The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-19
HANGING FIRE.
The Promised Strike of Telegraph
Operators Not on Time.
Committee Appointed by the Western
Union to investigated What is
Thought OF the Move.

!
ex-Gov. Cornell J. W, Clendin and John I.
| Terry he appointed to inquire into the com
| plants of inequalities of compensation and
the condition of the service of employees of
this company, if any, aud report to this
committee"
HOW THE RESOLUTION Is INTERPRETED.
The resolution passed by the executive
committee is looked upon by the operators as
equivalent to a refusal of their demands, and
they have determined to strike, and It is ex
pected they will quit work in body as soon
as word is received from the committee of
the Telegraphers' Brotherhood Great ex-
element prevails in the Western Union build
ing, and hundreds of operators who are off
duty in the daytime are gathered abont the
building awaiting developments.
New York, July 1S-It was announced In
the papers that a committee Of the tele-
| graphers' of the Brotherhood would wait on
the officials of the Western Union company
at II O'Clock to demand an answer to their
petition in reference TO wages and hours of
work, Up TO II 80 O'Clock none of the com-
mittee had appeared. A meeting of the d
rcctors Of the telegraph company is to be held
3, al I2:S0 aud the result so far as it refers to
the petition will probably not be known for
an hour or more after that time There are
no evidences of unusual excitement among
the operators, although the situation is dis
| rUSsed with much interest whenever knot
# them gathers
A feverish feeling exists in telegraphic
| circles over the threatened strike Every
person interested is snxiously awaiting the
result of the meeting of the executive com
mittee of the Western Union directors The
committee of the brotherhood held a meeting
| early in the morning, but what transpirod
! there could not he learned Cipher dispatches
! IN 20 been received by tue committee from va.
/ rous points stating that the operators were
| in readiness to leave their desks at 4 mo
| rnent'S notice
/ ". & S0merville, of the Western Union
! company, said there seemed To be little
| possibility that the company would grant the
request. and that Il strike seemed to be in
| evitah!e. The demands were unjust and mn
reasonable, and if strike should happen the
company would fight it to the bitter end.
| W. J. DeaIy, manager of the operating
room Of the Western Union. said he did rot
believe the strike would be commenced with
cut mature deliberation on the part of the
/ operators. There was an unusually large
/ force at work in the office, numbering be-
| tween 600 and 700. The ordinary number of
/ ahsentees was from fifteen TO twenty-five. but
/ there were only nine absontees He said he
/ had at least fifty letters from employees of the
| company promising to stand by it In the
/ event Of a strike There were twenty nine
| chief operators in the office, each one having
under INN from eighteen to twenty-nine men
A canvass was made by these chiefs among
the operators to ascertain, if possible the real
strength Of the disaffected portions, and how
largo a force might be relied on in case of a
strike The first report showed that out of
twcnty-ons operators twelve were doubtful.
and nine promised to stand by the company.
| Later reports indicated this proportion repre-
| sented the division of feeling throughout the
whole force. The Wheatstons operators to
man, Dealy said, promised to stand by the
company in case Of strike.
N CHICAGO.
/ CHICAGO July 1s-Around the cor
ner of Washington and La Sale streets
there was nothing during the early
| morning hours to indicate the near
presence of a strike of telegraph operators
Little bands of men gathered now and then
and discussed tho all-absorbing questions of
the hour, but they did it in an unimpassioned
manner and in & low tone of voice A board
OF trade merchant who had become ac-
quainted with an operators countennnce from
seeing it over the counter on change, would
stop now and then, with an anxious inquiry
as TO the latest developments The reply was
the same to all, accompanied by shake OF
the head All were ready, but none knew
what to expect.
The scene in the Western Union operating
department at II o'clock, the hour at which
it was generally supposed the great strike
would occur, was not different from that of
any other day. The chief operatoes, five in
number, having charge of the enormous
switch board, where center the vast number
of wires entering the Office, were at their
work, putting in a plug here, taking out
another there, and hurrying boys around the
great operating room with verbal or written
messages to assistant chiefs The quartette
tables were generally occupied, each operator
working industriously, and apparently with
no thought of the impending crisis Here
and there a man would stand up, lean care
les-ly on the end Of a table and exchange
knowing smile with some brother
:. operator The business handled was evil
IDENTIFY as great as on ordinary days, for the
littlo ''check girls" were kept flying from one
table TO another, at each stop picking up a
message just received or depositing one TO be
sent, resembling little humming birds in
search of honey. The office manager stood
at bis desk near the door, calm, cool and col
looted If he expected trouble his oonnte-
nance did not show it The numerous
! clicking instruments made a din that is deaf
ening to a stranger The superintendent en-
tered the operating department soon after II
J O'Clock but as he is a worker who keeps him
self thoroughly posted on the details of the
, office his figure being a familiar one, ex-
: cited no comment or surprised looks Flee
tricans and heads of other departments
| dropped into the operating room to see the
! fun, If any took place. Il never saw strike
said one of them, land / want to see how
they act
/, At noon rumors were floating around the
operating department to the effect that the
hour for the strike had been extended to 2
o'clock, New York time, which would be /
2 at Chicago Its source could not be de
e termined definitely, but it is thought to have
originated in the Baltimore & Ohio office
e through which the Brothsrhood's messages
[ come.
How much money have you got to carry
{ on striker was asked of a Brotherhood man
, ''All we want he replied 81 can't give
= you the figures, but we are well provided
for, and shall not suffer for money. If we
have to work We can go at something else
Our business is telegraphing, but il we don't
know anything else we can learn. There
will be no necessity for it, however We
have the most positive assurance that all the
= money we require will be forthcoming
How will this strike affect railroads and
. the running ofsstrains by telegraph"
ID. / oct