, Wise Bros., Arthur A. Green, Williams & Beggs, Portland Machinery Company. S. H. Friedlander, S. S. Sigel. Max Smith. Clarke Bros.. M. Siclicl. C. P. Bishop, Mike Jacob & Co., C. M. Mc Dowell. ST. JOHNS COUNCIL MEETS Business Men's Petition Urges the Granting of Telephone Franchise. At the meeting of the St. Johns Council last night that body was con fronted with a petition from the busi ness men of St. Johns demanding that a franchise be given the Pacific States Telephone Company, In accordance with its ordinance as submitted several weeks ago. This petlclon was a long one and was presented by a representa tive of the telephone company. Indi cating the wishes of the people that the service be improved. The ordi nance submitted provides that the company shall have a franchise for 21 years, and that Its total payments for that time shall be $1700, the first pay ment to be made after ten years. It also gives the city free telephones. The petition was laid over until the next meeting of the Council. In the meantime the petition will be further circulated among: the people of St. Johns, and the representative of the company said that practically all the business could and would be secured. The license of Cedar Park was re voked. The park was opened for busi ness last Sunday, notwithstanding the license had been declared revoked be fore. Councilman Hewitt made a flghc against renewal and won. It was decided to license merry-go-rounds at the rate of $30 a week, and circusses at $50 a day. The City Engi neer's estimates for the improvement of Philadelphia street were received and a resolution for its improvement from Jersey street to the river will be submitted at the next meeting. The City Attorney was Instructed to draw an ordinance regulating the post ing of bills and submit the same at the next meeting. 'POTTER IX SERVICE. Popular O. R. X. Excuntlon Boat Re sumes Trips to Beach. The T. J. Potter leaves Ash-street dock for North Beach, touching at Astoria, as follows: August 4. 1:30 P. M. : August 7, 6:40 A. M. : August 9. 8 A. M.: August 11, 11 A. M. From Ilwaco: August 5. 10 P. M. : Au gust S. 12:01 noon: August 10, 1:30 P. M.; August 12. 6 P. M. Tickets at Third and Washington streets and at Ash-street dock. Meals may be secured on the boat- Women, from their sedentary habits, are often subject to headache and consti pation. These are quickly removed by Carter's Little Liver PI 11a, CITY EMPLOYES ARE REAPPOINTED Executive Board Allays Appre hension of 177 Office Holders. POSITIONS ILLEGALY HELD Appointments Are Made for One Month Dozen Inefficient Em ployes May Be AVceded Out Later Bruin to Appeal. Apprehension on the part of the 177 employes of the city affected by the decision handed down by Judge Frazer in the Bruin case has given way to a feeling of security as yesterday the ex ecutive board appointed all the illegal appointees to the respective positions which they have been filling. The execu tive board also approved the payrolls, and the employes will receive their monthly compensation just the same as they did before Judge Frazer began to make history for the City of Officialdom. The appointments are for a month and the officials have still reason to feel uneasy, as there are some few who relationship with the city will be short lived. Old men in the service who are capa ble and who have been faithful in the performance of their duties, need have no fear If they cannot again take the civil service examination under the pres ent age limit, as the members of the executive board are determined to pro tect them. It is the intention of the board 'to have the age limit raised by a special dispensation rather than to al low old employes to suffer. Only those who are now employed will be permitted to take advantage of the lifting of the age limit, which -will be but temporary. There are 23 employes of the Police De partment alone who could be prevented' from entering the service again unless special provision is made. Bruin Will Appeal. While not deflnTte, it is believed that Captain Bruin will appeal the decision of Judge Frazer to the Supreme Court to have the matter settled for good and all. If the Circuit Court is sustained, then all of the 177 positions will have to be filled by permanent appointments, ac complishment of which will consume months, as there are no elisribles upon the lists of the Civil Service Commission. Incompetent employes who have met with administrative disapproval will be weeded out and there is no telling how extensive these changes will be. The employes will not be called . upon to raise a fund to have the Bruin case ap pealed tO"the Supreme Court, but It has been suggested that the members of the executive board stand the expense. The action of the executive board yes terday in making the appointments was done simply as a precaution. If the case is appealed to the Supreme Court and the decision of Judge Frazer