Western Glass Manufacturing Company, Denver, Colorado

SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS OF BOYS

SUCCESSFULLY GRAPPLE THE OCTOPUS

The "taking out ware" boys, the "pumping all boys," the "batch mixers," the "screwing up plug boys," the "snapping ups," the "foot bench boys," and the "grinders" at the Valverde glass works were on strike yesterday.

It was one of the most successful strikes ever known, for they gained all they demanded in six hours and entirely by their own efforts. The "batch mixers" and their companies are known as "helpers" at the factory. The helpers are boys of various ages, who assist the glass blowers in many ways, and 26 of them struck for higher wages at 9:30 in the morning. At noon they held a brief conference with F. L. Gallagher, the manager.

He declined to advance their wages as demanded, saying that they were asking too much. Thereupon they declared that no other boys should take their places at the old scale of wages and promptly strung a cordon of pickets about the factory. Eighteen sturdy lads, each provided with a club, surrounded the buildings and announced that outsiders would not be permitted to replace them at the works.

At 4 o'clock in the afternoon Manager Gallagher stated to the pickets that he would pay the wages they demanded. At 5 o'clock the strike was declared off and two of the strikers returned to work. They were E. Schoneweis and Peter Hansen. The others will return this morning.

When the factory was rebuilt last summer after the fire, the boys wages were reduced. The "foot bench" boys, who have been recently getting but $0.75 a day demanded $1. They take the glass from the molds.

The "carrying in" boys, who have been receiving $0.50 per diem, asked an advance of 25 cents, or $0.75 a day. They carry material to the blowers. The grinders, whose wages were $0.75 a day demanded $1.50. Each class demanded a raise of from $0.25 to $0.50 a day, and their demands were granted by the company.

The first boy to strike was R. Walkey, a "laying up" boy, who was receiving $0.75 a day for transporting, with care, certain bottles on a long pronged pole. The bottles are placed in a furnace and consequently cannot be handled in the usual manner. Walkey at first struck for $1.00, but when all the boys in the works followed his example in so plucky a manner he took heart and demanded $1.25. This was agreed to by the management.

Last night there were but two men and two boys at the works, for owing to the strike there was no work for others, but this morning at 7 o'clock the usual force will be there.