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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
THE NEW YORK CITY FREIGHT HANDLER 1 STRIKES.
THE STRIKE.
[On Strike Last Week.]
HE strike In New York and vicinity was a sig-
nificant and important, and as well a deplorable
event. It was the attempt of the Knights of Labor
to again try conclusions with society as at present
organized. The aims of its leaders were to paralyze
the business and Industries of a vast community, and
ultimately of the whole country, with a view to com-
pel a settlement of a dispute between certain employ-
er and employees. It must not be regarded as a spon-
taneous movement of American wage workers, who
comprise the larger part of the population, and who re-
present the industry of the oountry. The strike was
simply the act of a large number of such workers
who refused to work, not beoause of any dissatisfac-
tion of their own, or any desire to strike, but because
they regarded it their duty to obey the dictates of
the leaders of an organization to which they belong,
and whose decrees are to them absolute.
T
It is a body whose whole conception is opposed to
American ideas and traditions. It is an absolute and
irresponsible despotism, controlled by men who, to
judge them by their past acts, are selfish and dema-
gogical, if not actually cruel and inhuman.
It is none the less a body of great power, and ca-
pable of working great mischief, although mischief
may not be ostensibly their aim.
The recent strike in and about New York City, in-
volving some 40,000 men, seemed to be a test, and it
scarcely needed any prophesy of ours to say it would
eventually culminate in the triumph, not of capital
over labor, but of justice over injustice, of oominon
sense and reason over blind acquiescence and ser-
vility.
The trouble began with the strike of the Old Do-
minion Steamship Company's 'longshoremen and
other employees at Newport News, Va., and at New
York, who struck for advanced wages early in Janu-
ary. About the same time the Port Johnson (Bay-
onne, N. J.,) coal handlers struck against a 2>^c per
hour reduction in wages, although they were receiv-
ing that sum per hour in advance of coal handlers at
other New Jersey coal shipping ports. Handlers at
the remaining poits referred to therefore struck for
an advance and to aid the Port Johnson strikers.
STRIKES UNDERLYING THE NEW YORK STRIKES.
Newport News, Va., 'longshoremen, Old Do-
minion Steamship Company
New York, 'longshoremen, Old Dominion
Steamship Company
sary In its commendation. It speaks for itself.
Truly,
A. REED & SONS.
At
At
At
N. Y. Bklyn. J. City. Total.
'Longshoremen
Boatmen
7,000
4,000
750
150
3,000
100
215 State St.,
15,500
CHICAGO, NOV. 11, 1886.
1,000
Grain handlers
1,000 2 500 1,500
Coal handlers
1,000
500
....
Bag sewers
100
200
100
Grain ceilers and weigh-
ers
3,000 2,000 1,000
5,000
1500
400
6,000
[ This week, Sympathy with Previous Strikes Mentioned. ]
Cen.R'y.N.J. coal brake- .
men
500
Cen. R'y, N. J. freight
handlers
200 . . . . 1,000
Cen. R'y, N. J. shop
hands and freight
brakemen in N. J
Penn. R'y, freight hand-
lers
500
1,000
N.Y.,L.E. &W. Eailw'y
freight handlers
100 . . . .
700
West Shore Railway Co.
freight handlers
75 . . . .
250
N. Y. C. &H. R. Railw'y
Co. freight handlers..
300
Lehigh Valley R'y Co.
freight handlers
75
B'klyn freight handlers. . . . .
500 . . . .
B. SHONINGER ORGAN AND PIANO CO.,
MRS. S. E. RIOHEY :
DEAR MA»AM : We are very much pleased with
your Covers, and think them by far the best we have
seen for Upright Pianos. They certainly are of great
merit.
Yours truly,
500
8. SHOHINGEB CO.
THE CELEBRATED SOHMER PIANOS,
1,200
1,200
1,500
800
325
300
75
500
Totals at various cities..14,100 9,850 9.150 35,800
Adding Jersey port coal & Old Dominion S. S.
Co. strikes
4,300
Total on strike, New York and vicinity, etc. 40,100
It will be seen from the above figures that the ori-
ginal strike was that of comparatively few men, but
that rather than have It fall the Knights of Labor
ordered over 40,000 others to strike, in order, appar-
ently, to compel the employers of the few really dis-
satisfied to yield to the demands of their employees.
This attempted paralysis of all business, because of
a dispute between a company and its employees, is
merely an effort to impose the will of one party to a
contract upon another without regard to the right or
wrong of the situation.
The position now is what it always has been. A
man may refuse to take the wages which are offered
him, but he has no more right to compel another man
to pay him higher wages than the other man has to
compel him to take lower wages, and the moment he
attempts to prevent another man from taking lower
wages because he himself does not think them ade-
quate, he attacks the foundation of human society
and denies the American principal of individual lib-
erty.
209 Wabash Ave.,
CHICAGO, NOV. 12, 1886.
MRS. SARAH E. RICHEY :
DEAR MADAM : You will please accept our compli-
ments for producing the handsomest and most com-
plete upright piano cover ever brought before the
public to this date.
