Excerpts from "Fixed Bayonets - The New York State National Guard during the era of industrial unrest, 1877–1898" by Ronald Howard Kotlik, 2005.art
Dublin Core
Title
Excerpts from "Fixed Bayonets - The New York State National Guard during the era of industrial unrest, 1877–1898" by Ronald Howard Kotlik, 2005.art
Description
Webmaster's Note: This 2005 dissertation from a UB student examines the seven times the Guard were dispersed between 1877–1898 to mediate local labor disputes. Below are the portions related to the two visits to the Tonawandas, in June of 1892 and June of 1893. Photo: 42nd Separate Company during one of these Tonawanda deployments. Another version here.
The lumber strikes that will be discussed here in Tonawanda and Oswego both involved lumber shovers, men whose main responsibility was to handle the lumber on the docks or decks loading and unloading it from various vessels. It has been argued that shoving was extremely hard for the men especially when the same shovers worked both on the docks and served as crews on the ships. “Down the boards would come end on end on to the schooner’s deck, from the lumber shovers on the piles, to be caught and carried to the hatches, passed down to splinterfilled fists in the hold, and laid along carefully on the floor-ceiling, starting at the bilges and sides, until they mounted up to the deckbeams, like haystraws in a mow.”
It has been argued that during the prime period of the lumber industry, roughly from the 1880s to 1907, attempts by lumbermen to either merge or pool their interests ultimately failed leading to abusive competition and falling prices that punished all those involved in the industry.8 This phenomenon had detrimental effects to both workers and management in the industry. “To lower expenses, lumbermen cut wages and reduced their labor force, and in communities where logging and lumber manufacturing dominated local business, there were no other industries to offset layoffs and unemployment.
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1892
The events that resulted in the National Guard being called to Tonawanda in 1892 began with attempts by lumber handlers, whose primary job was to unload barges of lumber, to form a union to gain more control in compensation issues. The men were opposed to the stevedore system in which they were paid by the company on an individual basis per job, or per barge that needed to be unloaded. No long term contracts were involved, which relegated the men to day laborer status. In an open letter by the lumber workers to the Lumbermen’s Association, an organization of lumber mill owners, the lumber workers expressed their grievances. “The union men said they were opposed to the stevedore system of unloading barges, and that they preferred working on the cooperative plan, dividing the fruits of their labor equally among themselves.”
The men were willing to concede to work at the same rate as the stevedore system, but asked that their organization be recognized by the Lumbermen’s Association, and claimed it would bring no threat to their interests. The Lumbermen publicly expressed their sympathy with the lumber handlers stating that, “The interest of the lumbermen of Tonawanda and the handlers of lumber are the same.” However, while they claimed to be willing to listen to the lumber handlers’ complaints, they warned them to be wary of outside agitators from Buffalo who were attempting to organize a union for their own interest and not that of the lumber handlers or that of Tonawanda:
While both the lumber handlers and the lumbermen expressed their willingness to discuss work related issues peacefully, calm and restraint did not prevail. On June 11th, about 300 lumber handlers trying to get union recognition marched to the lumber yards of A. Weston and Son. At the yard, order quickly eroded as the crowd disrupted work within the yards and on the barges in the docks. While initially the men expressed no ill will, clubs and stones began to be thrown at the non-union workers within the yard and on the barges. The police who were stationed within the yard to guard the non-union workers fired into the air to restore order. Someone within the crowd returned fire striking one policemen, John Miller, in the knee while wounding another man, Frank Kinzley, seriously in the abdomen. With the shootings, the eight policeman on duty fled the yard and the non-union men quickly left from their positions while the crowd made its way to neighboring barges and yards of other lumber companies. Non-union workers at Smith, Fassett and Company and at Gregory, and Robinson Brothers Lumber Company were also driven off as, “…several men were quite badly used up by the strikers.”\ Without police protection, non-union men were unable to work, which allowed the strikers to continue pressuring the lumberman for their demands.
With control quickly slipping from local law enforcement authorities, Sheriff Nathan Ensign of Lockport asked for assistance from the local company of the National Guard, the Twenty- Fifth Separate Company from within Tonawanda. Brigadier General Peter C. Doyle received word from Sheriff Ensign on June 11th, to make ready for the possibility of “considerable bloodshed and violence” that may occur during a riot on Monday, June 13. Doyle also requested the Forty-Second Separate Company from Niagara Falls to be ready in case of an outbreak of serious violence.16 It is important to note that in this situation, similar to events during the four transportation strikes detailed in the previous chapter, Guardsmen were only activated once local law enforcement was ineffective at preventing violence. The Guard itself did not choose to become involved in this situation, but was activated upon the request of local officials.
It is difficult to argue that the Guard was a tool of industry considering that local officials, not industrial interests, were responsible for activating the Guard. Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1893 During the Tonawanda strike little violence took place, and most of the troops requested encountered no difficulties while on duty. However, a similar conflict between the lumber handlers and the Lumbermen’s Association in Tonawanda erupted again a year later in 1893 which did involve more direct use of Guard forces to restore the peace. Before the peak lumber season commenced during the summer months, speculation was rampant throughout Tonawanda that the Lumbermen’s Association would attempt to break the Lumber Shovers’ Protective Union by trying to use the stevedore system and only employ persons or offer contracts to unload vessels to those they saw fit. In essence the Lumbermen’s Association was threatening to employ the readily available Polish workers to take the place of the lumber shovers within Tonawanda. The shovers did not understand the Lumbermen’s Association’s hard stance against the union. Since the workers were only attempting to organize for their own protection seeking insurance and medical treatment. The shovers vowed that if Polish labor was used all attempts would be made to bring these workers into the union. Polish workers were seen as a threat because it was believed that they would be willing to work for lower wages and through the stevedore system. In addition, many of the Polish workers were recent immigrants who had settled in nearby Buffalo. The Pole’s immigrant status and their Buffalo residence increased the perception, form the point of view of the local Tonawanda lumber shovers, that the Poles were outsiders threatening to take their positions on the docks.
