The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-18
THE TELEGRAPHERS.
The Western Union Ready to Make
Some Concessions.
A Strike Believed to be Imminent.

New YORK, July ia prominent official
OF the Western Union Company in this city
says The operators demands are now under
consideration. The directors as a body are
willing that certain Of these demands shall at
once be complied with, but they will stren-
uously oppc 9 the payment OF 10 per cent. ad-
vance. But even this concession considering
others we are willing to make, is equivalent to
large amount of extra pay. The strikers
will have no good rea-ons for their action
We have had no recent advances either in
prices OF provisions or of rent. We shall con-
slider this matter iully today, and our decision
will be rendered at an early moment.
Western Union people say that the printing
operators will roo strike bat will act as they
did in the lest strike namely, remain with the
company. 1t Is believed that sudden ad-
vance on eight purchas % Of Western Union
stock this mornins indicates chat the market
is greatly oversod.
Western Union officials state that telegrams
purporting to come from from Me. 1rs. Ames
and Cornell, two directors OF the Western
Union, advising compromise, were forgeries.
No such despatched have be On received.
The executive committee of the Western
Union Telegraph Company will meet tomor-
row and the petition OF the operators will then
be considered. One of the officers OF the COM
paDy said today that it was impossible to say
what action will be taken. The general opin-
ion was that the demand was excessive and
unreasonable.
No sction has yet been taken by the Union
Mutual, the American Rapid and the Balti-
more and Ohio companies.
Many rumors prevail relative TO the move
ment. One is that the whole thing is a stock
jobbiDg operation The prevailing opinion is
that the strike tomorrow Is exceedingly proba-
BILE.
CHICAGO, July IL Officials OF the Telephone
Company to-day cent for the foreman OF their
garg' OF repairers and line men, and asked
what the men wanted. The foreman, in reply,
referred them to the executive committee of
the Telegrapbers Brotherhood. The officials
refused to recognise that committee and IL is
stated at subsequent meeting OF the men 1t
Was decided to strike at 8 o'clock tomorrow
morning
WASHINGTON, July 17.--Operators OF the
Baltimore and Ohio say that they have intima-
tions that the company will accede to their
demands to day, and will make extensive
preparations for doing an enlarged business.
They say that the poles OF the proposed new
line between Baltimore and New York are
all set, and that nine new wires can be strung
as fast as man can walk, and that the COM
pany expects TO secure large amount OF busi-
Eess by making an early and friendly arrange
ment with the operators A ispatcn received
from Chicago states that there are probably
but ten men out of the three hundred opera
tors there who can be relied upon to work In
event of a strike. Committees of the Brothey-
hood here spent yesterday in going about the
departments and banking houses where good
many telegrapLers and photographers are
employed, endeavoriDg to induce them TO
agree not to work any of the instruments in
event of strike. The efforts in many cases
were successful and most OF the ex-operators
who hold government positions add who are in
private employment asJured the committee
that under no circumstances would they work
against the Brotherhood. The only excep-
tions we're the operators of some stock wires
who draw double salaries, one from the COM
pany and the other from the bankers, and
who are not members of the Brotbes eshood.
These operators gave the committee assurance
that they would not work for any of the cor
poratiops, but would stick closely to their own
private wires and would not send corporation
messages. 1t is said to be the purpose oft he
line men TO cut the cables IL necessary which
carry the wires north and south.
Boston, July lion the best information
obtainabe here it is safe to predict that the
telegraphers' strike, generally expected We'd
nesday. noon, VIII not occur until "a hours later
II the demands Of the operators are not acced-
ed to.