Very truly,
STEGER & SATJBER.
THE CELEBRATED WEBER PIANOS,
S. W. Cor. Wabash Ave. and Jackson St.,
CHICAGO, NOV. 13, 1886.
The Upright Pianoforte Cover manufactured by
Mrs. S E Richey seems to us to be the best protec-
tion to the instrument that we have seen.
t
CURTIS & MAYER,
Managers of the Estate of Albert Weber
THE WHEELOCK PIANOS,
143 VVabash Ave.,
CHICAGO, NOV. 11, 188
We consider the "Richey" Patent Cover the bes
yet devised for the upright piano. Its usefulness i
unquestionable.
\ V M. E. WHEELOCK &, Co.
per A. M. Wright.
JNO
M. SMYTH PIANOS AND ORGANS.
158, 160, 162 and 164 West Madison St.
MRS. SARAH E. RICHEY:
DEAR MADAM : We take pleasure in saying that
the Covers which you have furnished us, both for
wareroom and on retail orders, have proven in every
way most satisfactory. We regard them not only as
ornamental, but also greatly useful, and the best we
have had anything to do with.
Sincerely yours,
JOHN M. SMYTH,
per Fletcher H. Wheeler.
A GREAT PIANO MAN.
850
150
Total Old Dominion Steamship Company's
strikers
1,000
Port Johnson, N. J., coal handlers
500
Bayonne, N. J'., coal handlers
500
Weehawken, N. J., coal handlers
500
Hoboken, N. J., coal handlers
500
Jersey City, N. J., coal handlers
500
Perth Amboy, N. J., coal handlers
500
South Amboy, N. J., coal handlers
300
Total coal handlers
3,300
Total coal handlers and 'longshoremen
4,300
The Old Dominion strike soon failed, and it was
not long before the coal strikers, although still hold-
ing out, realized that their cause, as it stood, was
hopeless. Thereupon the Knights of Labor organiza-
tions in charge ordered out week before last the
'longshoremen, grain handlers, and others employed
in kindre.l Hues along the river front at New York,
Brooklyn and Jersey City, with the expectation of so
disturbing commerce at the port of New York as to
compel the coal companies and the Old Dominion
Steamship Company to accede to the demands of
their striking employees. It was soon perceived that
this movement could not accomplish the object in
view, and North river railway freight handlers were
ordered out on the New York and Jersey City river
fronts. The complete record thereof as obtained by
Bradtttreel 8 is as follows:
TESTIMONIALS TO THE RICHEY PIANO
COYER.
ESTEY ORGAN COMPANY,
188 and 190 State St.,
CHICAGO, NOV. 12, 1886.
MRS. RICHEY :
DEAR MADAM : We have used your Patent Upright
Piano Covers and are much pleased with them.
They both protect and beautify the Pianoforte.
Yours truly,
ESTEY & CAMP.
THE STERLING PIANOS AND ORGANS,
179 and 1JS1 Wabash Ave ,
CHICAGO, NOV. 11, 1886.
MRS. S. E. RICHEY :
DEAR MADAM : We have seen and used your Pat-
ent Piano Covers and like them very much. We con-
sider it a good invention, and the most practical and
convenient Covor that is offered to the public, and
know it merits the good favor with which it meets.
Very truly,
THE STERLING Co.,
per Mason.
REED'S TEMPLE OF MUSIC,
136State St.,
CHICAGO, NOV. 12, 188(5.
MRS. 8. E. RICHEY :
MADAM : Those who desire a Piano Cover, both
practical and ornamental, must certainly be pleased
with your new improvement. Few words are neces-
MR. ALBERT WEBER INTERVIEWED.
R. ALBERT WEBER, the well known manu-
facturer of Weber pianos is in town. He
has just arrived from Chicago on a flying
visit to his different agents in the West, and was met
by a T.-S. scribe at the Gibson House. In response
as to how he found the music trade, he said :
" I think I see a great improvement. Cincinnati
has always been a leading place for high priced in-
struments. The tastes are cultivated to a greater
extent. I also see a great Improvement in your city,
especially under foot. This morning the streets are
as fine as could be desired."
" What styles of piancs do you manufacture most? "
" Uprights and Baby Grands. The demand is en-
tirely for these styles, especially for the natural col-
ored woods. I use a great quantity of foreign woods.
Persian and Mexican walnut, light rosewood and
mottled mahogany. These styles match the modern
houses. Mahogany Baby Grands make a very flue
effect also."
" I take a great interest in your Centennial Expo-
sition for 1888. I have already made arrangements
with Messrs. Smith & Nixon to exhibit large num-
bers of my pianos. I predict a great success,
second only to the Centennial of Philadelphia in
1876. There is much interest already manifested in
the East."
" What about the business outlook ? "
" Good. I think there will be no great boom, but
a steady growth, founded on a solid basis."—Cincin-
nati Times Star, Feb. 7th.
M