As summer approached, the Lumbermen’s Association offered the Tonawanda workers one final chance to abandon their union. If the workers continued with their demands contracts
would be given to the non-union men already working. “We individually and severally affirm that we have not changed our view regarding the organization known as the Tonawanda Lumber Shovers’ Protective Union, one iota,” proclaimed William H. Cooper, secretary of the Tonawanda Lumbermen’s Association, “and for the same sufficient reasons heretofore publicly stated and argued. The local organization was formed last year and is not immical to the interests of the entire community, as well as to the lumber and vessel interests, and we cannot recognize it under the circumstances.” Cooper made it known that contracts for the present non-union workers have been withheld in the interests of the Tonawanda men for the Association preferred to make contracts with the local men. However, the Association offered June 14th as the deadline for union men to offer proof of their disassociation with the union and return to work. After that date contracts would be offered to the present workers for the remainder of the season. James Morrisey, spokesmen for the union men offered a strong rejection of the proposal. “I think I represent the views of the majority of the members of the said union when I say that we will not go to work again except as union men.” Local law enforcement was well aware of these developments and anticipated trouble during the upcoming lumber season. In April, Sheriff Ensign of Niagara Country, traveled to Buffalo to confer with National Guard officers over the possibility of needing the Guard to serve in Tonawanda if any violence broke out. It is interesting to note that two months before any violence did occur because of the lumber shover lockout; local law enforcement realized that they would be inadequate to keep the peace if trouble did occur. The sheriff was forced to rely in such events. Law officials, during this strike and others, usually proved to be unable to preserve order within their local communities and constantly relied on the Guard to fulfill this service. The warranting of the use of troops in Tonawanda did not initially occur because of any actions taken directly by the striking lumber shovers, but by grievances expressed by the nonunion Polish laborers who replaced the shovers. The Poles were initially paid forty cents per hour but that wage was eventually reduced to twenty five cents per hour. “The laborers say they could not make as much money at the new rate,” cited the Buffalo Courier, “but the lumbermen say they would make more if they were not lazy.”
These remarks in combination with the changes in wages enabled the union shovers to recruit the Poles into the union. The union Poles intimidated any of their fellow countrymen who still attempted to return to work and, “threatened to drive them off the docks if they touched a plank.” On June 16th, the striking Poles gathered at the offices of the Smith and Fassett Company to demand their back wages owed. They were told to be patient for they would have to wait for their wages, “…but many of them were filled up with beer and threatened violence.” As time passed tensions rose as some incendiary speeches were made and stones were thrown at the paymaster’s office. Sheriff Ensign was unable to clear the crowd with his deputies and felt it prudent to call out Tonawanda’s Twenty-Fifth Separate Company of the National Guard. Seventy men under the command of Captain H.M. Fales quickly arrived and cleared the docks and placed guards at the bridge to prevent others from joining the strikers. Later in the day the Twenty-Fifth was reinforced by the Forty-Second Separate Company from Niagara Falls under the command of Colonel S.M. Welch. With the upon Guardsmen when such disorder was threatened. This serves as further evidence that the arrival of over 150 troops the, “…village has quite a war like appearance.” The events in Tonawanda made national news. The New York Times commented, “What has been threatened and expected all season happened today, and Tonawanda is under guard of the militia.”
During many of the transportation strikes Guardsmen often demonstrated reluctance in performing police duty and becoming involved in labor-management disputes. This reluctance served as evidence that Guardsmen should not be considered as active supporters of the rights of capital over labor. Rather, the Guard was usually thrust into a labor dispute when local law enforcement authorities were inadequate in preserving the peace. The Guard had little control over its deployment, literally being at the beck and call of local officials fearing outbreaks of mass violence. The Guardsmen called to duty in Tonawanda in 1893 also expressed a similar reluctance. Many of the men of the Twenty-Fifth Separate Company were excited once the Polish workers were paid believing that they would be relieved of duty; however, this feeling was quickly dashed as word circulated that their service would be extended. Many of the men began to scorn the idea of extended strike duty. The Buffalo Courier reported that a, “…majority of them [soldiers] are not overjoyed at the prospect of several days’ guard duty without even a free-for-all fight to break the monotony.” Members of the Forty-Second Company expressed similar feelings of having to stay longer. Many of these Guardsmen blamed the sheriff for not being prepared for the possible conflict between the shovers and the lumbermen and taking necessary steps before having to call in the Guard.
..
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1892
Of the three lumber strikes, the first in Tonawanda in 1892 was by all estimates the most peaceful with no outward violence occurring between strikers and the troops sent to protect private property. Strikers still demanded recognition of their union and an end to the stevedore system that hired men individually without any union support. The strikers looked to remedy the situation through an arbitration board that would come to Tonawanda on June 14th and hopefully end the standoff through negotiation. In addition, the strikers continued to deny their involvement with the shooting of the police officer that occurred when strikers gathered in the lumberyards on June 11th. However, sixteen union men were arrested for involvement in the shooting of the officer.
Despite the arrests, no large outbreaks of violence occurred. “The strikers are keeping under cover,” reported the New York Times, “The barge Botaford has been unloaded and the men are engaged in unloading lumber from the Racine as fast as possible. The Guard was a force at the demand of local officials and did not actively seek to become involved Sawyer Lumber Company’s yardmen are at work on the Dan Rogers.”36 Non-union men who were under the watchful eyes of the strikers conducted this work without molestation. Peace was also maintained by the eighty troops of Tonawanda’s Twenty-Fifth Separate Company and by the eighty troops of the Forty-Second Company from Niagara Falls. In addition, the Sixty-Fifth Regiment from Buffalo was also notified to be ready for a call up if any other violence escalated. The troops on duty marched throughout the streets of Tonawanda near the docks expecting trouble from the strikers, because non-union men were unloading barges. However, the troops experienced no resistance from the strikers or the community. The troops also enjoyed a hearty breakfast as the Hotel Sheldon without any interference from strikers or sympathizers. In comparison with the events that transpired in many of the transportation strikes, troops on duty in Tonawanda in 1892 experienced fairly light duty.
