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COUNCILS
VOL. 3
LIXCOIS, NEBRASKA, .JUESO, l:OS
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T -V T f f I T
o 7 f o
G
r
Plumbing. Ordinance
Remains Dead Letter
That Lincoln ha not suffered an epidemic of typhoid fever is
due in large measure to the purity of its water supply. lint not
even this is goin? to prevent forever sueh an epidemic if the plumb
ing ordinances are allowed to remain as a dead letter upon the books.
About every provision for sauitary and safe phunbiust is daily
ignored, and men wrho scarce know the difference between a pipe
wrench and a soldering iron are doinsr plumbing that wouldn't stand
inspection a minute if the officials charged with law enforcement
done their duty.
Soil pipes of galvanized iron are being put in every day, ami the
ordinance calls for lead pipe. Soldered joints are as common as old
siioes. and "wiped joints are demanded. This sort of thing can
have but one ending in time an epidemic of disease.
A man with a pipe wrench, a thread cutter and a soldering iron
can and does hustle out and get a job of plumbing, regardless of
the fact that "he has had so little experience that he couldn't stand
-a a examination for the position of plumber s helper.
A city's plumbing and sewerage is as important as its water
supply as relates to public health. Xo man should be allowed to
do plumbing unless he passes a rigid examination and is duly licensed.
If the city officials responsible for the present deplorable cot:- i
- - - i - i .... i . . . u . :i , i - -.n '
Ullions Or an airs UO not gel usv iau eveem r- cit. lur iwikw
ought to be put under them.
la its (tony years of existence the
Cigarniakers' Union has paid oat up
wards of $:25.0.OOd in death, sick,
accident, strike and oot-of-Kork bene
fits. It originated the label idea aad
has been one of the best label boo. i
ins organizations.
The Pepperburg factory will prob
ably be rannins by July 1. The
Plattsmouih siop is closed and every-
this moved to Lincoln. Mr. Pepper-
burg told The Wageworker early in
the week that be expected to run a
force of twenty-five wen as a starter.
and increase as occasion warranted.
""Of course yon "will continue to run
a nil ton shop. said The Wageworker
man.
"Of course.' replied Mr. Pepper
bars. "l ran a union shop nearly
forty years why should I quit now"
The Kent factory has been reor
ganised ad the factory now bas u
pSs capital behind it. It is putting out
a fine cisar bearins the name and pic-
tare of William J. Bryan. The broad
will he pushed to the limit.
GOOD ADVICE.
The courts may enjoin us from pun
ishisg our enemies, but they- cannot
crats to so to Denver behind an out
side band is percolatins through the
public mind, and steps are being
taken : to engage a Lincoln band a
anion -band, too. As a republican
campaign card the sight of a demo
cratic club from Bryan's own town
marching behind a non-union band
from a village a hundred miles away
would be fine, and it would be plac ed
to the- limit.
The; Dixie Concert Band, wntcn ts
billed for Capital Beach, is a union
organization. As soon as it landed in
town the manager hunted np the local
secretary and presented the required
documents.
THE BARBERS.
Fixed the Fourth of July Business
Amicably With Employers.
The Fourth of July falls on Satur
day this year, but the barbers are go
ins lo celebrate just the same. The
journeymen and the boss barbers sot
together last week, and it didn't take
long Go fix up a scheme that was sat
isfactory. The snops wul remain
CENTRAL. LABOR UNION.
Regular Meeting Will be Held Tues'
day Evening Next Week.
The Central UW Vaiou will meet
in regular session at B ruse's hall next
Tuesday evening- AH delegates
shonld be present, as it is expected
that the first move towards preparing
for Labor Day wiU then be made.
There U every reason why Labor Day
shoald be observed la record-breakins
style in Lincoln this year. With
enough onion musicians to famish two
t three banJs. the parade should be
worth while.
Doabtlca some of the country's hist
labor leaders will attend the Denver
convention, and aa effort should be
cade to secure the presence of sev
eral of them In Lincoln before they
return east. Samnel Gompe.-s was in
Chicago all week, trying to set some
recognition of labor in the plalform.
H wiU doubtless so to Denver for the
sawa purpose. nd It may be possible
to have him stop off la Lincoln on his
w ay back to Washington. The Cen
tral body at Tcesday evening's meet
ing wUl probably take notice of these
facts and act accordingly:
A Brooklyn man advertised for a
mil to drive a team of horses, 'tittle
experience require!." He had T ap
plicants for the position. Gee, bat the
dinrpail is full to overflowing."
