The Strike of the Coastal Sailors
Sailors in Seattle and along the coast organize to demand higher wages, leading to a blockade of vessels in the harbor.
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.
The striking sailors of coasters continue their coercive measures to prevent sailing vessels from obtaining crews at the present rate of wages. Two hundred and fifty strikers boarded the schooner Alfred, which was ready to go to sea. The strikers stated that they would permit the vessel to go on its voyage if the captain would pay the men $35 per month. The captain refused, and said that he would give $30. Thereupon the strikers induced the men to leave the vessel. The strikers prevented the ship Richard III from securing a crew unless increased wages were paid.
“The strikers stated that they would permit the vessel to go on its voyage if the captain would pay the men $35 per month.”
Labor disputes over wages on the Seattle waterfront have a long and contentious history. While the vessels are now significantly larger and the technology has changed, the fundamental struggle between the rising cost of living and the compensation offered to maritime workers remains a consistent theme in Seattle's labor landscape.
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