Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-24

The shifting fortunes of the telegraph
oparators' fight arc ~ complex and undo.
termined as they were three days ago.
Both sides are keeping a stiff upper lip.
The gains and losses appear to be equal,
and the companies, although with five
days to work in, are in no better condition
to transact their business than they were
six houls after the strike. Master Work
man Laverty, of Philadelphia, says that
the fund at the disposal of the brotherhood
is larger now than when the strike was
ordered, although considerable money has
been used. Late contributions have added
more to the treasury than it has been
necessary to take from it.
1t is estimated that the strike has
already cost the Western Union compan y
in loss of business alone half million OF
dollars to say nothing Of the injury inflict-
ed upon the wires and circuits because of
lack of the usual care taken of them. The
stock of the company yesterday fell half a
point, whether on account of the story
which had been circulated about q new
line or the general collapse of the market
is uncertain. The story goes that the
brotherhood is considering proposition
contemplating nothing less than the
prompt organization of q rival to the
Western Union. Offers Of unlimited capi-
tai bave been made, so it is said, and q
movement is on foot for the equipment of
new telegraph system between the prin-
cipal cities of the United States and
Canada, utilizing existing rival lines. As
yet this statement has not been substan.
ii ated.
The attitude of the variOas railroad
companies toward the two parties to the
fight has been one of strict neutrality. 1t
has been an open secret for several days
that as soon as the situation was fully
comprehended the railroad people were on
the anxious bench, fearing that a strike
might be ordered among the operators
doing duty on their lines, and especially
of those who were doing Western Union
business in addition to their railroad work.
In order to avoid such disastrous result
an understanding was had by which it was
agreed that all the offices of such charac.
ter should be closed for Western Union
business, and this scheme has been carried
out. The Western Union people were
quite willing to do this, for it cut of a
good deal of business from the main Offices
which have already more than they can
attend to. 1t was natural, therefore, that
a rumOr stating that some of the railroad
operators were to be called upon to work
for the Western Union in Philadelphia
should create good deal of ex
citemeDt among the strikers. In
quiries at the Pennsylvania and
Reading railroad general Offices resulted in
a complete denial of the statement. A
high official at the Pennsylvania office
said "Such thing is out of the ques
tiOn, and l guess the Western Union
/ ,1o ~I hat - Tho Pon1snu
railroad officials said the same thing.
Two of the operators employed at the
stock exchange by the Philadelphia lOca
telegraph company offered yesterday to &c
to work for the Western Union, where
upon the brotherhood, which had beer
informed of the move, sent q committee
to President Bentley, of the local COM
pany, and threatened to order a strike on
his lines if he allowed the men to 60
Mr.. Bentley treated the committee with
abruptness, and ordered it out of the
Office but the men were not sent to the
| Western Union Office.
The situation Elsewhere.
The executive committee of the board C1
trade and transpOrtati ID, in New York
adopted resolutions that the business, being
public in it's nature, cannot be treated as q
| oiAOAoASO OA OpiAlOA OOV"OOh PAV0VO OuA
| plOyers and their employees would be
treated that the public interest is para
mount to all others, and the public should
not remain silent in case where
a great corporation has by repeated
consultations acquired virtual mono
| poly which enabled it to dictate terms to Z
large class Of educated laborers, and urge
that this strike should be at once ended BY
both parties submitting their differences
to board of arbitration which might b.
composed of three operators, thres
I directors of the telegraph companies anG
the president of the national board o
trade, the Chicago board OF trade, and the
New York board of trade and transporta
tion, amajority of which should rule or
all questions, or any other board of arbi
traitors which would fairly represent tn
three parties in interest.