The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-15
THE 1ELECRAPHERS.
Continuation of the Investigation by
the Senate Committee -.The
Situation in Telegraph
Circles. e--E


sumed his testimony. He said the estimated
cost of a telegraph line / 500 miles long would
DO Ss:!5, ,965. Telegraph operators were
generally young men, and lived in
boarding houses. They usually come
from the better class Of society. The morals
OF operators as a class had greatly improved
within the last ten years, and this was one
result Of the organization which had been
effected. Most of them were single, but
some werq married men Witness thought
500 amonth was reasonable estimate for
food and lodging for a month for a single |
man. Only one in hundred ever saved any
money, The highest paid operators did not
receive enough to enable them to
lay by anything for their support in old age |
In 1870 the Western Union company required
every man coming into its employ to take |
oath he would never connect himself with |
trade or labor organization This was called |
the ''iron-clad oath, and was administered
to every person who took part in the |
strike of 1870 After the existence of the |
Telegraph Brotherhood was made known
recently, the railroad sHperintendents is
sued circular which was sent to every en-
ploye of fine company, forbidding him to con |
meet himself with an organization under pen !
from a. m. to at night, and had but two |
or three hours to devote TO amusements. A |
night operator had more time at his disposal |
No such thing as a vacation was known in |
the telegraph business.
CONDITION OF THE STRIKE.
New YORK, Aug, 1.-THE strike of the |
telegraphers presents no new features. Mir |
Somerville, of the Western Union company, |
said 126 wires of the Gold and Stock Tele- |
graph company, which supply most of tho |
circuits to the brokers' offices down town, |
and which are carried through Church and |
Rector streets in seven cables suspended IN
der the elevated railroad girders, were all |
cut, and in such way that the wires cannot I
be connected again at the point where sew
cred. Temporary connections have been |
made with other lines, and the company
hopes to be able to repair the remainder at |
once
Dispatches received by the company state |
that the New Orleans telegraphers were |
weakening, and that two strikers had re |
turned to the keys i'll Meridian, Miss
The Mutual Union wires were cut in Har- |
lem and Manhattanville to the number of a |
dozen or more. A few wires were cut near
Newark and others near Fleetwood.
rigger fer the Western Union COMPANY |
was asSaulted'by two of the striking linemen |
when he was leaving the company's build |
ing. The offenders were arrested and taken |
TO the court, where they were held for exam, |
nation,
So far as could be learned, up to noon,
none OF the wire-cutters have been arrested |
AT CHICAGO.
CHICAGO, Aug. 14-The Western Union |
officials in talking about the investigation by |
the senate committee into the causes and |
means of prevention of strikes, say the best |
plan to prevent strikes is to beat them like |
the Western Union is doing this one and |
then that will go out of fashion The off |
cials say that they have $50 men at work, |
who are doing very we'll and, one Of them |
added: 1--WE were partly prepared for this, |
you see. If the boys had given no notice of |
theft inteEtion to strike, and waited until |
they were better organized and |
business rushing affairs might have |
turned out very differently Our
busiest season is from the middle of Septem- |
ber until the latter part of November or the |
beginning of December. During that time |
we get all the business we can possibly han
die and are getting better prepared for the
rush every day. When it comes we will be |
ready for it" They claimed to have reports
from several places to the effect that the
strikers were weakening.
THE BROTHERHOOD.
At UIrich's hall a meeting was hold at
which a general talk was had over the stu
alton IT the frequent cheers which issued |
from the room were any indication, the BOYS
are still enthusiastic. Said Master Workman
Morris, There is little to say. The re
ports that we are getting short !
of cash are untrue We were
q little pinched the other day, but
you.must remember we have been paying out
over 81, 200 day for some time We will
have between s., 900 aud S., 900 sent us soon,
and plenty more afterwards"
DO the iadie; still hold outn
''Yes, indeed, and are very enthusiastic"
'-How about the report that You are get
ting tired of having to support the messenger
bOys."
1t is not true. We will provide for them
as long as they stay out The only time they
bother us is when they get to cutting up
around the Railways here and making too
much noise. Then we do get mad"
The file on the press table contained several
dispatches A long one from New Orleans
announced the first traitor among the resi-
dent members of the Crescent City. HIS
name is George English, city line operator
Cincinnati reports the boys firm and that
the company is trying to bride them to come
back without success, with one exception,
Henry Schwab who accepted a check for
800 and went to work
Baltimore sends word one of the three who
deserted the brotherhood last week came back
on Monday and reported the company in a
demoralized condition.
st Louis telegraphs that they have not
lost man or woman since the strike began,
and are receiving encouraging reports from
all southern points
Atlanta reports live desertions, but that
the thirteen members remaining will never
give up.
Favorable dispatches were also received
from st. Paul, Oil City, Pa, Hamilton, Ont,
Toronto Detroit, and Ogden, Utah
TELEGRAPH OFFICE CLOSED.
WASHINGTON D. C., Aug 1.-THE Mutual
Union telegraph office in thiscity was closed,
and is being diSmantled of its telegraph appa-
ratus. The operators have been transferred to
the Western Union main Office.
Indian Territory.
ST LOUIS, No, Aug. l4.-W P Edgarton-
chief postal inspector Of this district has re,
ceived a telegram from the postmaster at
|. T., stating that his Office had
been fred into by gang of Indian despera-
does who tried to murder him, and
that he mad fed to Muskogee Mr..
Edgarton telegraphed the postmaster
that he would not be expect
ed to return to his post il his life is in danger,
and he has also telegraphed to the postmaster
at Caddo to send no more mail matter 10
Tishomingo till further orders. No particu-
rars of the affair have been received. aud. as
Tishomingo is thirty miles from the nearest
railroad or telegraph station, nothing can be
obtained
Mrs Ailis0n's Funeral
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Aug 1.-The tragic
death of Mrs Allison has cast a gloom over
Az |