Old Missoula

 

The following two articles appeared side by side in the July, 5^th, 1907 Missoula Herald.

 

CAN’T GET WORKMEN

 

NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY WANTS MORE HELP FOR IMPROVEMENT WORK.

 

The scarcity of labor is proving a great impediment to the Northern Pacific Railway Company, which is making extensive repairs and improvements to the culverts, bridges, fences, water tanks, etc. on the division between Spokane and Trout Creek, which is under the superintendency of A. Beamer of Spokane.

 

Ten parties of men are at work at different points along the main line and the branch lines to Palouse, Coeur d’Alene and the Central Washington, and the company is making a special effort to get the road in first class shape. It has been found impossible, however, to secure nearly enough men to keep the gangs up to the required strength, despite the fact that high wages are being offered.

 

The work is being done under the direction of the bridge supervisor’s department. Each day this department advertises for large numbers of men, but is able to secure only a fraction of the required number. Local officials of the company state that never before have they had such great difficulty in securing manual laborers.

 

A few applications have been received from a lower class of laborers who were not able to supply themselves with blankets and other necessities to boarding car life, and the company has not as a consequence been able to engage them, but the services of high class laborers are at a premium.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP INCREASING.

 

The Industrial Workers of the World of Missoula, Local No. 250 on the night of July 3, at their regular meeting installed the following officers for the term of six months:

 

President – M. A. Bruce

 

Vice-President – A. Mace

 

Recording secretary – Fred Ostland

 

Financial secretary – A. L. Anderson

 

The report of the retiring financial secretary, R. A. Fuller, shows the local to be in splendid standing, and its membership is increasing very fast. Something like 33 new members were taken in during the . . . just closed.