The Laborer

Vol.II ...No.1 degrees 6 New York Partly sunny, high of 78

SHIRTWAIST OWNERS FOUND INNOCENT JUSTICE IN QUESTION

By Noah M Buccholz

Remembering the Strikers

The Pullman Strike
By Christine Monyak

After the Triangle factory fire in Manhattan, which killed 146 workers, most of whom were women, the owners of the factory, Isaac Harris and Max Blanck, were put to trial charged with making it impossible for some of the workers to escape. The trial began on December the fourth with 103 witnesses supporting the conviction of Harris and Blanck. Max D. Steuer defended the factory owners, while Assistant District Attorney Charles S. Bostwick led the prosecution. There was much talk of a locked door on the ninth floor that may have blocked employees from exiting the flaming building, so this was the charge that was Sweatshops debated in court. the Bane of America
By Julian Parish Katz

Bodies line the streets outside of the shirtwaist factory after the fire. of TrianglefireUSA

Courtesy

Today marks yet another year since the Pullman Strike commenced sixteen years ago. As a tribute to the hard workers who risked their lives for better working conditions, the story of the amazing strike shall be told once again. George Pullman, the employer of the Pullman Palace Car Company, was very unsympathetic to his workers on the subject of financial difficulties and respect. He refused to restore wages that had been lost in the fall of the economy, which resulted in an uprising. It all began one lovely day in May during a walkout by the Pullman Palace Car Company. Workers who had wanted better wages were furious to find out that their offer had been declined. Furious, the workers crowded the railroads and streets, making it

Now my friends, family and readers, the U.S. government must take a stand against the injustice; sweatshops. Imagine working all day, on less than eight cents for 16 hours of hard work. Sweatshops have enslaved our children, endangered the lives of our wives, and our mothers; it must end. Female workers are taken advantage of by their mostly male employers. An immigrant workforce came to this country for a better life, yet what they got was wage slavery. Imagine working for sixteen hours or more every day, in sweltering heat, underground, with neither ventilation nor windows. These are people just like us, who seek protection. America is paved with gold or so it is said in other countries. This statement makes this country more welcoming and friendly for these immigrants and the people who live

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Jury finds Harris and Blanck N0T Guilty

Public shocked
Continued from the title page, Trial After just the second day of trials, Harris and Blanck were met outside the courtroom with cries of, Murderers! Murderers! and Give us back our children! which forced police on the scene to keep order. The labor law states, "All doors leading in any factory shall not be locked, bolted, or fastened during working hours." If the door was locked, Harris and Blanck should have been convicted, but the jury had a doubt. After less than two hours, the jury came back with a verdict of not guilty. During the past three years, twenty-four separate

Strikers line the street upon hearing of the Judges ruling Courtesy of TrianglefireUSA Sources- Linder, Doug. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Trial. umkc. University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2002. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials

Deaths In The Workplace (in thousands)

Death rates decrease after tragic fire
By Christine Monyak

Death rates deteriorated by a lot, starting in the late 1800s when new safety features were installed in many buildings.

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Strike Watcher
Stay up to date on the latest strike progressions
By Anna Olsson

Sources- Economic History Services. "History of Workplace Safety in the United States, 1880-1970." EH.net. Economic History Association, 5 2 2005. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/ aldrich.safety.workplace.us>.

Around 10 oclock on Tuesday morning, women on the second floor filed out of the mill room and out into the bustling city streets. Following them, were the weavers on the third floor, and the accountants who occupied the fourth. Not surprisingly, working hours, wages, and treatment were among the matters disputed. Shut down the mills! Woman have rights too, were heard throughout the streets of New York City. This was not the first of such protests to be prominent in the workplace. Since the beginning of womens presence in economical labor, there had been a certain inequality. Not one to be disregarded by woman. They were aware of their rights that they were putting in the same effort as men, that they deserved to be paid the same as men. Not so, according to the managers, who refrained from comments as of this afternoon. Working a twelve-hour day in a low lit, airless factory is not a job to pride over, but for many who take up such a profession, it is the only way to support their family. Lining the streets, one might spot a Polish immigrant next to a Black woman, surrounded by three young Irish lads. These women do not choose to earn less than minimum wage, rather embrace a paycheck. The outcome of this strike is uncertain, others similar to these have deteriorated due to the managements access to strikebreakers. This strike however is a quiet one. There have been signs and shouts, but no violence, no form of organization, and no further signs of rebellion. See Watch on page 7
1963; MacKay, James, Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Eye, 1996.

