Shot Down Like Dogs - Labor history of South River, NJ

Alexander Schak and the Riverside Hotel

During the 1912 strike of stitchers requesting the dismissal of Breitenmoser, strikers met at "Alexander Schack's Hotel" according to The Daily Home News (4/2/1912) .

In August of 1916, during a strike of Michelin workers in nearby Milltown, a newspaper reporter, V. Bolodorsky, for "The Russian Daily" of NYC, published by The Russian Socialist Publishing Society was charged with inciting a riot among the South River strikers, estimated at 500. He first attempted to hold a meeting at "Alexander Schack's Hall", but was refused entry by the proprietor.

In October of the same year, Schack's bar was wrecked by "infuriated Russians".

from "SALOON IS WRECKED BY RUSSIANS"

The Daily Home News, August 23, 1916:

It is believed that the Russians had a grudge against Shack ever since the strike at the Herrmann-Aukam Handkerchief factory, South River. The strikers at that time wanted to hold an indignation meeting at Schack's Hall but Mr. Shack refused them permission, claiming that he did not want to play any part in the strike. The strikers made a statement at that time that they would boycott the saloon. It is believed that the Russians who wrecked the saloon are some of the strikers who made this declaration.

Alexander Schak - sometimes spelled Schack, Schalk and Shack (I've used Schak because of the spelling on his gravestone and bottle see link at bottom page) was the proprietor of The Riverside Hotel* on Whitehead Avenue during the Herrmann-Aukam era. Being in the heart of the working class, immigrant neighborhood, his establishment played a part in several labor conflicts. * Not to be confused with another business sometimes referred to as the "Riverside Hotel" in town on The Causeway, The Riverside House, owned by the Hausserman family as seen above in the 1919 Directory quote.

In May, 1917 in the middle of the final strike of the embroiderers, Herrmann, Aukam & Co. would sell Schak nine of their houses on Levinson Avenue, located between the factory and Schak's business.