Even though the troops were received fairly well by the community and the strikers, community support was still firmly behind the strikers’ demands. Out of the over 700 lumber shovers who joined the Protective Union, around 500 of them were property owners within Tonawanda. Most of them were German ethnics who were not transient labors, but tax paying property owners. In addition, one the largest complaints against the stevedore system was that there was no contract given to the men for steady wages since the stevedore set the wages per job. Most of the stevedores were saloonkeepers who paid off their men at the saloons. In most cases the stevedore would hire the men who had accumulated the largest debt at their establishments. The community recognized the corruption within this system and pledged to support the workers who wanted to remain continuing members of the Tonawanda community.
On June 14th, state arbitrators arrived in Tonawanda and organized a meeting of the union men, the Lumbermen’s Association, and the Tonawanda Common Council at the Hotel Sheldon. During the meeting a solution was proposed by the Lumbermen’s Association that would allow the lumber shovers to organize in gangs that would be hired directly by the lumbermen or the captains of lumber vessels. The men would receive the current prices for the season, but the captains and the lumbermen had the right to hire union or non-union gangs. The most alluring part of the proposition that attracted the acceptance by the union men was the abolishment of the stevedore system. Reaching a settlement, the lumber shovers agreed to return to work on June 15th. With the return to work of the shovers, the Guard was also disbanded.
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1893
Despite the peaceful end of the Tonawanda Strike of 1892 which involved no direct violence against troops by either strikers or the community, conflict broke out a year later between the same lumber shovers and the Lumbermen’s Association. The Lumbermen’s Association abandoned the settlement reached in June of 1892 and tried to reinstate the stevedore system and completely eliminate the Protective Union as the lumber season approached in the spring of 1893. The Lumbermen’s Association brought in Polish workers from Buffalo to work the docks but were slow in paying the men for their labor. Many of the Polish workers eventually rioted because they were not paid. The Poles’ grievances against the Lumbermen also made them easy recruits for the Protective Union of shovers. With the riot on June 16, the Twenty-Fifth and Forty-Second Separate Companies were once again called to restore order, as was done a year prior in 1892. The Twenty-Fifth Separate Company from within Tonawanda, under the command of Captain H.M. Fales, and the Forty-Second Separate Company from nearby Niagara Falls, under the command of Colonel S.M. Welch, arrived on the scene on June 16th.
The troops quickly cleared the yards and established pickets. Guards were also placed on a railway bridge to prevent others from joining the strikers. When the Poles were informed that they would be paid as soon as the payroll was completed, in combination with the presence of armed soldiers, their angry sentiments were quelled. “When the men were informed that the paymaster was ready to receive them they flocked towards the building which he occupied like a flock a sheep,” detailed the Buffalo Courier, “The soldiers, with fixed bayonets, drove them back and put them in line so they would get to the window one at a time. During the excitement one Pole was struck in the left arm near the shoulder but the bayonet scarcely penetrated his clothing.”41 This minor wound was the only injury to either a worker or a soldier during this incident. In contrast to the accounts of the transportation strikes discussed in the previous chapter, both of the Tonawanda lumber strikes were fairly mild events. Perhaps the lack of widespread violence was owing to the speedy arrival of the soldiers to the yards and the local origin of the troops that resulted in more restraint. While this is mere speculation, such conjecture does warrant attention.
These events also warranted attention from the national press. The New York Times also believed that the, “quick responses of the soldiers to a call for help prevented bloodshed.” However, despite the optimism expressed by the Times, officers in charge of the troops were still cautious about being overly optimistic. “It is almost impossible to tell what the outcome will be,” remarked Colonel Welch, “We all hope the matter will soon be settled peacefully, but yet there may be bloodshed.” Tensions lessened despite some speeches by the strikers calling for more opposition. Once the Poles were paid, most returned to Buffalo, and outright conflict between strikers and non-union men subsided.
Even though the hostilities between strikers and non-union works were quelled, members of the Twenty-Fifth and Forty-Second Companies remained on duty for most of the week of June 18th within Tonawanda. The mayor of Tonawanda, George W. Stanley put the community under martial law as soldiers continued their pickets and guard duty. “While the militia are here I want the lumber shovers to understand the soldiers are not here for fun,” proclaimed Stanley, “but to do the work they were called to do.” Further, Stanley believed that if the troops were removed too soon violence would break out once again. “These union men know we will never recognize their union and they are getting desperate and ugly, and when they know the soldiers are not ready to suppress them they will do something that will shock this end of the state.”44 While Stanley painted the union in a fairly negative light, revealing his sympathies for the Lumbermen’s Association against union efforts, the strikers themselves questioned the use of troops, because they were committed to peacefully settling their grievances. President Cramer of the Protective Union reaffirmed the union’s commitment to their demands of recognition and an end to the stevedore system. Speaking about the riotous actions of the Poles, Cramer denied any union responsibility for inciting their actions. “We have not been threatening these non-union men, and certainly cannot be held accountable for their strike on Friday. I do not see the necessity of ordering out these troops if it is thought violence is feared from our men. I have asked them all to refrain from doing anything unlawful, and they have all promised to do so.” Cramer placed blame for the violence on the Polish workers and argued that troops may be needed to guard against these men, but certainly not his union members. “If the militia were called out to suppress the men they brought down from Buffalo, then that is another thing. We are not going to give up out fight until our union is recognized."
Cramer’s comments focus on the union’s determination and willingness to refrain from using violence, and they also reveal that the union expressed no ill will against the soldiers called for duty. In comparison, during many of the transportation strikes strikers openly expressed their hostility toward the troops through violent actions. During this strike the union was less hostile toward the Guard and only verbally protested the need for troops since no violence was enacted by the strikers. Again it can be argued that this peaceful co-existence between strikers and Guardsmen was a result of local troops being used in a localized incident. During the transportation strikes, local troops were always accompanied by out of town regiments and companies.