Feministic Degenerati on
Female workers have had ENOUGH
By Anna Olsson

Word on the street is that there will be rebellion, legislature, protests, and sit-ins. Woman and feminists of New York are fed up with the continuous sexist judgment and actions that occurs in the country. Laura Caperdelli, a young secretary recalls I went to college, went up to the congressional district and was offered a job as secretary right away.. I had always been at the top of my class, good grades, and a killer debate. I was infuriated when they refused me a congressman to observe, Women dont belong in politics, they said to me! For many with a similar story

Ad created by Luisa

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Unfortunately, nothing ever Remember, continued from was. They government took front control of the strikers, and This infuriated the they were unsuccessful. companies, as they needed Eugene Debs, and other the railroads to transport union leaders, were arrested goods. A chance that change on July 11, 1894, and the would occur was very low, workers either rejoined the and the workers needed the company or left for a aid of their comrades. The different, higher paying one. Depiction of the Pullman Strike courtesy of employees turned to Eugene USHistory In July, the federal government The workers that decided to Debs for assistance. He was intervened and forbid all boycotting, andrejoin the Pullman Company the leader and founder of the dispatched soldiers around Chicago. Thehad to sign a yellow dog American Railway Union. strikers suddenly lost hope. How could contract. This contract stated (ARU) The fellow ARU they persuade the huge corporation thatthat they were not part of a members decided to join the was Pullman Palace Car Company? Was itlabor union, nor would they fight and help secure good all over for them? It seemed so. The ever be. These were not the wages for the railroad public had now changed their support only results of the strike. The workers. The strikers, from the strikers to the government, and Pullman strike emphasized together, decided to boycott the strikers lost hope. They needed more problems in labor conditions the Pullman cars by keeping support, or else their efforts would fail, and made it clear to the them on the sidetrack, out of and they would lose all chance of good United States that there was use. Pullman become worried wages. There was a lot at stake, as many an issue at hand. There were when the strikers multiplied of the workers had families that they hadcampaigns to publically to support. had to be done. humiliate George Pullman. The strike, although unsuccessful, hadSomething an effect on workers. It inspired them and made it clear what the obstacle of unjust labor was. We will always remember our leaders for what they did help improve our working conditions. Thanks to them, our salaries, and our spirits, have risen above and beyond. We thank you, hard workers.
Sources- Rohde, Andrea. "The Pullman Strike of 1894." Pullman Strike of 1894. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stfrancis.edu/content/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/ btopics/works/PullmanStrike.htm>. Smith, Carl. "Pullman Strike." The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago . Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2004. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1029.html>.

Statistics show truth

Poor income = poor quality of life
By Noah M Buccholz

The average worker earns less than eight dollars a week, while it takes more or less $32 to live

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comfortably. Factory workers are currently living off less than a quarter of what they should.
Sources- Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd, et al. Mill Village and Factory.
<http://www.historians.org/tl/LessonPlans/nc/Leloudis/factory.html

Historians. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012.

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Ad found by Noah Buccholz courtesy of National Archives

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Love Hurts
Written by Christine Monyak

Advice Column by Ida Brown

About Ida Brown Ida Brown has been writing for The Laborer for two years. She lives in New York with her grandchildren Mary and Jim. Apart from writing for Love Hurts, she enjoys baking cookies, singing folk, and housekeeping. Helen Eustice, age 23: My beloved husband just died in a mining accident. We were going to have children, and now we cant! What should I do? First of all, Im incredibly sorry for your loss, and I hope you are doing well. You are young, and should find another man. Coping with a loss is hard, but try doing some of your favorite things. Maybe try taking a trip to the beach, or baking some cookies with your girlfriends. Get well soon, Helen. Lots of love, I.B. Edward Johnson, age 18: My girlfriend, Dorothy, doesnt want to get married. Im afraid that she wants to run off with another man. Help! First of all, marriage is a very difficult commitment. I dont think that its right to assume Dorothy will run off with another man simply because she isnt ready to get married. Is there a man you suspect? If so, have a chat with Dorothy, and express your concerns. She will be glad to hear them. If not, you should still talk to her. Maybe she just wants a simple relationship right now, or she is afraid of commitment, but she loves you all the same. Either way, talking is a great way to improve your bond. Who knows, next year, you might be swapping rings! Good Luck, I.B. Mildred age 16: Right now, I go to high school and work at a shirtwaist factory. I love boys, but they dont love me! I tease and poke them, but they shrug me off. Im not able to capture their attention. Please, Ida, Im so desperate! Dear Mildred, are you nice to the boys you try to impress? Being mean to them isnt going to capture their attention. Believe it or not, boys dont like to be teased or poked any more than you do! Try being their friend first. Maybe youre just ugly! Please take my advice, dear! I.B. That is all for now! Girlfriend in a knot? Abusive husband? If you have love questions, send them to the address pasted below. Make sure you purchase a copy of The Laborer again next week for more Ida Brown!

