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Workmen's Advocate
New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
Eighty granite cutters imported from Scotland for the Texas Capitol building construction face harsh conditions, including hot sun exposure, poor lodging and food, low wages due to hard granite, and deductions from pay to repay $45 passage costs each, despite a recent law against such contracts.
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The eighty granite cutters imported from Scotland by contractors of the Texas Capitol building are having a hard time of it. They complain of the hardship of working in the hot sun, of the miserable lodgings and board, and of the low wages they receive. They were told that they could make from $4 to $6 per day; but the granite they have to cut is extraordinarily hard, necessitating continual sharpening of their tools, and ordinary workmen can hardly make a dollar a day at the work. These men were imported under contract, in spite of the law recently enacted, and owe their bosses $45 each for their fare from Scotland. Of course, if the men should leave or refuse to work the contractors would lose over $3,500 which they advanced to pay the fares of the men, for the contracts made with them are void. As it is the poor dupes have a certain amount deducted from their wages every week to reimburse the bosses.
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Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Texas
Outcome
workers face low wages of about $1 per day instead of promised $4-$6; $45 deducted from each worker's wages weekly for passage; contractors risk losing $3,500 if workers leave, as contracts are void.
Event Details
Eighty granite cutters from Scotland, imported under contract despite recent law, work on Texas Capitol building but endure hot sun, poor lodgings and board, hard granite requiring constant tool sharpening, and resulting low earnings; they owe bosses $45 each for fare, with deductions from wages.