The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-22
TYING Up TIE CITY'S TRADE
gIDEsPRRID sHIRM CAUSED 7sY TIE
IREIGKJ HANDLERS STRIKE
Freight aw$ sympathixing witch the strIk-
er.-Labor~rs who Desire the New York.
ere to See Thcm-Forming Two Unious


ere to See Them-Form,ng Two Unions.
Yesterday'was the tenth day Of the strike
Of the freigk. handlers-a double regiment of
men whom most people probably never heard
Of until they struck and yesterday nearly half
q the commerce Of the metropolis was par
alyzed. 1t had not been supposed that these
laeorers were Of so much Importance for their
employers thought any snrt Of men could do
their work. Those who have been put in their
places have failed so completely that il is said
they have done worse than to be Of no assistance.
A freight handler is a milroad 'longshoreman
who bears the same relationship TO freight
car that q 'longshorensn does TO freight
steamboat or ship. The handlers have never
teen organized. They are Irishmen Germans
Norwegians and Italians proportioned rs to
those nationalities about as the 'longshorcmen
are They have been getting II cents a hour
for years for their irregular and uncertain
work but in the mean time rents have been
raised Is per cent. and beef. potatoes. eggs.
and butter have gone up about 33s per cent
I've been among them since the strike be-
gan" said Capt Gastlin Of the steamboat squad
OF police. and 4" they tell mo they are unable to
make both ends meet They work by spells.
the most ambitious and industrious being
liable TO be knocked of Mt any minute without
8 knowing when he can begin again. They earn
IS. &c. 81. or So a week. II handler had steady
work. 10 hours a day for days. he would make
only t10.20. They tell me that Of late some OF
them have had to go for days without taking
rmeat They mean to make no trouble. They
are decent, orderly men. Ihave been among
them all day to-day. and have not seen the
slightest evidence OF intoNication among them.
am astonished at their good behavior and at
= The sympathy their strike has gained them"
pane oa9 9 Vast %ssS SAID this on the eSpner q
. looked as II sudden and irresistible seepi-
ness had fallen upon everybody. The laughter
own limbs on the Erie pier, sounded over q
rs far in every direction except river
ward as man could see from the roof
n some Of the cross Streets the trac on Broad
way interrupted the long lines Of vehicles
hunter, and all the things the word freight in
oicaies were on the motionless wheels. and the
lounging in the saloons and on the sidewalks
than waiting for the railroads to grant the
the eavalcade in motion.
The strike began here q week ago Mon
depot york and
there, half Of them abandoned. with sails
Ieeted. or furnaces cold and crews tired out
dies quit work. There, are few Italians in
boys among them. and boss and an interpre-
ter to each boy; but the work to be done there
fleets Of boats accumulated required about 500
e experienced handlers"
At about 3 o'clock. there issued long narrow
black thread Of human beings that turned and
twisted. doubled and l9oped as it made its way
ecssion Of the Jersey men from the railroad
piers and docks: across the, river, II moved
turned TO Jersey City. They. were all neatly
clad sialwart men. and the majority were
Paraded to show the New York merchants that
they We're reputable diGniiied men. They caE-
mot have failed to produce the desired impress
sion. They are solidly united. and in earnest.
Lake Erie and Western Railroad Company the
last two days that the east bound freight depot
and piers are packed. on one Of the Erie piers
yesterday the strikers Offering no objections.
Al The dero,s OF the various roads the shippers
load their own freight. train load of raw. to-
bacco for Lorillard's tobacco factory arrived in
the Pennsylvania depot. bur il remained un,
men wasscnt from the factory and they unload
ed the tobacco without any Interference 10y the
guarded by Special policemen who are paid by
The companies. The strikers met in 81; Michael
an as s t' Under the name Of the Long
shoremen's and Freight Handlers Protective
fes III. When asy F'q n & f5 %GDS SSy
Institute. where they listened TO-, several
sEp spec Then they dis6andsd They will
We are just about two days behindhand;"
sd ne shpping clerk in c tine sG5e Si n ID =
We can send any Of, the lots by boat or by the
stuff slowly at the Hudson River Railroad
Depot. at Pier 26, and at the PennsyiTan nj,
other Pehnsy iyalia Railroad depots are closed:
the Erie has got some green hands II WORK.
and might a. we'll be closed. and the New York
We are Two days behndhand," said Mr.
Griswold; at ii head q the shipping depart
Gerry house. The Pennsylvania railroad has
shut down. and the other roads are creeping
slowly along our ARE h I5 dse a 1r
Hundreds of truck loads Sehindhand. We send
what and what p send d tb eos
will be when the roads open up again;
had pressing order from o GsfSr mia
q young man IN the establishment Of Garner
Co, the dry goods house. That Is about al
81 PACKING sei I9" cases had to send three Of
our men 10 unload and load the cases before
1he Pennsylvania Railroad wSuld take them
In our business the damage to fruits and
consequence Of this strike" said Mr. w. II;
pppeEworth, produce eommissi9f Perc chant OF
this. that the railroads notify Us VIXEN there is
anything for us in their depots and cars. and
we goend unload itwith our own ms me- there Is
fortunate, for there are unqucstioE2bly ear
loads asd car londs et perishablee goo$@s that
cannot IL! be got at to be un oaded; W course
the railroads are responsible. and are oAIged
10 unload ,eeir own cars. but they wi I2y fer
what damage is done by delay or bad handling
only al the tIil Of a lawsuit that may cost use
times the amount sued for"
The strike affected the berry market yes
terday" said member Of the commission
house OF Ages : Stout ir Washington street,
above Jay stree. There is no other way that
can accOun; for the falling OIL in prices nat
affected even the finer grades Of strawberries.
Individually we We're relieved 10y arketing
our goods in Philade phia via the Bound Brook
route. The trouble probably was that those
WHO buy TO send out o! town knew they could
not deliver, and therefore did not, order
The butchers. who in hot weather ship only
by express were not affected except in getting
their ice. had 10 get some said the head
OF the firm Of Thurston x Moore OF West Wash
ington Market, and had 70 send ny men 10
get IL. 1t seemed 10 me as II the railroad men
we're panic stricken. The freight had nccumu-
lated and everything was at Il staEdstil but II
seemed 10 me that with twenty men could get
IL oil out Of the way"
Everywhere In Washington Market the prod
moo MOI yCho ara trading nj the big summer