Addresses
Looking to send a question to the all-knowing Ida Brown? Just send in your letter to the following address, and

Political Cartoon of the Day

The Laborer-8 she might pick your question to answer next week! Ida Brown Questions P.O. Box 27589 Manhattan, NY

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Strike Watcher
Strike continued from page 3
The strikers who had occupied the street in front of the Nightcaps and gowns of America, building have been removed by local police. As of last night they were being individually processed and booked until further notice. The revolt was over a reduced paycheck for workers, but bonus check for electoral staff in the management. A dry spell had fallen upon this argument temporarily, however the debate erupted once again after an unknown source spread a rumor that the company would be firing 20% of current workers. More on this strike to come, stay updated! Anger is still brewing over the Blanck and Harris case, after the jury and judge turned down the allegations of many workers. Rather than being severely sentenced, as many hoped, the two owners were let off the hook after pleading innocent last Sunday. Protesters have occupied the streets near the ruins of the factory for days, with the number of people increasing by the hour. While Blanck or Harris has taken no immediate action towards the strikers, it is unclear what protesters will gain from this strike.
Sources- Horan, James D., The Pinkertons: The Detective
Agency That Made History, 1967; Horan, James D., and Howard Swiggett, The Pinkerton Story, 1952; Lavine, Sigmund, Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Detective,

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Production
Text editor
Noah Buccholz

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Works Cited

Visual editor
Anna Olsson

By Noah Buccholz
Shirtwaist owners found innocent (Front) Statistics show truth graph (page 4) Union advertisement (page 5)

By Anna Olsson
Strike Watcher (page 3) Feministic denigration (page 3) Advertisements (page 7)

By Chrisine Monyak
Remembering the strikers (Front) Deaths in the workplcae graph (page 2) Love hurts- letters to Ida (page 6)

By Julian Parish Katz

Sweatshops- The bane of America (front)

By Luisa McGarvey
Advertisement (page 3)

Our thanks to
We would like to thank the Media center for generously allowing us access to references, Mr. Grossman for giving us feedback, our other CAP teachers for guiding us through the process of producing a newspaper, and our peers for their inputs and critique.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Kids on Strike. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, n.d. Print. Buying Votes in Indiana: New York Times Article (1888). Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Publishing, Web. 1 Oct. 2012. Drehle, David Von. Triangle the Fire that Changed America. New York: Grove, 2003. Print. Dublin, Thomas. Women at Work. New York: Columbia University, 1979 Print. Economic History Services. History of Workplace Safety in the United States, 1880-1970. EH.net. Economic History Association, 5 2 2005. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/aldrich.safety.workplace.us> Embar, Wanda. Sweatshops and Child Labor. Vegan Peace. Vegan Peace, 2004. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Garment workers wearing shirtwaists. N.d. Photograph. Thread for Thought. Green America. Sweatshops. Green America. Green America, 2004. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/sweatshops/whattokn w.cfm>. Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd, et al. Mill Village and Factory. Historians. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.historians.org/tl/LessonPlans/nc/Leloudis/factory.h ml>. Horan, James D., The Pinkertons: The Detective Agency That Made History, 1967; Horan, James D., and Howard Swiggett, The Pinkerton Story, 1952; Lavine, Sigmund, Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Detective, 1963; MacKay, James, Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Eye, 1996. Labor in The Gilded Age. Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.shmoop.com/gilded-age/labor.html>. Linder, Doug. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Trial. umkc. University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2002. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/triangle/trianglea ount.html>. Manheimer, Ann, ed. Child Labor and Sweatshops. New York: Greenhaven Press, n.d. Print. Notable Labor Strikes of the Gilded Age. Notable Labor Strikes of the Gilded Age. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://faculty.weber.edu/kmackay/notable_labor_strikes_of_th gil.htm>. PBS. Biography: Harris and Blanck. American Experience. PBS, 1996. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biogra hy/triangle-harris-blanck/>. Pinkertons National Detective Agency. American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Rohde, Andrea. The Pullman Strike of 1894. Pullman Strike of 1894 N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stfrancis.edu/content/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/btopics orks/PullmanStrike.htm>. Smith, Carl. Pullman Strike. The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2004. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1029.html>. Sweatshops. American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Duggal. Duggal, 2012. Web. 16 Oct.