As violence escalated and as the blood of strikers, community residents, and soldiers were spilt, resentment for the use of troops increased. In addition to the peaceful co-existence between the strikers and the Guardsmen, outright community resentment for the soldiers was also not found within the evidence available. When the troops arrived, the president of Tonawanda, George W. Stanley encouraged citizens to remain in their homes until the disputes were settled. Stanley warned against, “…all persons from assembling for unlawful purposes and disturbing the public peace, and command all good citizens to remain at their several homes and to pursue their lawful and useful pursuits in a peaceful and lawful manner.” 46 Stanley, who was well aware of the threat of the lumber dispute spilling over into the larger community, made a concerted effort to prevent loss of life, especially from innocent citizens that usually gathered during such events. During his proclamation, Stanley used the word “law abiding” to describe the citizenry. During the transportation strikes, other community leaders also used this term when referring to those that supported the use of the Guard. Law abiding was also used in reference to the middle and upper class status of those citizens who disliked the spread of violence and welcomed the Guard as a force to restore order.
Within the context of the 1893 Tonawanda strike, it is difficult to interpret if Stanley was referring to the same class of citizens during his proclamation. When the strike concluded and troops were sent home, a reference was made in the local newspaper that there was, “…rejoicing among all classes in both villages (referring to the village of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda).”
This is the only evidence found that makes a direct comment about the classes of people within the community and their reaction to the events. Taking this example, in conjunction with the other details of striker cooperation with Guardsmen, it can be argued that troops on duty within Tonawanda did not experience the hostilities of the community that were existent in many of the larger transportation strikes. Troops on duty were from within the community, a community that wanted to see the disruption of lumber traffic resolved as quickly as possible. Also, strikers refrained from using violence against the troops, and there was no indication of any outside agitation by individuals who usually congregated during strikes to incite violence. For the remainder of the week the troops on duty continued to guard the lumberyards. No violence was used against the troops, and strikers did not interfere with non-union labor.
On Thursday, June 22, more Polish workers arrived from Pittsburgh to work the docks. However, when the train approached the area and when the Poles caught sight of the Guardsmen, several jumped from the cars and tried to find a lawyer in town. Once the Poles realized that the troops were not there to suppress them, but only there to protect private property, they returned to work.
With a steady supply of labor available, strike leaders made more attempts to negotiate with the Lumbermen’s Association. Agreements were made between the Protective Union and the
Lumbermen’s Association that allowed the workers to return to their jobs as individuals and not as a union, and the Lumbermen’s Association would have control over choosing the foremen to run the labor gangs from the men who returned to work. In return, the men would be given twenty-seven cents per thousand of unloading rather than the previous twenty-three cents.49 President John Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association thought this was an equitable agreement that catered to both sides. Speaking to the Protective Union, Robinson defended the agreement, “That I will obtain a contract from the Lumbermen’s Association to unload all barges at card rates, as published by the Lumbermen’s Association, and employ so far as possible the men now belonging to your organization on condition that they withdraw from your association and agree not to join any other labor organization during the term of my contract.”
With the agreement, the men lost their union but received better wages that the previous stevedore system. The Guard was withdrawn once the workers agreed to the arrangements. There was little commentary following the strike on the effect of the troops on the outcome. Unlike many of the transportation strikes, the strikers conducted themselves in a peaceful manner and there was no evidence of agitation by outsiders against the troops. While the Guard did protect the property and non-union workers in the name of upholding the law, in this circumstance their presence still had an effect on the outcome of the strike. The presence of the Guard allowed the Lumbermen’s Association to have an available workforce to undermine the strikers’ efforts to disrupt their business. While the Guard may have not purposefully sought to weaken the strikers’ position, their very presence benefited management.
...
During the Tonawanda strike in 1893 the Lumbermen’s Association was firm in its resistance in refusing to recognize the Lumber Shovers Protective Union, even if the holdout lasted the entire season. The Lumbermen’s resolute stand was warranted for they believed they could find all the workers that were needed, but their success with such non-union workers depended heavily on the protection the National Guard provided against abuses by the strikers. President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association made the position of the group known in an open statement to the strikers. “We are in this fight to stay and we will hold out as long as our money lasts. We can get all the men we need if we can only insure them protection. That is what we are going to do if we have to call for the entire National Guard of the State.” Robinson believed that events in Tonawanda offered a great test of who had the upper hand in the business, the owners or the shovers. “We have been fooling with the old hands too long. This is the time to see whether we shall run our business as we think best or let those lumber shovers dictate how it shall be run.”
...
Even though no additional troops were summoned to Tonawanda, and despite the bold proclamation of President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association, local business owners in the city were actually pleading with local law enforcement authorities and Mayor Stanley to have the troops recalled. Local business owners circulated a petition asking for the recall of the troops and issued a statement decrying the presence of soldiers within the community. “The presence of an armed body is calculated to bring the citizens and constabulary into disrepute in the eyes of
the people of the State and country.” (57 New York Times, 21 June 1893, p. 3, col. 6.) Businessmen within the city believed the expense of having two companies of Guardsmen was unwarranted when adequate protection could be offered by local lawmen. More importantly, businesses worried about losing customers who avoided the city because of all the publicity of an armed presence within their midst.
Other histories of the National Guard have argued that businessmen usually allied themselves with the Guard and welcomed their presence during a strike to combat disorder. In this particular circumstance, businessmen in Tonawanda believed the presence of troops was a threat to their very livelihoods. The response of Tonawanda’s businessmen can be contrasted with the reaction of other groups during the transportation strikes. It was noted that during many of the transportation strikes, community leaders, such as businessmen, welcomed the presence of the Guard because it restored order. Those who usually protested the presence of the troops sympathized with the strikers, were outside agitators, or felt directly threatened by a large contingent of armed men.
It can be argued that during the Tonawanda strike in 1893, business was certainly not on the side of the National Guard, and despite the bold proclamation of President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association about calling out the entire National Guard, only two companies remained on duty during the incident.
The lumber strikes that will be discussed here in Tonawanda and Oswego both involved lumber shovers, men whose main responsibility was to handle the lumber on the docks or decks loading and unloading it from various vessels. It has been argued that shoving was extremely hard for the men especially when the same shovers worked both on the docks and served as crews on the ships. “Down the boards would come end on end on to the schooner’s deck, from the lumber shovers on the piles, to be caught and carried to the hatches, passed down to splinterfilled fists in the hold, and laid along carefully on the floor-ceiling, starting at the bilges and sides, until they mounted up to the deckbeams, like haystraws in a mow.”
