Blacklisted for Striking, a Railroad Man Vanished—and His Family Was Left to Chop Wood
A Seattle charity worker found a mother and three children destitute on the Grant Street line after her husband, blacklisted by every railroad, sailed for South Africa and stopped writing.
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.
Superintendent Gilmer, of the Bureau of Associated Charities, and Chairman Fred Gasch, of the board of county commissioners, relieved a needy woman with three children living on the Grant Street line last Friday, and in investigating the case brought to light a very sad story growing out of the railroad strike. The woman's husband was a railroad man and up to the time of the strike always had work. He took an active part in that strike and was blacklisted by all the roads in consequence. He went from place to place, working until it was discovered who he was, and finally in despair sailed for South Africa. During the time he was in this country he sent a little money to his wife and babes, but since he left nothing has been heard of him, and the stock of provisions grew smaller and smaller until none was left. The mother disposed of her furniture, piece by piece, until there was barely enough left to get along with. When she could sell no more the woman went out and solicited orders for chopping wood, and had cut two cords and was working on the third when the attention of Mr. Gilmer was called to her condition. Mr. Gilmer, through the bureau, supplied her immediate wants and turned her case over to Mr. Gasch, who is looking after her.
“He took an active part in that strike and was blacklisted by all the roads in consequence.”
The 1890s railroad blacklist left a Seattle family destitute, and the relief came through private charity rather than a public safety net. The story rhymes with today's fights over strike retaliation and worker surveillance—and with the question of who bears the cost when an employer punishes a worker for organizing.
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