SHOUTING AMAZONS

WOMEN EMULATE THEIR BRETHREN AND GO ON STRIKE.

Hundreds of Them Quit Work and Parade the Streets Amid Much Enthusiasm--How the Day Was Spent in Various Parts of the City Where Labor Troubles Exist--Concessions Made by the Brewers--City Streets Left Impassable by Dissatisfied Workmen.

Between 300 and 400 girls and women were affected with a malignant form of the eight-hour malady yesterday morning. An hour before noon a number of them who have been employed in the tailor shops about Division and Sedgwick streets gathered together, formed into a procession, and marched around to the different establishments, calling on those at work to join them. A number responded by dropping their needles, marching out, and joining the ranks. As the women marched down Division street they were joined by about 150 men, mainly fellow employés. Amongst the shops first emptied were those of Younger & Nelson and Johnson & Lindsten, the employés of which dropped work instanter at the signal given. The ranks were composed of women whose exterior denoted incessant toil, the in many instances worn faces and threadbare clothing bearing evidence of a struggle for an uncomfortable existence. As the procession moved along the girls shouted and sang and laughed in a whirlwind of exuberance that did not lessen with the distance traveled. Several hundred men followed the procession, which was led by two tall Bohemians, armed, respectively, with an ax and mailer, and cheered the women on. As each store was reached it was entered by a body of the processionists, who urged those at work to quit their duties—the request being in most cases complied with. At the corner of Hobbie and Wesson streets is a large brick building in which there are situated shops kept by tailors named Lincross, Peterson, Olson, Johnson, Lungcrist, and Liebach. Nearly a hundred women dropped their work and joined the procession here, and at Jungrine & Nelson’s, on Elm and Larrabee streets, there was a fresh accession to the ranks. Eevent112 Additions to the procession were also made at Frank Zongstas’ and Frank Lindsten’s, Nos. 81 and 83 Elm street, and at Blomgern Bros.’ Shops on Sedgwick street. Garrisons of women were left at almost every corner to buttonhole others and induce them to join the movement. After thirty shops had been emptied on the North Side a part of the procession crossed the river and paraded the principal South Side thoroughfares, preceded by a brass band. Employers accounted for the unanimity of the exodus by the explanation that they had advised their employés to quit until quieter days should dawn, and then closed their places of business. Banners bearing the device, “Hurrah for the Eight-Hour Day,” and kindred ones, explained the object of demonstration.

There was no resistance found at any point except Johnson & Lindsten’s, where the proprietors refused to shut down the engines running sewing-machines. Their women, to the number of 120, were all eager to quit, as were many of the men, but the leaders of the procession were not allowed to enter the building. The two stalwart Bohemians quickly stepped toward the engine-room in the basement, declaring their intention of breaking the machinery if it was not shut down. The machinery stopped, and the girls walked out of the shop in a body.

These women all work by the piece, and ten hours’ work a day in close, hot rooms is said to yield them from $3 to $5.50 a week. They claim that the strike is for shorter hours and better pay. Their employers have no organization, but all agreed that they will do anything the rest will. When questioned about the advance in pay the plea was that if the wholesale clothiers would advance the prices on contracts they would pass the raise onto their help.

Three meetings of the striking tailors and tailoresses were held yesterday for the purpose of getting the signatures of those who favored forming an assembly of the Knights of Labor. The first meeting was held at No. 99 West Randolph street, where fifty girls and 150 men signified their intention to join the organization by enrolling themselves as charter members. At the second meeting at No. 120 West Lake street 200 girls joined the new organization. Last night a small hall in the rear of a saloon at No. 156 Clybourn avenue was crowded with an eager throng of tired working girls, with a sprinkling of male leaders, all talking at once in an earnest way about the strike. “No, we’ll never give in, ” was the emphatic declaration of a little maid with a womanish face, “never, never until we get our demand. We want eight hours’ work with ten hours’ pay, which means a fair advance. Why, all the tailor girls on the North, West, and South Sides are in this thing with us. We’ll show ‘em, you’ll see.” The last declaration was uttered with a decisive toss of her head and a stamp of her foot.

“We are not red-flag or Socialistic people, and we have no use for Spies or the Arbeiter Zeitung,” said the man who was acting as organizer. “We simply asked our bosses, who themselves are organizing tonight at No. 105 Wells street, to assist us in a movement for the bettering of our lowly condition. It would have made your heart ache to see the abuses we discovered this morning in going among the shops where young girls are employed. Some of them had to be pulled out of dark and nasty basements where they work by gaslight with never a breath of fresh air. It was sickening.”