This remark was made by a Lincoln
man the ether day. It should serve
ts call attention to the fact that work
ing men ousht to be getting together
in better shape. And the Central
Labor Vnion Is the rallying point.
See that your delegates represent yon.
They show np as good thinss in
at her towns why not in Lincoln?
The union printers were the first
craftsmen to establish a home for
aged, disabled and indigent members.
They were the first craftsmen to es
tablish a pension fond for old mem
bers. They were the first craftsmen
to adopt the initiative and referen
dum.
LABOR TEMPLE BOARD.
SETTLED THE TIE.
Snort Meetinn and Some Warm Di
cussaon Concerning the Future.
The directors of the Labor Temple
assjatjonmet ia regula r session
Mosuay evening, and was perhaps the
"warciest"" meetias since its organiza
tion. Discussion of ways and means
brousht oat a heated argument, and
ou; of tt several valoame Meas were:
born. !
Chairman Dickson has not yet as-!
samtd his duties as supet intendent.
but expects to have his business in
shae by the first of the month so
he can devote his wboie time to the
work of boosting.
It is pretty seoeraliy agreed that
the local anions will have to take
some concerted action pretty soon, or
the project will languish. It has been :
suggested that the locals be asked to
accept a regular assessment to pro
vide a building fond. The pun will
be worked out and submitted to the
locals, as soca as possible.
The building committee expects to
meet in a few days and oegin its
work. The matter of site is being
discussed more freely, and it is prob
able that a decision will be reached
before the first of the month.
Tysonraahical Union Held Another
Election for President.
Wednesday, from 12 m. to p.
Lincoln Typographical Union No. 209
was ia the throes of an election, en
deavoring to settle the Ingraham-Fttrd
tie vote for president. The election
was by Australian ballot, and Carpen
ters hall mas selected as the polling
place The election board that offici
ated at the regular election officiated
Wednesday. The election resulted
Isgraham 45; Ford 2.
Jss Mtckel rushed into town Mon
day, and rashed right out again.
headed tor Harvard, where his wife
and babies live. Jess has but two
more years of penal servitude in the
City of Mexico, where he is super
intendent of a bg newspaper publish
ing plant. When his term is over he
will blossom forth into a tanner. "Me
for the agricultural life a soon as
I'm done down there." says Jess. He
was ia Lincoln only a couple of hoars,
bat after visiting with the wife and
babies for a couple of weeks be will
return to Lincoln for three or four
da vs. aad then hie himself back to
the City of Mexico.
The local's memorial services were
held at Fraternity hall last Sunday
af.tr noon, the rain preventing a visit
to the cemetery. A fall account of
the services will be found elsewhere
la this issue.
What's the matter with a "printers'
riense some time this
CEMENT WORKERS.
New Industry That Is Rapidly Be
ing Organized These Days.
The cement industry has been tak
ing wonderful strides during the last
two or three years, and the cement
workers are organizing all over the
country. There are several cement
works in Lincoln and It is rnmoroi
that the employes are talking organi
zation. Certainly they should receive
every encouragement and tney
should have a strong union In Lincoln.
The organization takes in all who
are engaged in working cement in any
of its forms, pavement, building
blocks, foundations, cellars, cisterns.
etc There are enough- of them
Lincoln to form a big anion, and they
ought to get busy aad do it.
INVESTIGATE IT HERE
A horrible system of peonag among the Greek
boys of Omaha has been revealed. These boys are
kept iu a state of practical slavery, illy fed. illy
ciothed, worked like dogs and -made to fatten the
purses of conscienceless slave drivers.
There is a well defined suspicion that a similar
condition of affairs exists in Lincoln.. Occasional
complaints have resulted in cursory investigation,
but the results have been nil. Scores of Greek boys
j re employed in ""shining parlors' and elsewhere,
and a. fevr I "reeks seem to be living well with no
other exertion than counting the money the little
toveks bring to them. An investigation started in
Omaha few days ago resulted in some disclosures
that shocked even Omaha. The World-Herald says:
"Monday's investigation started the ball rolling.
