The Struggle Over the Lake Washington Canal
A labor dispute stalls construction on the critical waterway between Lake Washington and Lake Union.
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 order to find out the particulars of the differences existing between J. J. Cummings, contractor on the canal between Lakes Washington and Union, and the Canal Company, a reporter of this journal called on one of the officers of the Canal Company yesterday. The officer stated: 'The first trouble sprang from Mr. Cummings' demand for an advance in the yardage, claiming that he had struck hard pan. His contract stated that he would do all the excavating at 27 cents per yard. We declined to accede to his demands. He then discharged all his men, excepting those which he keeps at work in order to maintain possession and hinder us in pushing the work. From the start we have paid all the men, fearing to trust the money in his hands. We are determined that every laborer who has worked on the canal shall have his pay in full.'
“We are determined that every laborer who has worked on the canal shall have his pay in full.”
The project of connecting Lake Washington to Lake Union was a defining civic infrastructure challenge of the era, mirroring today’s debates over the management and funding of major regional construction projects and the protection of workers' wages.
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