It has been argued that during the prime period of the lumber industry, roughly from the 1880s to 1907, attempts by lumbermen to either merge or pool their interests ultimately failed leading to abusive competition and falling prices that punished all those involved in the industry.8 This phenomenon had detrimental effects to both workers and management in the industry. “To lower expenses, lumbermen cut wages and reduced their labor force, and in communities where logging and lumber manufacturing dominated local business, there were no other industries to offset layoffs and unemployment.
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1892
The events that resulted in the National Guard being called to Tonawanda in 1892 began with attempts by lumber handlers, whose primary job was to unload barges of lumber, to form a union to gain more control in compensation issues. The men were opposed to the stevedore system in which they were paid by the company on an individual basis per job, or per barge that needed to be unloaded. No long term contracts were involved, which relegated the men to day laborer status. In an open letter by the lumber workers to the Lumbermen’s Association, an organization of lumber mill owners, the lumber workers expressed their grievances. “The union men said they were opposed to the stevedore system of unloading barges, and that they preferred working on the cooperative plan, dividing the fruits of their labor equally among themselves.”
The men were willing to concede to work at the same rate as the stevedore system, but asked that their organization be recognized by the Lumbermen’s Association, and claimed it would bring no threat to their interests. The Lumbermen publicly expressed their sympathy with the lumber handlers stating that, “The interest of the lumbermen of Tonawanda and the handlers of lumber are the same.” However, while they claimed to be willing to listen to the lumber handlers’ complaints, they warned them to be wary of outside agitators from Buffalo who were attempting to organize a union for their own interest and not that of the lumber handlers or that of Tonawanda:
We believe that the men have the unquestionable right to select their own bosses or form gangs among themselves, and on this point they will receive the sympathy and support of all lumbermen, but as we firmly believe that, with the condition of business at this port now and in prospect, any such organization or union as now proposed must be unsuccessful, work to the disadvantage of the laboring men, and cause them both loss of wages and other troubles, we must refuse to recognize or support it, and we trust the cool judgment of the worthy workers will lead them to see the difficulties they are attempting to fasten on themselves and on this market, and at once withdraw from the domination of the Buffalo advisors, allowing business to pursue the natural as heretofore. For reasons started we shall feel it in our duty to protect by lawful means, any and all men who desire to work as independent workmen.These comments by the lumbermen coincide with the historical account of the changing conditions in the lumber industry. During the late nineteenth century lumber production and distribution was decreasing from its highpoint in the northeast during the 1870s. Fierce competition between lumbermen, which resulted in failed attempts to pool their interests, resulted in an extremely volatile lumber market which forced lumbermen to seek different means to post profits despite the failing prices of lumber. It is evident from the events in Tonawanda in 1892, that workers were feeling the strain of economic conditions within the industry and tried to combat them through greater unionization. While the efforts of workers to unionize were discouraged, lumbermen themselves organized through the Lumbermen’s Association to combat the very same market forces that were bearing down upon the interests of their workers.
While both the lumber handlers and the lumbermen expressed their willingness to discuss work related issues peacefully, calm and restraint did not prevail. On June 11th, about 300 lumber handlers trying to get union recognition marched to the lumber yards of A. Weston and Son. At the yard, order quickly eroded as the crowd disrupted work within the yards and on the barges in the docks. While initially the men expressed no ill will, clubs and stones began to be thrown at the non-union workers within the yard and on the barges. The police who were stationed within the yard to guard the non-union workers fired into the air to restore order. Someone within the crowd returned fire striking one policemen, John Miller, in the knee while wounding another man, Frank Kinzley, seriously in the abdomen. With the shootings, the eight policeman on duty fled the yard and the non-union men quickly left from their positions while the crowd made its way to neighboring barges and yards of other lumber companies. Non-union workers at Smith, Fassett and Company and at Gregory, and Robinson Brothers Lumber Company were also driven off as, “…several men were quite badly used up by the strikers.”\ Without police protection, non-union men were unable to work, which allowed the strikers to continue pressuring the lumberman for their demands.
With control quickly slipping from local law enforcement authorities, Sheriff Nathan Ensign of Lockport asked for assistance from the local company of the National Guard, the Twenty- Fifth Separate Company from within Tonawanda. Brigadier General Peter C. Doyle received word from Sheriff Ensign on June 11th, to make ready for the possibility of “considerable bloodshed and violence” that may occur during a riot on Monday, June 13. Doyle also requested the Forty-Second Separate Company from Niagara Falls to be ready in case of an outbreak of serious violence.16 It is important to note that in this situation, similar to events during the four transportation strikes detailed in the previous chapter, Guardsmen were only activated once local law enforcement was ineffective at preventing violence. The Guard itself did not choose to become involved in this situation, but was activated upon the request of local officials.
It is difficult to argue that the Guard was a tool of industry considering that local officials, not industrial interests, were responsible for activating the Guard. Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1893 During the Tonawanda strike little violence took place, and most of the troops requested encountered no difficulties while on duty. However, a similar conflict between the lumber handlers and the Lumbermen’s Association in Tonawanda erupted again a year later in 1893 which did involve more direct use of Guard forces to restore the peace. Before the peak lumber season commenced during the summer months, speculation was rampant throughout Tonawanda that the Lumbermen’s Association would attempt to break the Lumber Shovers’ Protective Union by trying to use the stevedore system and only employ persons or offer contracts to unload vessels to those they saw fit. In essence the Lumbermen’s Association was threatening to employ the readily available Polish workers to take the place of the lumber shovers within Tonawanda. The shovers did not understand the Lumbermen’s Association’s hard stance against the union. Since the workers were only attempting to organize for their own protection seeking insurance and medical treatment. The shovers vowed that if Polish labor was used all attempts would be made to bring these workers into the union. Polish workers were seen as a threat because it was believed that they would be willing to work for lower wages and through the stevedore system. In addition, many of the Polish workers were recent immigrants who had settled in nearby Buffalo. The Pole’s immigrant status and their Buffalo residence increased the perception, form the point of view of the local Tonawanda lumber shovers, that the Poles were outsiders threatening to take their positions on the docks.
