Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-04
NO VOLCANO,
4 Telegraph QSsrator Denies the
Report
OF NE Great Strike This Month-what Is
Said Of the Demand. and the Rea-
son Why It Was Made.

"When does the sleeping Volcano burst
out?n asked q REGISTER reporter yesterday
Of a telegraph operator.
Don't catch on; what do you mean%
"Why, the Pittsburgh papers of this
morning, under the head of Sleeping Vol.
csno,' tell about a big telegraph strike for
the 18th Of the month" showing a copy Oh
the Commercial,
II don't believe that and don't know
anything about it."
"Are you a member of the Brother
hood?'
Wouldn't like to say. But / don't take
any stock in that, and don't believe a strike
would do any good. have heard nothing
of this report"
The article referred to is as follows:
While the telegraph companies through
out the country have been putting up rates
on the poor public and the poorer news
papers, and gobbling mi another to per-
petuate their giant monopoly, they have
been resting on a sleeping volcano, which
threatens to burst into life before maay
daysand carry with it a portion OF the
dividends now paid out to the fortunate
holders of stocks. The operators OF the
western lnlOu, MuIual ouioh anu osho.
companies are very generally members oil
the Brotherhood Of Tslegraphe-s. They
have seen the charges increase and the
profits doubling until now they want a
share of the wealth of their fortunate mas
tiers. A demand foi an increase OF 10 per
cent. in wages has been determined upon
by the Brotherhood, and unless it is con-
ceded, on the 18th of July will occur the
NEST disastrous strike OF the times. The
! demand for the increase will be made on
the 18th inst, and if it is not granted the
entire union will strike on the following
day, and from Maine to California, from
| Canada to the Gulf, the newspapers will re-
ceiye specials by the wheelbarrow route,
the railroads be operated by telephone and
the general business of the country brought
to a standstill.
WHY THE ADVANCE Is DEMANDED.
The rates on the Mutual Union line, now
controlled by the Western Union, on July
/ were advanced equal 20 the rates OF It's
great parent. The business has had such
an enormous growth that the Western
Union is compelled to keep in existence
both companies, as they are unable to
handle the traffic singly. This is said to be
the reason the operators ask for increase
salaries. Their wages now range from $50
to 1925 a month. They have not as yet
notified their employers OF the fifteen per
cent advance to be demanded, but the
latter apprehend it, and the surface indi-
cations are that the demand will be con-
| coded. The brotherhood OF telegraphers
are associated with the Knights of Labor,
and if they should be compelled to make a
fight they will receive the support OF that
great organization.
EFFECT ON BUSINESS.
Telegraphy enters into every commercial
business under the sun, and i a strike
should occur It would lend to demoralize
and PROSTATE temporarily at least, nearly
all the industries in the country. The op'
orators, members of the Brotherhood; are,
it is claimed, employed oG g.! the railroad
lines Of note, in addition to their control
of the telegraph companies. In the event
of a strike the men contend that enough
,elegraphers outside the union could not
be gathered together to equip 5 per cent.
| Of the situations. The organization knows
its strength when it asks for a fifteen per
cent. advance over its present wage rates.