is set aside, no harm will have been done and until something definite was 'accom plished, the members of the boaru thought it advisable to make temporary appointments. Thomas G. Greene strong ly advocated that this course bo pursued. "If the decision is accepted as . final these men are out of positions," declared Muskegon -Avenue, Muskegon, MiclL Paved With Bituminous Ma cadam. Laid Four Years Ago by the Barber Asphalt Co. PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS FOR ALL THOROUGHFARES IN THE BEST RESIDENCE DISTRICTS OF PORTLAND should be encouraged by Portland people. An improvement that must be renewed every few years is at best but a Makeshift. A permanent street improvement . stands for efficiency, beauty and economy - OFFICE 425 WORCESTER BLOCK. OSKAR HUBER, Manager Mr. Greene, when the subject had been brought up by Mayor Lane, who called upon the members of the board for sug gestions as to how to unravel the tangle. "We didn't bring about this dilemma, but it' an uncomfortable condition which con fronts us. If the clerk of the commission ever certifies to the Auditor the names of the employes who are not entitled to their positions we would all be personally re sponsible if we approved the payroll." "It will never be settled until it has been before the Supreme Court," said the Mayor. Bruin Doesn't Care. "Captain Bruin may appeal," replied Mr. Greene, who is Bruin's attorney. "Personally, he doesn't care much. He would just as soon undergo another ex amination and take his chances with the others. I would be opposed to raising money among the employes to meet the expenses of an appeal, and if an appeal is taken we should be able to raise all that is necessary among ourselves." - The members of the Executive Board threshed the matter over for about two hours, and then the resolution making the appointments was passed by a unani mous vote. The members of the board will decide among themselves whether or not the Bruin case is to be appealed, but it is the belief that it will be done. It may be that by the first of next month some of the employes with whom there Is dissatisfaction will be without po sitions. Just before the resolution was passed yesterday making the appoint ments Mr. Greene asked what about those whose services had not been all that was desired. It was stated by other members that It would take some time for the heads JULY'S MARRIAGE LICENSE RECORD. The demand for marriage licenses was fairly active during July, but the supply of the documents available prevented any corner on the market. Aside from the fact that 41 per cent of the grooms and 34 per cent of the brides had passed the age of 30 years there was nothing to distinguish tne marriage license record for July. 1000. from that of previous Julys. In the month Just closed-. 153 licenses were issued. One year ago that number was exceeded by one. But last year the Fair was on and many of those who took out licenses to wed came from distant states. This year the blotter names but three persons out side of Oregon who came "here to be married. One hundred and nineteen licenses were Issued In July, 1904. of the departments to decide who are to go and the matter was deferred. But next month. If temporary appointments are made again some of these 177 will not be reappointed and others will take their places. Fire Hose Contracts Discussed. Mayor Lane discussed with the members of the board the awarding of the con tracts for the fire hose by the Fire Com missioners. He said the actions of the Commissioners had been governed solely upon their belief as to the merits of the different kinds of hose, and that there was uo favoritism whatever. He exhibit ed samples, which were carefully exam ined by the members of the board, who appeared to be satisfied with the award ing of the contracts. Battalion Chief Young said that the brand of hose select ed was. In his opinion, the best, and told of a test that had been made by the fire department which he said proved that the Keystone hose'was the most suitable. D. A. Pattullo moved that a resolution be passed indorsing the action of the Fire Commissioners, but Mayor Lane, aft er It had been seconded and was about to be put to a vote, requested that nothing be done about it. saying that he had only wanted to ask the advice and to ascertain the feeling of the members of the board as regards the awarding of the contracts. Acknowledged to Be the WORK STOPPED ON NEW PHONE LINES Electrical Workers Tie Up Con struction of Home System. DISPUTE OVER CONTRACT Men Want Company to Sign Agree ment to Govern Wages and Working Conditions When Operation Begins. A strike among the electrical workers of the Home Telephone Company was declared yesterday and work on the con struction of buildings and lines is at a standstill. " The strike is under the di rection of C. A. Elmore, vice-president of the International Brotherhood of Elec