As summer approached, the Lumbermen’s Association offered the Tonawanda workers one final chance to abandon their union. If the workers continued with their demands contracts
would be given to the non-union men already working. “We individually and severally affirm that we have not changed our view regarding the organization known as the Tonawanda Lumber Shovers’ Protective Union, one iota,” proclaimed William H. Cooper, secretary of the Tonawanda Lumbermen’s Association, “and for the same sufficient reasons heretofore publicly stated and argued. The local organization was formed last year and is not immical to the interests of the entire community, as well as to the lumber and vessel interests, and we cannot recognize it under the circumstances.” Cooper made it known that contracts for the present non-union workers have been withheld in the interests of the Tonawanda men for the Association preferred to make contracts with the local men. However, the Association offered June 14th as the deadline for union men to offer proof of their disassociation with the union and return to work. After that date contracts would be offered to the present workers for the remainder of the season. James Morrisey, spokesmen for the union men offered a strong rejection of the proposal. “I think I represent the views of the majority of the members of the said union when I say that we will not go to work again except as union men.” Local law enforcement was well aware of these developments and anticipated trouble during the upcoming lumber season. In April, Sheriff Ensign of Niagara Country, traveled to Buffalo to confer with National Guard officers over the possibility of needing the Guard to serve in Tonawanda if any violence broke out. It is interesting to note that two months before any violence did occur because of the lumber shover lockout; local law enforcement realized that they would be inadequate to keep the peace if trouble did occur. The sheriff was forced to rely in such events. Law officials, during this strike and others, usually proved to be unable to preserve order within their local communities and constantly relied on the Guard to fulfill this service. The warranting of the use of troops in Tonawanda did not initially occur because of any actions taken directly by the striking lumber shovers, but by grievances expressed by the nonunion Polish laborers who replaced the shovers. The Poles were initially paid forty cents per hour but that wage was eventually reduced to twenty five cents per hour. “The laborers say they could not make as much money at the new rate,” cited the Buffalo Courier, “but the lumbermen say they would make more if they were not lazy.”
These remarks in combination with the changes in wages enabled the union shovers to recruit the Poles into the union. The union Poles intimidated any of their fellow countrymen who still attempted to return to work and, “threatened to drive them off the docks if they touched a plank.” On June 16th, the striking Poles gathered at the offices of the Smith and Fassett Company to demand their back wages owed. They were told to be patient for they would have to wait for their wages, “…but many of them were filled up with beer and threatened violence.” As time passed tensions rose as some incendiary speeches were made and stones were thrown at the paymaster’s office. Sheriff Ensign was unable to clear the crowd with his deputies and felt it prudent to call out Tonawanda’s Twenty-Fifth Separate Company of the National Guard. Seventy men under the command of Captain H.M. Fales quickly arrived and cleared the docks and placed guards at the bridge to prevent others from joining the strikers. Later in the day the Twenty-Fifth was reinforced by the Forty-Second Separate Company from Niagara Falls under the command of Colonel S.M. Welch. With the upon Guardsmen when such disorder was threatened. This serves as further evidence that the arrival of over 150 troops the, “…village has quite a war like appearance.” The events in Tonawanda made national news. The New York Times commented, “What has been threatened and expected all season happened today, and Tonawanda is under guard of the militia.”
During many of the transportation strikes Guardsmen often demonstrated reluctance in performing police duty and becoming involved in labor-management disputes. This reluctance served as evidence that Guardsmen should not be considered as active supporters of the rights of capital over labor. Rather, the Guard was usually thrust into a labor dispute when local law enforcement authorities were inadequate in preserving the peace. The Guard had little control over its deployment, literally being at the beck and call of local officials fearing outbreaks of mass violence. The Guardsmen called to duty in Tonawanda in 1893 also expressed a similar reluctance. Many of the men of the Twenty-Fifth Separate Company were excited once the Polish workers were paid believing that they would be relieved of duty; however, this feeling was quickly dashed as word circulated that their service would be extended. Many of the men began to scorn the idea of extended strike duty. The Buffalo Courier reported that a, “…majority of them [soldiers] are not overjoyed at the prospect of several days’ guard duty without even a free-for-all fight to break the monotony.” Members of the Forty-Second Company expressed similar feelings of having to stay longer. Many of these Guardsmen blamed the sheriff for not being prepared for the possible conflict between the shovers and the lumbermen and taking necessary steps before having to call in the Guard.
..
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1892
Of the three lumber strikes, the first in Tonawanda in 1892 was by all estimates the most peaceful with no outward violence occurring between strikers and the troops sent to protect private property. Strikers still demanded recognition of their union and an end to the stevedore system that hired men individually without any union support. The strikers looked to remedy the situation through an arbitration board that would come to Tonawanda on June 14th and hopefully end the standoff through negotiation. In addition, the strikers continued to deny their involvement with the shooting of the police officer that occurred when strikers gathered in the lumberyards on June 11th. However, sixteen union men were arrested for involvement in the shooting of the officer.
Despite the arrests, no large outbreaks of violence occurred. “The strikers are keeping under cover,” reported the New York Times, “The barge Botaford has been unloaded and the men are engaged in unloading lumber from the Racine as fast as possible. The Guard was a force at the demand of local officials and did not actively seek to become involved Sawyer Lumber Company’s yardmen are at work on the Dan Rogers.”36 Non-union men who were under the watchful eyes of the strikers conducted this work without molestation. Peace was also maintained by the eighty troops of Tonawanda’s Twenty-Fifth Separate Company and by the eighty troops of the Forty-Second Company from Niagara Falls. In addition, the Sixty-Fifth Regiment from Buffalo was also notified to be ready for a call up if any other violence escalated. The troops on duty marched throughout the streets of Tonawanda near the docks expecting trouble from the strikers, because non-union men were unloading barges. However, the troops experienced no resistance from the strikers or the community. The troops also enjoyed a hearty breakfast as the Hotel Sheldon without any interference from strikers or sympathizers. In comparison with the events that transpired in many of the transportation strikes, troops on duty in Tonawanda in 1892 experienced fairly light duty.
