The Rock Island Argus., 1883-07-20
run srnIrrns, nrAIl0rARrnRs.

| THE STRIKERS HEADQUARTERS.
Uhiieh's hall was filed with striking tele-
graphers and their frieads and sympathizeis
at noon, all the members of the brotherhood
having marched there as soon as the strike
was inaugnrated About twenty female
operators were with them, and were given
seats near the platform, while they were the
recipients of other special attention in the
matter of speeches. The audience was en-
thusiastic but orderly, and loudly applauded
the various speeches that were made. Speak
ers were called for from the crowd and made
! short addresses, the tenor of them all being
! thas the strike was sure to prove success,
and that the organization would spend its
last dollar in protecting the sisters who
went out with them A letter was read,
| signed A J. Morris, which promised money
when needed from the members of the board
| of trade The members of the brotherhood
then went into secret session
| THE BROTHERHOOD MANAGERS.
| The executive committee of the Brother
hood of Telegraphefs is composed of the fol-
lowing: Eugene j. O'Connor, of Boston;
/ Roger J. Mullin, of Toronto; Mortimer d.
Shaw, of ST. Louis; John Campsell, of Pitts
| burg, and Samuel Ford, of Nashville. Last
Sundays Boston Herald says; Mr.. O'Con-
ner, the chairman, is a young man with
level head and more than average Judgment.
He has only one arm but i'll spite of this
misfortune he was considerably more than
ordinarily skilled in his profession, For
long time he was in charge of the branch of
fee of the Western Union company in the
postoffice, but for the past few years he
has been employed in the main office at
100 State street He came to Boston
| from Springfield about dozen
years ago. Chief Operator Henderson is
/ said to have suspected O'Connor of being
| prominent rebel for some time, and the other
day, when he applied for a leave of absence
/ for week OF two, Mr.. Henderson refused to
grant it. OConnor offered a substitute who
was in all respects acceptable but it made
40 difference. ''Then | resign my position >
he answered, for | must go away for few
/ days" But the company will not accept of
| your resignation" answered Mr.. Henderson.
! THE company be d-d, " retorted O'Connor,
II am going any way" And he went.
! AN INCIDENT.
When the telegraphers filed out of the
, board of trade, three non-union men re-
mained behind, but the members of the board
gave them such warm reception they
seemed glad TO escape, and silently stole
away.
THE LATEST.
| The latest reports are to tho effect that at
Milwaukee all the operators have quit; at
Pittshurg four-fifths; at indianapolis two
thirds. At the Western Union operating
rooms in this city it is stated that there are
thirty men left of the Old force and clerks,
who have been pressed in for the emergency
Besides these there are some Others outsiders,
| bringing the force up to seventy men.
Late reports say that the hoax about Gen.
10 81 Il.
announced TO the operators that the strike
was ordered
So far both the companies and the oper
ators are confident of the result and deter
mined to fight it out on their respective lines
if it takes all summer.
AT NEW YORK.
NEW York, July 19-Noon.-The tele-
graph operators here have struck, and are
now leaving the Western Union building.
At precisely u O'Clock, Washington time,
several hundred operators in the Western
Union telegraph room laid down their uten-
sils and started for the halls. Superintendent
Hnmstone, who was present, said the number
to leave was about what had been expected
from the reports made to the company. In
the operating rooms were stationed several
policemen, and these, together with the ofE-
cials who were present, asked the strikers to
move out as rapidly as possible, and to leave
the building The operators who remained
at their keys did very little work at first, and
were interested spectators Long lines of
operators were soon filing down stairs. On
their faces were depicted various emotions
The majority were hilarious, but there were
not wanting those whose features bore
traces of uncertainty and fersa
for the future. Many were thoughtful, and
evidently appreciated that the strike might
mean long weeks of idleness, with a scanty
salary. The general feeling was one of CON
fidence, however, and determination to win
was the eatchword. As soon as the advance
guard of strikers reached the basement, the
hundreds of curious peopl@ who were thers
and in the street about the building sent up
a shout, thus spreading the news. In a few
minutes more a bulletin board posted ths
facts, and the long contemplated and mucs
, | talked of strike had begun, ata was fully
known at all news centers. There was no
disturbance on the Associated sreSs wires
| which tap W aShington, Baltimore and Phiia
| delphia with their tributary territory, those
telegraphers, who have made no demand and
have no grievance.
II THE TELEGRAPHERs' STATEMENT.
New YORK, July 19-The executive com
mittee of the Brotherhood of Telegrapher, in
| bhSiA PAPOAy PabAiSA OH oaAitAai StSteS4iAS@it
; which justifies their petition for increased
pay, and aSSails the telegraph companies for
reducing their salaries and refusing to raise
them again
THE wHEATSToNE MACHINE.
WASHINGTON, July 19.-The Wheatstone
instrument, which some people have said
enabled the most inexperienced persons to
, send or receive messages SO accurately and
quickly that small girl could do the work
of ten experienced telegraphers, is thus de
scrihed in a letter written by President Orton
to the postmaster general on the subject, De
cember o, 1873.
1t would require twenty-fouf perforators,
forty-eight copyists, and at least three more
to attend the transmitting and receiving in
: struments and the perforators, making forct
of seyenty-tive this was subsequently III
creased to eighty, to accomplish in an hour
q the work performed with sixteen operators
/, on eight wires by the Western Union in the
same time y 1t would be decidedly
cheaper for the Western Union to provide
and maintain seven additional wires between
Washington and New York than to maintain
0 such force at both places as would ren,i-i
= it possible to transmit and deliver, by thG
automatic process, 1900 words within al
| hour of the timu of filling.
: bELLICERENT All SIN.