TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 20

TRADES AND LABOUR.

REAL FIGHTING IN THE UNITED STATES. (Per Phess Association.)

London, August 16. The cotton mill employes are demanding the eight-hour system.

August 17. A ballot taken among those engaged in the cotton trade resulted in favour of the adoption of the eight-hour system.

August 18. Six thousand Blackburn weavers voted for the eight hours system, and 2400 against.

August 22. Mr Plimsoll has resigned his connection with the Seamen's Union, alleging that it is mismanaged. A tailors' strike on a large scale is in progress in several towns in the north of England.

Mr Wilson, M.P., disapproves of strikes, but approves of the federation of trades for the purpose of approaching employers.

New York, August 16. The police have refused to act against the Leheigh strikers, and the militia have been summoned. It is feared the pointsmen will join the strike. Mine owners in Tenaessee and Bridgeport accept unionists instead of convict labour. The prisons in the disturbed districts are terribly overcrowded. ( The police, citizens, and volunteers" appear quite powerless to restore order. In Buffalo moving traius are boarded, the roads are blocked, and the telegraph wires have been cut. Some passengers were robbed while emerging from a capsized train. Non-uuion hands are in a state of terror. The Leheigh railway station, with 270 carriages, has been burned. It is expected that there will be a general strike of railway men. Two regiments have been sent to maintain order. August 17. The damage already caused by the railway riots at Buffalo is estimated at L 50,000. Seven hundred miners at Olive Springs have demanded that the convicts shall be released. A troop of 25 soldiers barricaded themselves within the convicts' enclosure, and by firing low on the miners completely routed them, killing five and wounding a large number. The miners intend making another attack on the convicts, and have destroyed the railway line leading to the town in order to prevent reinforcements of soldiers being sent. The Governor of the State is mediating in the dispute. The attempts made by the miners in Nashville to release the convicts were defeated. Many persons were wounded in the encounter. Troops are hastening to the ssene to assist in preserving order. Traffic is being resumed on tho, Leheigh section under the protection of the troops.

The switchmen on the New York Central Hue have also struck work, which, with the Leheigh strike, ties up an enormous amount of traffic.

August 18. More troops have been ordered to proceed to Buffalo, aud the country is patrolled ,for 25 miles.

The militia in New York have been ordered to be in readiness to proceed to the scene of the disturbance.

August 19. The Lake Shore switchmen have joined the strikers.

Many attempts have been made in Buffalo to derail trains conveying troops to the disturbed districts.

A regiment of artillery is proceeding to Court Creek to suppress the riot.

Nashville and the adjacent counties have each been ordered to furnish 1000 armed citizens to assist in maintaining order. The miners of Coal Creek, Chattanooga, attacked the militia, who opened fire with their Gatling guns, killing many. It is rumoured that the miners have captured a colonel and threatened to lynch him.

General Carnes states that the people of Memphis (Tennessee) are prepared to wado in blood, in the event of its being necessary, to suppress the strike.

The miners have arrested a number of newspaper representatives.

The miners, by pretending to arrange for a truce, decoyed the colonel in command of the regiment into their hands, and then demanded the surrender of the troops. He refusd to give the necessary order, and was lynched.

Four cannons and 1000 soldiers have been sent to Memphis.

The people of the latter place do not support the attitude taken by the miners. The employes on the adjacent railway lines will boycott godds inteilded for the Buffalo line, aud the boycott shows signs of extending to New York.

August 20.

A large force was sent to rescue Colonel Anderson, decoyed and captured by the miners, and who it was feared had been lynched. General Carnes commanded the attacking party, who met and defeated the miners and rescued Colonel Anderson. Many ware killed on both sides.

Seven railway companies are now involved in the strike in Buffalo, including all the Vandorbilt lines.

The American press assert that labour is losing confidence in the Government.

August 21. General Carnes' victory has virtually closed the miners' war.

Washington, August 17.

The miners at Nashville, Tennessee, made a second attack upon the prison, and after a desperate fight defeated the warders and released 200 convicts. Twelve were killed and 20 wounded in the affray. Troops are being massed, and the whole district is in a turmoil.

Miners are blowing up the railways with dynamite to prevent the arrival of soldiers. The strikers at Buffalo were charged and dispersed by the troops. It is feared the drivers and stokers on the New York Central line will also strike.

August 18,

Martial law has been proclaimed in Buffalo. The Governor of Tennessee has called out 13,000 troops. At Court Creek, a body of 6000 miners drove the troops back six miles, capturiog 50 of their number, whom they hold as hostages.

The strike of cabmen and omnibus men is coming to an end, and the men are returning to work.

August 22,

The strikers at Buffalo threw the engine of the New York express off the rails, but the couplings broke and saved the carriages from injury. The rebellious miners met General Games' troops again and exchanged shots, 10 being killed. The soldiers stood their ground, and the miners first retreated and then yielded. Two hundred were imprisoned in a stockade. Numbers of the rioters have fled to the mountains for refuge, swearing they will assassinate General Carnes.

At Coal Creek 400 prisoners were secured. The churches and railway cars are filled with them. They will be prosecuted civilly.

The strikers at Buffalo threw three goods trains off the rails.

General Carnes has imprisoned 250 Nashville citizens for aiding the miners.

Goods trains are now working at Buffalo, and the railway companies claim a victory. The unionists are furious at their want of success, and have compelled the stores and saloons not to serve soldiers and non-unionists.

The citizens seized Lindsay, the leader of the Tennessee miners, and he only saved himself from lynching by turning informer. Paris, August 20.

The strike of cabmen has collapsed.

The coal miners' strike in Carmanx and Lieven against the employment of Belgians has been successful, and the latter have quitted the country.