In company with Tom Birbilis. fi naturalized Greek
oFCbnneit " Bluffs." wltoacted "as interpret erTLeaii
Beecher. Canon K. B. II. Bell and Joe Carroll, vis
ked the reeking room at ISIS St. Mary's avenue,
which young Corisis has long regarded as home
Here was found a condition positively appalling.
Twenty-two Greek men and boys live in this
hovel, which measures 22 by 75 feet in size. There
are five filthy beds therein, which have never been
red or cleaned, and which are piled one on another
when not in use. They are small beds, only one
being three-quarters in size, the others one-half.
Vermin are thick in them." The room also serves
as a stable for the pushcarts which the popcorn and
candy venders of the colony own. There is one
plain table in the center, and there the boys and
men are forced to eat, the men doing the honor
of hosts.
"All this was testified to before Judge Estelle by
Corisis and Birbilis. the interpreter. The food is
usually a mess of meat and potatoes, the material
for which is of mysterious origin, none of the boys
knowing from whence it comes. They all eat
ut of the same dish, digging in with their fingers
like so many animals."
The stories told by some of the trembling little
Greeks when brought into juvenile court and ques
tioned by Judge Estelle were almost unbelieveable,
but investigation corroborated them in every de
tail. Nick Laedas said he didn't know what a bath,
was and he looked the part. George Corisis testi
fied that he had taken a bath but twice in fifteen
months. Others testified that they had to work a
year for nothing, and after that for a mere pittance,
their earnings going to a master who fed them like
pigs and lodged them worse than pigs are ordin
arily lodged.
Is it possible that a similar condition exists in
I-incoln? The juvenile court, the Humane Society
and the church societies ought to get busy and make
thorough examination of existing conditions.
There may be developments that would shock the
people, and at the same time release a lot of
young Greeks from peonage.
What Labor Asked
What Lab? Got
Following is the '"injunction plank" submitted to the f ranters
of the republican national platform at Chicago by President Compere
and other labor leaders, representing the American Federation of
Labor:
"We pledge ourselves to the enactment of a law to prohibit the
issuance of injunctions in cases arising out of labor disputes when
such injunctions would not apply when no labor disputes existed;
and that in no case shall an injunction be issued when there exists
a remedy by the ordinary process of law and which act shall provide
that in the procedure for the punishment of contempt of court, the
party cited for contempt shall, when such contempt was not com
mitted in the actual presence of the court, be entitled to a trial
by jury.
This is the reference made to "injunctions" by the framers of
the republican national platform:
"The republican party will uphold at all times the authority
and integrity of the courts, state and federal, and wUl ever in
sist that the powers to enforce their processes and to protect
life, liberty and property shall be preserved inviolate. We be
lieve, however, that the rules of procedure in federal court, with
respect to the issuance of a writ of injunction, should be more
accurately defined by the statute; that no injunctions or tem
porary restraining order should be issued without notice, ex
cept where irreparable injury would result from delay, in
which case a speedy hearing thereafter should be granted."
L'ou Uhat ttto Dcuil
Doos That CGaMnyta?
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.
THE CIGAR MAKERS.
's One of the Oldest Unions in
the United States.
The first local onion of Cigarmak
ers was formed in Baltimore la 1S51.
It didat last very long, but the idea
did. In 1S3S a convention was held
ia New York, employers and em
ployes taking part. This was not sat
isfactory, aad In the Clgarmak
ers National tfnion was formed, made
up wholly of employes. In 1$C7 juris
diction was taken over Canada and
the organization became known as
the Cigarniakers International Union.
enjoin us from sucking to our friends.
Support all anion firms and demand
the label and this will do the work
more effectively than the boycott ever
did. Coopers" Journal. v
THE MUSICIANS.
Orchestras Busy. But Outside
ness Spoiled by Rain.
Orchestra work, although curtailed
by the wet weather, is reasonably
good, bet tne band business has been
knocked galley west. It was hoped
that ere this arrangement would have
been made for a series of band con
certs at the park, but rain, every day
has been discouraging.
The fact that it wouldn't look well
for a big delegation of Lincoln demo-
open Friday night the same as usual
on Saturday night. Saturday fore
noon will find the barbers working,
but when the whistle blows for 1
o'clock the men will knock off work
and go to shooting firecrackers with
the rest of the celebrators.
This is merely a sample of ho
things can be framed op when there
is good-will and confidence on both
sides.