This man said many of the shops were well lighted, notwithstanding the bad and unhealthy condition of a few. He was surprised that the health officers did not look into the matter. Little girls 14 years old or younger were found at work in some of the shops pulling basting-threads. These were mostly the children of ignorant parents, who did not believe in schools. The wages of these children ranged from 75 cents to $1 per week. First hands at machine work received from $5 to $6 per week, and occasionally $7. They worked from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with one hour for dinner. All of those out on the strike had declared their intention to hold out until their demands were acceded to. The “bosses” would make the same demand—ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work—but they would start a separate assembly of the Knights of Labor. Piece work would, by the new scale, be based on the reduced day basis. The next meeting will be held at No. 120 West Lake street next Wednesday night.

The Lumbermen.

Mr. Van Schaick, Chairman of the Lumbermen’s Committee, said yesterday morning that his committee, which had been increased to fifteen, would meet at 3 p.m. today to confer with the committee of the lumbermen’s employés, who were to hold a meeting for the purpose of formulating their demands. Mr. Van Schaick said further that the lumber-handlers had assembled at the various lumberyards in the city yesterday morning in accordance with their circular published Friday last, and had in each case received the following circular issued by his committee:

CHICAGO—M ay 1, 1886.—If you are able to make arrangements with your men to work ten hours at wages of the last year the Lumbermen’s Committee advise it.

Should any labor committee call on you, state as above and refer to them to the Executive Committee of the lumbermen.

He then told THE TRIBUNE reporter that the report of an alleged interview with him printed in a morning paper had no foundation in fact; that he had not seen no reporter after the Saturday afternoon meeting of his committee except THE TRIBUNE reporter, and that he did not entertain the sentiments attributed to him in the objectionable report. He said that he had too much respect for the lumber-handlers to believe or even think that they would resort to incendiary measures, but he did not blame the owners of vessels for taking precautions against possible damage by fire to their vessels, which, in many instances, comprised their all in all. He further denied explicitly that he had any fear or expectation of violence, and said that he had not seen Chief Ebersold, and that he did not even know him by sight and hoped he would never have any occasion to make his acquaintance officially.

There is no extra force or guard at the lumberyards, and no police or other protection had been asked for by the committee. It is the opinion of the committee and the general desire of the lumbermen to take back the men now out on strike who understand the handling of lumber rather than to employ new hands, and Mr. Van Schaick had not intimated anything to the contrary.

Concessions by the Brewers.

The Brewers’ Association met at the Metropolitan Block yesterday with a committee of the International Brewers’ & Maltsters’ Union No. 1, John H. McAvoy presiding. The demands of the union and the reply of the brewers, as published in yesterday’s TRIBUNE, were gone over at length and in detail. The brewers conceded the demand that that then hours should constitute a working day, but made it four hours Sundays instead of three hours, as demanded. The advance of wages was granted, which amounts to $5 a month. They agreed not to employ more than one apprentice to every twenty brewers and not to exercise any pressure on their employés in regard to their boarding places. The demand for free beer for all the employés was modified somewhat. The employers limited the amount for each individual to fifteen glasses a day—that is, the hours for drinking were fixed at 6, 9, 11, 2, and 4 with a limit to three glasses every time. Every maltster was given one day off each month. The demand that none but union men be employed was granted, but the addition that the union should be recognized as an organization, and that the Controlling Committee should have access to the breweries for the purpose of controlling the men, was stricken out. The last demand, that recommendations of saloonkeepers in regard to the employment of men should not be considered at all, while the foreman was granted the right to employ and discharge the men, was conceded, the word “saloonkeeper” being replaced by “outsiders.” The only material concessions are the advance of $5 a month and the employment of union men. All the other concessions imply no change.

The committee of the union expressed itself as satisfied with the concessions, and thought the union would adopt the agreement.

The principle consideration that induced the brewers to give in was their fear that the Milwaukee brewers might concede the demands of their men first and thus be enabled to import cheap and raise a cry for Milwaukee beer instead of Chicago.

The Brewers’ and Maltsters’ Union No. 1 met at North Side Turner Hall last night. The special committee reported its conference with the Brewers’ Association of the afternoon. It was received with cheers and unanimously accepted. The men will continue to work at the conditions agreed on with the employers. The men all expressed satisfaction at the settlement arrived at. They appointed a committee of three to go to Milwaukee and organize the trade there for the purpose of obtaining similar concessions from the Milwaukee brewers. If the latter refuse to grant their demand it is intended to boycott Milwaukee beer in Chicago.

