Railroad Workers Left Without Pay in Seattle
Construction crews on the Cedar River extension face a dire crisis after the Oregon Transcontinental company fails to issue wages since January.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Paymaster H.W. Thielsen paid all wages due from the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company and the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad Company yesterday. This, however, did not include wages on the Cedar River extension, which is being built by the Oregon Transcontinental, which company, for some reason, has not provided to pay its laborers since January 1st. Paymaster Thielsen, in order to place the laborers in a position to negotiate their paper, attempted to take up the time checks held by the laborers and give them in place thereof due bills against the Oregon Transcontinental, 'Payable as soon as funds are provided.' This arrangement proved very unsatisfactory to the men, who handed back the due bills to the paymaster in disgust. For a time excitement ran high, and all sorts of extremities were talked of by the men but it was finally agreed to hold a meeting this (Saturday) morning, at which time it is stated extreme measures will be resorted to. Unless satisfactory arrangements are made with the men today, trouble may be looked for, as the men are broke and need the money for them to buy victuals and hire lodging.
“For a time excitement ran high, and all sorts of extremities were talked of by the men.”
Labor disputes over unpaid wages have been a constant thread in Seattle's history, echoing modern challenges where contract workers or those in the gig economy struggle against the whims of distant corporate management.
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