The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 *MISSING* LbNA #34862 (ARCHIVED)

This letterbox is either in the river or in a garbage bin, consider it lost to the world. But that does not mean the legacy of the general strike is done and dusted.

The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919

The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 was the synthesis of trade unionism and political activism forming an explosive working class dissent against capitalism and its proponents. In the early 1900s Winnipeg was a clearly stratified city (more so than today ={ ), with the working class residing north of Portage Avenue and the business elite residing south of the Assiniboine River. The business community of Winnipeg was still almost without exception composed of self-made men who had risen to success by dint of their own often ruthless efforts at exploitation of both the environment and their employees. The business elite and government officials of a similar background formed a committee called the Citizens Committee of 1000 to combat against the cohesion of the working class. Many divisions between workers and bosses led to several shop floor battles as well as debates in the legislature. During the Great War, 1914-1918, labor had won several concessions from employers such as wage increases, a Workmen’s Compensation Bill, and access to a mediation board provided by the government. However, the War Measures Act, enacted at the war’s outset, allowed the government to intervene on behalf of the status quo to maintain stability at home. Working class immigrant communities in the city were heavily observed and censorship of foreign language publishing was carried out by the government. Radical organizations (primarily socialist and anti-conscription in ideology) involved in shop floor political activism were banned and their leaders imprisoned.

The General Strike of 1919 began with labor agitation in the building materials industry and the metal trades. The former was propelled by a housing boom that had been stalled by the war, and the latter was scaled back by the decrease in weapons manufacturing. Both in search of collective bargaining rights for their unions, on May 1st and 2nd the two trades, respectively, began their strikes which culminated into a mass movement that brought the majority of daily functions to a standstill. In fact, the majority of industries that remained open were allowed to do so only by permits from the strike committee. A strike sympathizer stated, “Theatres were running on strike permits so that workers could keep off the streets, milk and bread concerns were running under permits to feed the people, and hospitals were given permits so that the sick may not suffer.” With the injection of returning unemployed veterans into the striking masses, the government feared that violent direct action could ignite an already tense situation. On the 21st of June, a large crowd between 5,000 and 6,000 strikers and supporters gathered on the corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street. Royal North-West Mounted Police were dispatched on horseback to disperse the crowd. The mounted police charged the crowd firing three volleys from their weapons and swinging bats as they advanced on a crowd which had tipped a trolley car on Main Street. The melee ensued into the night making it the most violent day of the 57 day strike, thereafter referred to as ‘Bloody Saturday’. Twenty-seven casualties were reported and some ninety-four arrests were made. The strike was officially called off by the Strike Committee on the 26th of June, 1919. Hundreds of workers were laid off from their jobs and had to reapply for entry level positions only to be turned down. The arrested orators of the strike became heroes of the Winnipeg working class; R.B. Russell, F.J. Dixon, and J.S. Woodsworth. These famous names of Winnipeg’s labor history can be seen throughout landmarks in the city today.

Clues
This box is located in Downtown Winnipeg. Arrive at Main Street, preferably from St. Mary’s Road on the Southeast side of downtown. Going Northwest on Main Street and crossing both the Red River and the Assiniboine River, take your second right, just before the Via Rail Union Station, into the Forks Market on Forks Market Road. From here, the most convenient location to park both car and the preferred mode of transit during the riding months = BICYCLE, is to take your first right once under the immediate railroad bridge. Enter the parking lot with two passenger rail cars on one side and two box cars and a caboose on the other. There is bike rack parking on the East side of the boxcars.

From the parking lot walk to the road you entered the lot from. Head Southeast down the road passing the boxcars on your left. Walking past the loading docks on your left, you will come to a circle drive encompassing six pine trees with two red lamp posts on both ends. From the pine tree and lamp post island, locate with your eyes the concrete foundation of the railroad bridge and walk to the Do Not Enter red circle road sign (watch for cars entering from the other side of the bridge). You will now be just below the Assiniboine and Red Rivers confluence.

Facing the Assiniboine River from the bridge, go behind the foundation next to which you stand. Walk through the already beaten path into the dirt. With your back against the foundation still facing the river, but now directly under the bridge, walk ten steps toward the river and turn left to find the second post in the series. To the right of the post is a small bush/tree with a one foot root emerging from the soil on its right side. Under the metal J bar and the root hides the box.

Please re-cover well with dirt, wood, and the metal J bar fairly hidden under debris. If the bar is no longer there, just place other natural looking objects on top of the hole. If the box is attempted during flood season proceed with caution. Please let me know if the box is in danger from the rising river. Happy Hunting