Work Stopped on City Streets.

About 100 men employed by the Equitable Gas Company to put in their mains struck Saturday because a demand for ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work was not conceded. The strikers were on hand yesterday morning, and most of those on Dearborn street were about to go to work, when one shouted, “Don’t do it, boys; if you do, you are gone.” All therefore refused to go into the ditch which had been dug. The company offered to pay the men what they asked if they would fill up the ditch, and some of them threw dirt into a part of it near Madison street and then knocked off, having concluded that, if they continued, the company would lay them off when the work was finished. Inspector Long, who represents the city, tried to get them to put Dearborn street in passable condition, but they wouldn’t. The men loafed around the vicinity all day in order to prevent others from taking their places. Most of them were willing to go to work, but they said they dared not do so, as the laborers’ union had ordered them to strike. Engineer Williams had a conference with Acting Commissioner Purdy in the afternoon, and it resulted in an agreement that if the company couldn’t get men to fill the ditches and make the streets passable the city would do it and charge the expense to the company. A committee of the men had a talk with the officers, but no progress has yet been made toward a settlement. Dearborn street, north of Madison, and a good part of Lake street and several other streets downtown are torn up and in an impassable condition. Acting Commissioner Purdy says they cannot remain so, and if the strike is not over in a day or two the city will put its men to work and fill up the ditches and restore the granit pavement.

A Socialist’s View of It All.

“We are very well satisfied at the progress made,” said a leading Socialist. “This is a big city, and men at work are afraid that their places may be filled by others brought in from the outside. A good many retain their places on that account. They are afraid to come out. Chicago was the best place in the country to start to movement, and we expect it to spread all over the country. It is to the interest of the bosses to give in, and they have got to do it. Wages have been going down for the last five years, and there must be a raise all over. Only a few trades are satisfied with their wages. There will be no trouble unless an attempt is made to fill the places of strikers. The railroads will have to yield. They have too much at stake, and can’t afford to be idle. Assembly No. 1,307 of the Knights of Labor, which is made up of different trades, and is the most radical assembly in Chicago, will hold a meeting some time this week and make a strong effort to bring out the English-speaking crowd, who have been holding back awaiting developments, and get them to ask for higher wages and eight hours’ work.”

Furniture Men Stand Firm.

The Parlor Furniture Manufacturers’ Association met yesterday afternoon at the Leland Hotel. Ketcham, Rothschild & Co., C. C. Holton, Copp & Hareneber, Keck, Burnham & Hansen, and fifteen other firms were represented. The Executive Committee was authorized to take steps for the importation of non-union upholsterers from other States and from Canada. The men will be paid from $2.50 to $3.50 a day. The association bound itself to furnish any member with financial aid, if necessary, during the strike. The works of A. H. Andrews Furniture Company, which closed Saturday, have not been opened. Mr. Andrews stated yesterday they the men may return to work any day at the old terms, but that no concessions will be made.

At the Wood-Working Factories

In the planing-mill section of the lumber district the day was as quiet as last Saturday, with the exception that Twenty-second street and the adjoining side streets were swarming with strikers and locked-out men. In a few sash, door, and blind shops the men attempted to work, but were prevented by the men who could not get work. The strikers generally occupied themselves in the pleasant occupation of “rushing the can” for bock beer.

The boxmakers have decided to aid the millhands, as the latter are the Knights of Labor, and will not return until they do.

At E. P. Wilce’s sash, door, and blind factory on Throop street, although the firm had conceded the demands of the men, no one went to work, presumably on account of general disinclination. Palmer & Fuller, also sash, door, and blind manufacturers, offered their employés nine hour’s pay for the reduced time, but the men refused it, saying nothing but ten hours’ pay would induce them to return.

S. B. Barker & Co. did not start up yesterday, for, although they had offered their men what they asked, the work depended on the running of the planing-mill of O. D. Wetherell. The latter has left his affairs with the other millowners in the hands of their committee. Mr. Barker said he had received news that his four mills in Grand Haven had shut down.

Rossman & Roeder, sash, door, and blinds, started in yesterday on the ten-hours-pay-for-eight-hours-work plan, but their work was interrupted by strikers and they had to shut down.

The Hintze & Baker Company started up their sash, door, and blind factory, but had to shut down when the crowd came around. He compromised on nine hours’ pay, and his men were all willing to go to work but afraid.