Even though the troops were received fairly well by the community and the strikers, community support was still firmly behind the strikers’ demands. Out of the over 700 lumber shovers who joined the Protective Union, around 500 of them were property owners within Tonawanda. Most of them were German ethnics who were not transient labors, but tax paying property owners. In addition, one the largest complaints against the stevedore system was that there was no contract given to the men for steady wages since the stevedore set the wages per job. Most of the stevedores were saloonkeepers who paid off their men at the saloons. In most cases the stevedore would hire the men who had accumulated the largest debt at their establishments. The community recognized the corruption within this system and pledged to support the workers who wanted to remain continuing members of the Tonawanda community.
On June 14th, state arbitrators arrived in Tonawanda and organized a meeting of the union men, the Lumbermen’s Association, and the Tonawanda Common Council at the Hotel Sheldon. During the meeting a solution was proposed by the Lumbermen’s Association that would allow the lumber shovers to organize in gangs that would be hired directly by the lumbermen or the captains of lumber vessels. The men would receive the current prices for the season, but the captains and the lumbermen had the right to hire union or non-union gangs. The most alluring part of the proposition that attracted the acceptance by the union men was the abolishment of the stevedore system. Reaching a settlement, the lumber shovers agreed to return to work on June 15th. With the return to work of the shovers, the Guard was also disbanded.
Tonawanda Lumber Strike of 1893
Despite the peaceful end of the Tonawanda Strike of 1892 which involved no direct violence against troops by either strikers or the community, conflict broke out a year later between the same lumber shovers and the Lumbermen’s Association. The Lumbermen’s Association abandoned the settlement reached in June of 1892 and tried to reinstate the stevedore system and completely eliminate the Protective Union as the lumber season approached in the spring of 1893. The Lumbermen’s Association brought in Polish workers from Buffalo to work the docks but were slow in paying the men for their labor. Many of the Polish workers eventually rioted because they were not paid. The Poles’ grievances against the Lumbermen also made them easy recruits for the Protective Union of shovers. With the riot on June 16, the Twenty-Fifth and Forty-Second Separate Companies were once again called to restore order, as was done a year prior in 1892. The Twenty-Fifth Separate Company from within Tonawanda, under the command of Captain H.M. Fales, and the Forty-Second Separate Company from nearby Niagara Falls, under the command of Colonel S.M. Welch, arrived on the scene on June 16th.
The troops quickly cleared the yards and established pickets. Guards were also placed on a railway bridge to prevent others from joining the strikers. When the Poles were informed that they would be paid as soon as the payroll was completed, in combination with the presence of armed soldiers, their angry sentiments were quelled. “When the men were informed that the paymaster was ready to receive them they flocked towards the building which he occupied like a flock a sheep,” detailed the Buffalo Courier, “The soldiers, with fixed bayonets, drove them back and put them in line so they would get to the window one at a time. During the excitement one Pole was struck in the left arm near the shoulder but the bayonet scarcely penetrated his clothing.”41 This minor wound was the only injury to either a worker or a soldier during this incident. In contrast to the accounts of the transportation strikes discussed in the previous chapter, both of the Tonawanda lumber strikes were fairly mild events. Perhaps the lack of widespread violence was owing to the speedy arrival of the soldiers to the yards and the local origin of the troops that resulted in more restraint. While this is mere speculation, such conjecture does warrant attention.
These events also warranted attention from the national press. The New York Times also believed that the, “quick responses of the soldiers to a call for help prevented bloodshed.” However, despite the optimism expressed by the Times, officers in charge of the troops were still cautious about being overly optimistic. “It is almost impossible to tell what the outcome will be,” remarked Colonel Welch, “We all hope the matter will soon be settled peacefully, but yet there may be bloodshed.” Tensions lessened despite some speeches by the strikers calling for more opposition. Once the Poles were paid, most returned to Buffalo, and outright conflict between strikers and non-union men subsided.
Even though the hostilities between strikers and non-union works were quelled, members of the Twenty-Fifth and Forty-Second Companies remained on duty for most of the week of June 18th within Tonawanda. The mayor of Tonawanda, George W. Stanley put the community under martial law as soldiers continued their pickets and guard duty. “While the militia are here I want the lumber shovers to understand the soldiers are not here for fun,” proclaimed Stanley, “but to do the work they were called to do.” Further, Stanley believed that if the troops were removed too soon violence would break out once again. “These union men know we will never recognize their union and they are getting desperate and ugly, and when they know the soldiers are not ready to suppress them they will do something that will shock this end of the state.”44 While Stanley painted the union in a fairly negative light, revealing his sympathies for the Lumbermen’s Association against union efforts, the strikers themselves questioned the use of troops, because they were committed to peacefully settling their grievances. President Cramer of the Protective Union reaffirmed the union’s commitment to their demands of recognition and an end to the stevedore system. Speaking about the riotous actions of the Poles, Cramer denied any union responsibility for inciting their actions. “We have not been threatening these non-union men, and certainly cannot be held accountable for their strike on Friday. I do not see the necessity of ordering out these troops if it is thought violence is feared from our men. I have asked them all to refrain from doing anything unlawful, and they have all promised to do so.” Cramer placed blame for the violence on the Polish workers and argued that troops may be needed to guard against these men, but certainly not his union members. “If the militia were called out to suppress the men they brought down from Buffalo, then that is another thing. We are not going to give up out fight until our union is recognized."
Cramer’s comments focus on the union’s determination and willingness to refrain from using violence, and they also reveal that the union expressed no ill will against the soldiers called for duty. In comparison, during many of the transportation strikes strikers openly expressed their hostility toward the troops through violent actions. During this strike the union was less hostile toward the Guard and only verbally protested the need for troops since no violence was enacted by the strikers. Again it can be argued that this peaceful co-existence between strikers and Guardsmen was a result of local troops being used in a localized incident. During the transportation strikes, local troops were always accompanied by out of town regiments and companies.
