The Portland daily press., 1883-07-19

ule would give him Al 46-100 cents per hour,
an increase of over 81 per cent. Another de-
mand is that linemen shall be allowed two
days pay for Sunday work, and that 700 shall
be the lowest rate ofspay, regardless of loca-
tion or Importance of service, and that the du-
ties OF linemen shall be confined strictly to le-
gtimate work. Nothing is said about the du-
ties OF other classes being restricted to their
particular line Of employment, but II such
concessions we're allowed one class there is no
reason for Withholding it from others, and why
linemen should have helpers is not understood.
Again, double pay for Sunday work offers
temptation to the men to slight their Satur-
days duty to create necessity for the Sunday
work. The demand that both sexes shall be
paid the same for like service looks TO the driv-
ing OF woman labor from the ranks, as, were
the company to concede it, 1t would be to Its
interests to prefer men operators, who can be
availed Of for a greater variety OF service than
women Operators who may be equally capable
ior general duty. In published interview
with member of the committee the latter
stated that since the organization OF It's league
petty wire troubles and mistakes in messages
nave practically ceased and that business has
Deen greatly facilitated these results being at
tributed directly to the fact of the organiza-
tion. The reverse Is the case. Operators de-
clniDg to join the league have been interfered
with in their duties. Wires have been thrown
out OF working condition, and in numerous
cases the official business OF the officers of the
company has been mutiated and seriously de-
layed. A strike Of the American District Tel
egraph Company'S linemen, members OF the
league, took place In this city recently, since
which time the strikers have been engaged in
cuttinglwires daily, one man now being under
arrest and indictment for such lawless work.
With thousands of abie-boded men out of en-
ployment all over the country applying TO US
for work, such demand is remarkable. IL Is
known that large proportion of operators
have been led to join the league under COM
pusion, and others under the belief that the
a.{s for Iavif To
and benevolent purposes, many of whom have
stated that they will repudiate any arbitrary
action by the striking element
(Signed) THOMAS I. EcKERT,
Acting President
New York, July IT, 1888.
One gentleman who attended the meeting
says the sentiment was unanimous in support
of the action Of Gen. Eckert in his reception of
the committee who called on him to present
memorial last Monday and that his letter to
Col. Clowry of Chicago outlying the position
and resources of the company and calling at
tention to the exorbitant demands OF that
committee, was likewise discussed aud warmly
approved. The meeting did not take cogni-
zance in fact OF the petition since it was held
that whatever complaints employees OF the
company might have to make must be made
directly by themselves to the company's off
GERS. The subcommittee is not empowered
except TO make report next week Wednes-
day when the full committee meets again.
The composition of the committee, however,
is of some interest as bearing on the temper
of the meeting and its future aation. Mr..
Clendepin, one of the members, is president of
the Acadia Coal Company, which has exten-
sve mines in Pictou, N. s. The miners there
have been turbulent community and have
frequently INDUCED in strikes. ClendeaiR has
always managed these crises and
has never yielded to the demands made
through the medium of strike. Ex-Gov.
Cornell and Mr.. Terry ara also said to be OPP
posed to strikes as means Of settling wages
difficulties.
WASHINGTON, July 18.-Operators OF the
Baltimore q Ohio Company assume that that
company will accede to the demands of the
strikers, although no definite information has
been received. 1t may be said that the Balti-
more Ohio Company needs operators in con-
nection with its railroad quite as much as the
Western Union does. There is hardly an o9-
orator on the Baltimore q Ohio railroad who is
not in the association. The association, it is
said, have money enough in its treasury to sup
port all the operators on commercial lines for
six months The operators say the organiza-
tion has been secretly working for this result
for more than year, and that the company
will never get the list of names Of operators in
the Brotherhood. They say it would take six
clerks forty-eight hours TO examine the records
aud traDscribe names as there are from 5000
to 10000 members of the order in the United
States The number employed by the West
ern u Union is IL 500 OF whom 900 are on rail-
way lines. The operators in Baltimore have
pledged themselves not to drink any intoxicat-
ing liquor until after the expected strike is
ended. Local representatives OF the Western
Union, as we'll as operators, express the hope
that employers and employees may come to
agreement without an open rapture. The
prospective less of wages gives the operators
no trouble. They have great confidence in the
loyalty OF the knights OF Labor, and say that
the organization is so arranged that strikes at
the Same time Of different branches belonging
to is are not authorized. The telegraphers
themselves recently paid considerable amount
OF money to sustain the painters strike in this
city.
BosToN, July 1S.-The situation is practical
ly unchanged tonight. The strike, ii one oc-
ours, will probably occur Thursday noon.
PHILADELPHIA, July 1S.--At meeting of
the Philadelphia assembly Of the Brotherhood
of TelegrapheTs, held Tonight 400 members
were present, They were given to understand
that strike would probably be ordered to-
morrow by noon If pending compromise was
not effected by that time.
PITTsBURG, Pa, July 1S.-The threatened
strike OF telegraphers was the universal topic
of conversation in commercial and financial
circles to-day. A great deal OF dissatisfaction
was expressed among the members OF the
Brotherhood because the strike was not inau-
gurated to-day, and the belief is that unless the
demands are conceded morrow, all will quit
work, rumor current this evening that
200 operators on the Shenandoah Valley rail-
road had left their desks this morning is not
confirmed.
The Knights of Labor OF District No. held
held a meeting tonight and passed resolu-
tion rendering financial aid to the telegraphers
in Case of a sIrike.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., July 1S.-Robert
Garrett, of the Baltimore q Ohio Railroad
Company, is here, and will meet delegation
from the Telegraphers' Brotherhood tc morrow
He declined TO talk on the subject Tonight.