trical Workers. The Home Telephone Company Ls em ploying no labor at present, having let the contract for the erection of buildings and the construction of lines to the Em pire Electric Company. The Empire Com pany has entered into a contract with the men which Is satisfactory so far as the present ls concerned, but as the con tract expires as soon as the construc tion is completed the men are demand ing a contract from the Home Telephone Company ao well, which shall continue indefinitely. This the company refuses to grant. Mr. Elmore, in speaking of the demands of the union, said: "When the Home Telephone Company wanted a franchise the labor organiza tions were asked to assist it. the promise being given that the company would abide by union conditions. The union gave its support and the franchise was secured. "The union then askc8 the company to draw up articles of agreement giving line men $3.50. cable splicers $4.50. and inside wlremen $4 per day. The Empire Com pany gave the linemen an agreement for $3.50 per day. but the telephone com pany held aloof from all agreements. "The Home Telephone Company ig in terested In various companies and we have had much trouble in finding out Just whom we must d?al with, but we have finally decided that Charles E. Sumner Is the man, for he is president of several of these companies. "Our contract is good for the period of construction, but we have reason to be llve that the provisions of the agree ment will be violated as soon as the line and exchanges are completed. By striking now we hope to force a con tract embodying the principles of the 'Oakland' agreement, which provides for an eight-hour day at the wages men tioned, and thus eliminate further trou ble which would be sure to come under existing conditions as soon as the con struction work is completed. "We waited on Mr. Sumner last Friday and he replied that he would be ready to talk business to us in six or eight months. As representatives or the North west Councils were with him we gave him until Saturday to consider. His re ply was the same. Then we notified him that we would strike yesterday. "Mr. Sumner ls techlncal In his ad vances, stating that if he hired one union man according to union ' schedules he would be fulfilling his Seattle agreement Finest Bituminous BEAT FALL BIGELOW We have just received a shipment of Bigelow Ruga in various grades and sizes, including 9x12 Bagdad Wiltons and Wellington Wiltons 8.3x10.6 Arlington Axminsters And Small Rug in All Grade The Bigelow name is the highest guarantee of artistic and material excellence. The new designs and color ings are especially handsome and harmonious. .G.MACK&CO. Exclusive Carpet House 86-88 THIRD STREET XH1L METSCHAN". President and Manager, Seventh and Washington European Flan to employ union men. but so far he has not employed even one union mar.." Mr. Sumner, when asked about the sit uation, said: "At present the company Is employ ing no labor. The contract for the ex changes and construction of lines has been let to the Empire Electric Company and until Its work ls completed and the exchanges and lines turned over to us we have no plant. "The union has asked us to make a contract now for the period after the lines are completed, but we cannot fix a schedule of wages some six or eight months In advance of the time when service is to begin. By that time labor may be higher or It may be lower than it is at present and a scale of wages ad justed now would be unsatisfactory at that time. It is understood that the men are to have fair treatment and when one plant ls ready for operation the men will find us ready to treat with them." Costly Blaze at Buffalo. BUFFALO. July 31. The plant of the Montgomery Bros. & Co.'s planing mill and box factory on Court street was par tially destroyed by fire early today, caus ing alOMeMtrnatedat$170100 I s - ... yO TT H Paved Street in America Just Write to Muskegon and See What the People There Think of This Pavement. ARRIVALS U IjtO Exclusive Carpet House Streets. Portland, Orecon. - - - - $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 psr Day. Pierce Automobile Company occupied the top floor, where they manufactured the wooden frames for their cars. They es timate their loss at $100,000. POLICEMEN AIDING BRUIN Members of Force Contribute 7 5 C'enls Kach for His. Appeal. To help Caj)taln Bruin fight his case in the Supreme Court on the appeal of the Mayor from the decision rendered last week by Judge Frazer, all police men are signing a petition making; a contribution of 75 cents each. The money contributed will be used not only for the use of the captain but will also be used In case other policemen are removed from the force as a result of Judge Frazer's decision. Publishing Company Insolvent. CINCINNATI. July 31. On applica tion of local creditors, the "Men and Women" Publishing Company was placed In the hands of a receiver today.