As violence escalated and as the blood of strikers, community residents, and soldiers were spilt, resentment for the use of troops increased. In addition to the peaceful co-existence between the strikers and the Guardsmen, outright community resentment for the soldiers was also not found within the evidence available. When the troops arrived, the president of Tonawanda, George W. Stanley encouraged citizens to remain in their homes until the disputes were settled. Stanley warned against, “…all persons from assembling for unlawful purposes and disturbing the public peace, and command all good citizens to remain at their several homes and to pursue their lawful and useful pursuits in a peaceful and lawful manner.” 46 Stanley, who was well aware of the threat of the lumber dispute spilling over into the larger community, made a concerted effort to prevent loss of life, especially from innocent citizens that usually gathered during such events. During his proclamation, Stanley used the word “law abiding” to describe the citizenry. During the transportation strikes, other community leaders also used this term when referring to those that supported the use of the Guard. Law abiding was also used in reference to the middle and upper class status of those citizens who disliked the spread of violence and welcomed the Guard as a force to restore order.
Within the context of the 1893 Tonawanda strike, it is difficult to interpret if Stanley was referring to the same class of citizens during his proclamation. When the strike concluded and troops were sent home, a reference was made in the local newspaper that there was, “…rejoicing among all classes in both villages (referring to the village of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda).”
This is the only evidence found that makes a direct comment about the classes of people within the community and their reaction to the events. Taking this example, in conjunction with the other details of striker cooperation with Guardsmen, it can be argued that troops on duty within Tonawanda did not experience the hostilities of the community that were existent in many of the larger transportation strikes. Troops on duty were from within the community, a community that wanted to see the disruption of lumber traffic resolved as quickly as possible. Also, strikers refrained from using violence against the troops, and there was no indication of any outside agitation by individuals who usually congregated during strikes to incite violence. For the remainder of the week the troops on duty continued to guard the lumberyards. No violence was used against the troops, and strikers did not interfere with non-union labor.
On Thursday, June 22, more Polish workers arrived from Pittsburgh to work the docks. However, when the train approached the area and when the Poles caught sight of the Guardsmen, several jumped from the cars and tried to find a lawyer in town. Once the Poles realized that the troops were not there to suppress them, but only there to protect private property, they returned to work.
With a steady supply of labor available, strike leaders made more attempts to negotiate with the Lumbermen’s Association. Agreements were made between the Protective Union and the
Lumbermen’s Association that allowed the workers to return to their jobs as individuals and not as a union, and the Lumbermen’s Association would have control over choosing the foremen to run the labor gangs from the men who returned to work. In return, the men would be given twenty-seven cents per thousand of unloading rather than the previous twenty-three cents.49 President John Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association thought this was an equitable agreement that catered to both sides. Speaking to the Protective Union, Robinson defended the agreement, “That I will obtain a contract from the Lumbermen’s Association to unload all barges at card rates, as published by the Lumbermen’s Association, and employ so far as possible the men now belonging to your organization on condition that they withdraw from your association and agree not to join any other labor organization during the term of my contract.”
With the agreement, the men lost their union but received better wages that the previous stevedore system. The Guard was withdrawn once the workers agreed to the arrangements. There was little commentary following the strike on the effect of the troops on the outcome. Unlike many of the transportation strikes, the strikers conducted themselves in a peaceful manner and there was no evidence of agitation by outsiders against the troops. While the Guard did protect the property and non-union workers in the name of upholding the law, in this circumstance their presence still had an effect on the outcome of the strike. The presence of the Guard allowed the Lumbermen’s Association to have an available workforce to undermine the strikers’ efforts to disrupt their business. While the Guard may have not purposefully sought to weaken the strikers’ position, their very presence benefited management.
...
During the Tonawanda strike in 1893 the Lumbermen’s Association was firm in its resistance in refusing to recognize the Lumber Shovers Protective Union, even if the holdout lasted the entire season. The Lumbermen’s resolute stand was warranted for they believed they could find all the workers that were needed, but their success with such non-union workers depended heavily on the protection the National Guard provided against abuses by the strikers. President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association made the position of the group known in an open statement to the strikers. “We are in this fight to stay and we will hold out as long as our money lasts. We can get all the men we need if we can only insure them protection. That is what we are going to do if we have to call for the entire National Guard of the State.” Robinson believed that events in Tonawanda offered a great test of who had the upper hand in the business, the owners or the shovers. “We have been fooling with the old hands too long. This is the time to see whether we shall run our business as we think best or let those lumber shovers dictate how it shall be run.”
...
Even though no additional troops were summoned to Tonawanda, and despite the bold proclamation of President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association, local business owners in the city were actually pleading with local law enforcement authorities and Mayor Stanley to have the troops recalled. Local business owners circulated a petition asking for the recall of the troops and issued a statement decrying the presence of soldiers within the community. “The presence of an armed body is calculated to bring the citizens and constabulary into disrepute in the eyes of
the people of the State and country.” (57 New York Times, 21 June 1893, p. 3, col. 6.) Businessmen within the city believed the expense of having two companies of Guardsmen was unwarranted when adequate protection could be offered by local lawmen. More importantly, businesses worried about losing customers who avoided the city because of all the publicity of an armed presence within their midst.
Other histories of the National Guard have argued that businessmen usually allied themselves with the Guard and welcomed their presence during a strike to combat disorder. In this particular circumstance, businessmen in Tonawanda believed the presence of troops was a threat to their very livelihoods. The response of Tonawanda’s businessmen can be contrasted with the reaction of other groups during the transportation strikes. It was noted that during many of the transportation strikes, community leaders, such as businessmen, welcomed the presence of the Guard because it restored order. Those who usually protested the presence of the troops sympathized with the strikers, were outside agitators, or felt directly threatened by a large contingent of armed men.
It can be argued that during the Tonawanda strike in 1893, business was certainly not on the side of the National Guard, and despite the bold proclamation of President Robinson of the Lumbermen’s Association about calling out the entire National Guard, only two companies remained on duty during the incident.
Date
1892
Source
"Fixed Bayonets - The New York State National Guard during the era of industrial unrest, 1877–1898" by Ronald Howard Kotlik, 2005
Collection
Citation
“Excerpts from "Fixed Bayonets - The New York State National Guard during the era of industrial unrest, 1877–1898" by Ronald Howard Kotlik, 2005.art,” North Tonawanda History, accessed May 13, 2024, https://nthistory.com/items/show/3477.