The Crew of the 'Tidal Wave' Strikes for Back Pay
After the American bark 'Tidal Wave' terminated its voyage at Port Madison, fourteen sailors filed a legal action against the ship's owners to recover unpaid wages, lodging, and return expenses.
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.
In Admiralty. United States of America—Third Judicial District of Washington Territory: Whereas a Libel has been filed in the District Court for the Third Judicial District of Washington Territory, holding terms at Seattle, in King County, on the twenty-fifth day of March, 1880, by Z. Simarssen, John Grant, Tom M. Hoy, Wm. Lewis, John Collebzki, John Horn, Martin Christopher, Henrick Henricks, John Lawson, William Anderson, T. Andrus, Clemens Ronnebaum, Oscar Lendholmi and H. Laison, late mariners on board the American bark 'Tidal Wave,' alleging that on or about the month of January, 1880, at the port of San Francisco, each of said Libellants duly shipped upon and into the service of said bark. The voyage was to proceed to Port Madison, within said District, there to load cargo and return to San Francisco. The Libellants allege that the voyage was fully terminated at Port Madison, and all seamen were discharged from service. The Libellants claim they are entitled to be paid their wages due at the time of discharge, together with reasonable compensation for their time, food, lodging, and expenses in returning to their port of shipment. The court has ordered that any persons claiming the vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, appear before the City of Seattle on the first Monday of May to interpose their claims.
“The said voyage was fully terminated at Port Madison aforesaid, and all of said seamen discharged from the said service.”
This legal notice highlights the perennial struggle of workers to secure payment for labor in the maritime and industrial sectors of the Pacific Northwest. Much like today’s disputes over gig work and wage theft in Seattle, 19th-century laborers had to resort to complex federal court 'libels'—essentially placing a lien on the company's property—just to get the wages they had already earned.
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