The Green shop, now located in the
Richards block, will shortly be moved
to the room occupied by the Cole-11 e-
Kenna Cigar Co. The cigar company
will continue its occupancy, but the
barber shop win occupy most of the
space. Mr. Green says he is going to
make it the handsomest shop be
tween the two mountain ranges.
Didn't Like the First Name, So Took
Their Present One.
e Brotherhood oC LocombUve En
gineers was born daring the civil war
and the place and date of its birth
was Detroit, August IT. 1SS3. The
organization was named "Brother
hood of the Footboard, but the name
was neither distinctive, explanatory
or euphonious, so it was changed at
the first annual meeting, held in In
dianapolis. August 17. 1S&L It was
then given the name of Grand Inter
national Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers. Numerically " and finan
cially it is one of the strongest lbct
organizations in the world. It nss
paM milJons in icrurance to tiu rela
tives of deceased members, paid more
millions for sick and accident insur
ance, and nas an exeneoner teat is
always in a healthy condition.
Like nearly every other labor or
ganization, the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers bad trouble with a
rival organization. At one time th
Knights of Labor organized a lot of
engineers, and the two organizations
clashed. The Brotherhood easily sur
vived, bat the Knights fell by the
wayside; their organization d&solv-
ing and the members as a role join
ing with the Brotherhood.
The locomotive engineers played a
very conspicuous part in the civil
war. It is related that while on the
march from Atlanta to the sea Sher
man's army had trouble with its rail
road connections, the confederates
tearing up the rails and destroying
rolling stock. At one place a regi
ment came " across an engine that had
been taken apart and the pieces scat
tered along the right of way. The
colonel ordered the parts collected
and then asked if anybody could put
it together. A private stepped from
the ranks, sainted and said: TVe
been looking her all over. Colonel,
and I guess I can put her together. I
ran the d d thing out of the shops
on her first trip and kept running her
for a couple of years.
"Here's another dollar for The
Wageworker." said George Moore the
other day. . The railroad man that
fails to support the papers that give
him a square deal don't deserve a
square deaL The Wageworker is
about the only paper I know of in this
neck of the woods that don't accuse
a railroad man of being a political
crook because he happens to be look
ing oat for his bread and batter factory-
The Wageworker and I don't
always agree politically, bat I know
it is always trying to stand np for the
wage earners, and that suits me. Just
keep her coming- and when my time
is np tell me and a dollar's ready for
you.
Business is picking up a little, out
the continued wet weather is prevent
ing the -expected increase. Abost the.,
only men who are getting ia big time
are the section men and track repair
gangs. The long wet spell has bees
mighty hard on tracks.
ELECTRICAL. WORKERS.
A Bunch of Labor Temple
That Means Business.
If every onion in Lincoln would
take as much interest in the Labor
Temple project as the Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, it wouldn't be
long until the roofers went to work
on the Temple. The locel and iis
individual members now own about
$400 worth of stock, and unless ail
signs fail the local itself will have
$1,500 worth in a few montiis. The
proposition to levy an assessment of
I per cent a week is meeting with
favor, and win in an human probabil
ity be adopted.
C D. Gerish. a laborer in the" em
ploy of the Independent Telephone
company, Omaha, was struck on the
head by a pole, which was being low
ered, one day last week, and was in
stantly killed. The accident occarted
at Twentieth street and Ames ave
nue, where a construction gang; of
which James Martin was foreman,
was at work. There was some hitch
in the handling of the heavy pole
and when it fen Gerich was struck
upon the head. Gerich livd at 3929
Farnara street and leaves a wife and
child.
THE CONVICTS IDLE.
Contractor Lee and State Board Fail
to Reach Agreement,
The state board "insists that Coo
tractor Clinton R. Lee will have to
pay 73 cents a day for the convicts
who labor in his broom shop, and Lee
says hell be dashed if he pays more
than 524 cents a day. So the big
broom shop failed to open np Wednes
day morning, and the convicts were
idle save for a few employed in gar
dening and doing the chorea.
The state board declares that the
state reaps little if any benefit from
the contract price of 5 cents, and Lee
says he can not afford to pay more.
Under the old contract Lee got his
labor at 3d cents a day. with rent,
power and heat thrown in. aad
worked close to 300 men. He threat
ens to take his broom business to
some other penitentiary or else start
np a factory and employ free labor.
The latter part of the threat is looked
upon as one of Mr. Lee's clever jokes.
J