Stock-yards Employes Gain Their Point.

At a meeting of the packers, held yesterday afternoon at the Pacific, where the leading firms were represented, Samuel Allerton presiding, the question of work and pay was discussed. All of the representatives agreed that it was expedient to try the experiment of paying the men the full rate of wages heretofore given for ten hours’ work. It had been represented to them that many of the workmen at the yards who had been receiving $1.75 per day still drew the same wages while working only ten hours. This was one of the chief reasons why the same demand was made upon the packers. It was therefore announced late in the afternoon at Armour’s, Fairbank’s, and other houses that ten hours’ wages would be paid. At the meeting at the Grand Pacific a set of resolutions was adopted expressing the sense of the packers present. Mr. Cudahy of Armour’s packing-house said that the resolutions were merely that each man should conduct his own business as he chose. There was no agreement, he said, to adopt any particular scale of payment. He admitted, however, that no one opposed the payment of ten hours’ wages for eight hours’ work. The new system takes effect at once. It is likely that in a short time the scale of prices will be remodeled.

About 3,000 men, employed in G. F. Swift & Co.’s, J. C. Hately, R. D. Fowler, John M. Scovell, and Nelson Udom’s packing-houses, struck for a decrease in hours and an increase of pay yesterday The strike was unexpected. G. F. Swift & Co. Sunday posted notices in the offices giving the men nine hours’ pay for eight hours’ work, but before the whistles blew the notices were torn down. The butchers in Swift’s employ on arriving did not know that a strike had been inaugurated, and at once went to work. In the old Swift house eighteen head of cattle had been “knocked” when fully 500 strikers rushed in and compelled them to quit work. Edward Harper and William Mathison were as once appointed a committee to wait on Superintendent Foster, who proposed nice hours’ pay for eight hours’ work. The committee accepted the proposition and the assembled mob howled its disapproval and demanded ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work. Foster told the men to consider the proposition, and he at once withdrew. In the C. and D. house forty-three head of cattle were “knocked” by the butchers, when the strikers, howling for an increase of pay, entered the place and made the men desist. The strikers from Swift’s, then numbering fully 1,800 men, rushed to Frederick’s Hall, Forty-third street and Ashland avenue, where they held a meeting. A member of a Bohemian organization having waved a red flag round his head, he was set upon, soundly thrashed, and ejected from the hall. A committee was appointed to wait on Armour’s butchers, but got to the packing-house just in time to see them accept Mr. Cudahy’s proposition. A conference with Mr. Swift was without result.
Eighteen hundred of R. D. Fowler’s men accepted a proposition of nine hours’ pay and eight hours’ work, and returned to work. The other small houses held out. It was arranged to discuss the matter at meetings last night, but about noon Mr. Swift informed the men that he would give ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work, and the men accepted the proposition. Nelson Morris followed with a similar proposition and soon after all the men were at work as if nothing happened. About noon Ben Burley, James Russell, and Patrick Hayes, all strikers, got into a row and were promptly arrested.

At South Chicago and Hyde Park.

About 100 common laborers, employed in the blast-furnaces of the North Chicago Rolling-Mills Company at South Chicago, struck work yesterday afternoon, and demanded an advance of 15 cents a day upon $1.25 a day. The demand was granted and the men returned to work, having been out less than twenty minutes.

At the Union Foundry & Pullman Car-Wheel Works at East Roseland the men worked as usual, the two gangs who walked out Saturday at the expiration of eight hours having appeared for work. Committees from Chicago visited the men yesterday, and no good is expected to result from their interference.

Some of the dock men and lumber-shovers along the Calumet River were working yesterday, about half of the number remaining out. No concession has been made by the lumbermen.

The whistle at the nail factory of the Calumet Iron and Steel Company at Cummings did not blow yesterday morning; consequently the non-union men did not appear for work. The nailers and feeders were therefore idle yesterday to the number of about 150. As the whole plant is now closed, about 850 men are shut out. The significance of yesterday’s move is unknown.

The carpenters on houses being built in many parts of the village were compelled yesterday in many cases to suspend work from lack of lumber, brought about by the strike in the yards.

The places of twelve men who struck Saturday in the planing-mill of Stimson & Co. at South Chicago, were filled yesterday by new men.

The thirty striking laborers of the Calumet & Chicago Canal & Dock Company were paid off yesterday. No effort will be made to fill their places as they were employed in piling and the work is not pressing.

About thirty laborers employed in ditching, etc., by the Hyde Park Gas Company struck yesterday for eight hours’ work and ten hours’ pay. The demand was refused by the company.

There was no particular excitement at Pullman. Probably two-thirds of the cabinetmakers who took a holiday Saturday showed up for work yesterday morning. Some of the wood-machine men went out in the course of the day. Probably 250 men were idle yesterday. There was no organized movement and the desertions seemed to be according to individual wishes and feelings on the subject.

Miscellaneous.

James S. Kirk & Co., the soap and perfumery manufacturers on North Water street, made a proposition yesterday morning to their employés who struck Saturday for shorter hours, agreeing to take them all back and allow them ten hours’ pay and nine hours’ work, excepting Saturdays, when only eight hours’ and a half will be required. At a meeting of the men held at No. 432 Milwaukee avenue during the afternoon, at which about 300 were present, they decided to accept the terms and so notified the firm during the evening.

A committee of the Typographical Union, No. 9, German, waited upon Mr. Eugene A. Sittig, publisher of the Der Brauer und Maezer, Der Holzarbeiter, and the German-American Miller, and asked a raise from 40 to 43 cents per thousand ems, in accordance to a resolution passed by them. This Mr. Sittig agreed to pay them, and work goes on as usual.

Willoughby, Hill & Co. announce that they open their house at 7:30 a.m. and close at 9 p.m., but employ two sets of help, one coming on duty at 7:30, with an hour and a half to two hours for dinner, and leaving at 6 p.m.; the other set coming on duty at 9 a.m., with an hour and a half to two hours each for dinner and supper, and staying until closing time. Each set is on duty less than nine hours, and change with each other weekly. Boston Oyster-House is open seventeen hours daily, but there are two sets of employés. Willoughby, Hill & Co. say they will agree to close their store at 6 p.m. if the North, West, and South Side establishments in the same business will do so, and are willing to sign an agreement to this effect.

The employés in Cragin Bros’. establishment at Cragin returned to work yesterday morning, although their demands were refused. They perceived that the chances were if they demanded ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work they would be starved out, as the firm has a large amount of stock on hand. All the men ask now is their back pay.

The 150 employés of Osgood & Woolfinger at Pennock were about to go out yesterday, but wiser counsels finally prevailed and they returned to work without demanding anything.

Twenty-five carpenters in the employ of the Pullman Company, who have been doing the work on the new Union League Club, demanded eight hours’ work for eight hours’ pay Saturday morning, and their demand was acceded to. Yesterday morning when the men were ready to go to work the foreman informed them that they must either work ten hour or draw their pay and quit. The men withdrew in a body, and feel very sore at the manner in which they have been treated.

One hundred laborers in the employ of Joseph Downey, who has the contract with the Chicago & Great Western Railway to build warehouses and depots at Canal street, Centre avenue, Blue Island avenue, and Halsted street, struck yesterday, and so threw eighty-five other mechanics out of work. The men, who had been getting $1.50 for a day of ten hours’ work, were offered $1.60 for eight hours, but refused. Mr. Downey will stop all work till the men yield to his terms. Many builders are disposed to offer the same terms as Mr. Downey.

The eight-hour system was commenced by P. F. Ryan & Co. yesterday. They have hit upon the plan of giving their employés an hour off morning and evening alternate weeks. Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., corner of Madison and Peoria streets, inaugurated the eight-hour system yesterday, and the employés are delighted with the change. The employés of the City of Paris Store, corner of State and Washington streets, will from today work eight hours a day, with the same pay as before. Sixty of the salespeople will work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the others from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays an hour and a half extra. Mandel Bros. have made some slight changes that will reduce the hours to their employés. Fifteen minutes will be deducted from the lunch-hour, and some of the employés will quit at 5:30 p.m. and others at 6.

It was rumored yesterday that there was a strike among some of the men employed in the construction of the Allerton stores, corner of State and South Wacker streets. Inquiry showed that there was a strike among the laborers Saturday which was settled by granting them 22 cents per hour instead of $1.75 per day. The laborers yesterday objected to the employment of some eight non-union men, and the latter, although they undertook to join the union Wednesday, were discharged and their places filled by others.

The malleable iron-works shut down yesterday morning on account of the refusal by the company to give their piece-workers 15 per cent increase in wages and day-workers ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work. Mr. H. S. Burkhart, one of the firm, said that if the shops ran but eight hours one-third of their capacity would be reduced. The basis of work is in the molding department, and only one molder can occupy a floor at a time. The firm claim they can’t run two shifts, and therefore they won’t accede to the requests of their employés.

A small procession of tailors, largely increased by street gamins and hoodlums, became a little demonstrative at the corner of Halsted and Twelfth streets last evening. There being lots of waiting “cops” at Twelfth Street Station near by a patrol wagon was loaded with them and sent galloping towards the scene. When they arrived there most of the tailors had vanished.

Saturday last the men employed in building the new Canalport Avenue Police Station struck, but yesterday were all at work again under the eight-hour program.

About 120 grain-shovelers met at Uhlich’s Hall last night and organized themselves into a branch of the Knights of Labor.

Yesterday morning the employés of the Lake View Terra-Cotta Works made a demand for eight hours’ work and ten hours’ pay. The company at once refused and the men went out. Later they offered to compromise on nine hours’ pay for eight hours’ work. The company has the matter under consideration and will give an answer this evening. The brickyards are running as usual and there has been no disturbance in Lake View.

The employés of Norton Bros., makers of sheet-metal goods, have not joined in the eight-hour movement. The reason is that the firm have agreed to give all employés who have worked for them six months or more a certain percentage of profits of the business for 1886 in addition to the regular wages heretofore paid. The sum to be divided is not to be less than $10,000, if business is not interrupted, and as much more as the result of the year’s work will permit. Each man having thus a pecuniary interest in the business all are anxious to turn out as much profitable work as possible, and will work eight, nine, or ten hours if orders enough to keep them employed can be obtained. They are now working ten hours. The firm have pursued this plan to a limit extent for a number of years, with such success that they decided to extend it. This share of the profits will be divided in proportion to the amount earned by each employé. The proposition when presented to the men was received with cheers and expressions of confidence which were very gratifying to the firm.

Rastner & Co. have agreed to give ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work to all hands who receive $1.75 per day and less, and after June 1 all hands will have these terms granted them. The Enterprise Wire-Cloth Manufacturing Company will give short hours and long pay to its men until the contracts on hand are finished; after that the men will get ten hours’ pay for that length of labor. D. W. Ryan has granted the demands of his coopers for the eight-hour system, as have also A. H. Revell & Co. to fifteen finishers who asked it.

Cigarmakers’ Union No. 15 was in session last night at No. 54 West Lake street for the purpose of discussing the difference between the International Union, to which this union belongs, and the Knights of Labor. It seems that the latter have been organizing assemblies among the cigarmakers not members of the International Union, and by giving them the use of the Knights of Labor label, have succeeding in making serious inroads upon the goods made by members of the first-named association, more especially in New York. The union decided to lay the matter before the local assemblies before the evils complained of affected the Chicago cigarmakers.

The International Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union, a branch of the Central Labor Union, at a meeting held last night received reports from committees to the effect that seventeen bosses had complied with the demand for eight hour’s labor at the rate of 30 cents per hour.

The first association of last and die makers ever organized in this country perfected an organization at No. 213 West Madison street last night. They decided to make application for membership in the Knights of Labor, and to go out on strike on the eight-hour question unless their demands of the employers were complied with.

At a meeting of wagonmakers last night, held at No. 54 West Lake street, it was decided to take into the organization the blacksmiths of the city, and then make application for membership in the Central Labor Union.

The machinists held a meeting at No. 76 Fifth avenue last night. Reports from the various shops showed that nearly all had conceded eight hours. Some were paying the old wages, some nine hours’ pay, the average being about nine hours’ pay for a day’s work of eight hours. Crane Bros. are still shut down, but a committee from the union will wait on them this morning, and it is hoped an agreement will be reached.

The Executive and Eight-Hour Committees of the Trades Assembly met last night at No. 191 Clark street and issued the following address:

To the Workingmen of Chicago: If ever there was a time in the history of the labor movement when prudence should control your counsels and actions the present is that time. A false or ill-advised move at this juncture may defeat the very object you have in view. Under these circumstances we deem it our duty to request you to keep this important fact in mind and shape your demands accordingly. Our advice is that where a disagreement as to terms exists interview the employer or employers through a committee composed of your most trusted, discreet, and reliable representatives. Base your demands on justice. Present a united front. Determine to secure the adoption of the eight-hour system, even if concession to attain it must be made. Act like rational men, as law-abiding citizens should. Discountenance all resort to violence, remembering you cannot afford to offend that public sympathy which is essential to your success. Remember, also, if you refuse to act upon these suggestions you will have yourself to blame if the present golden opportunity passes unimproved.