Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-20
THE STRIKE COMMENCED.
THE WESTERN UNION OPERA
TORS STOP WORK.

Brotherhood-How the ONCE is Man
aged.
The expected strike among the western
Union telegraph operators began yester-
day AT II m. Washington time, when the
operators in all the leading cities
abandoned their keys, and quietly left the
offices. The signal from the Executive
Committee of the Brotherhood in session
in New York was received shortly before
moon in Savannah. and at II O'Clock the
eiyht operators employed in the Western
Union office arose from their tables and
walked quietly out Of the building,
leaving Manager Dillon and the clerks
alone with the work.
Mr.. Dillon ut once secured the services
Of Mr.. Henry Griffith, Superintendent
Of the Telephone Exchange, who was
formerly manager of the Western Union
office. and the work was continued with
as little delay as possible. ..
I'VE are going TO do the best we can
said the manager to a MORNING NEWS
reporter last night. And IL Is a Z question:
of which can hold out the longer"
Glow do YOU look upon the movement
inquired the reporter.
= consider it "A very unwise move on
the part on he operators" was the reply;
land it is impossible to tell where
II will end. The men en-
ploved in this office were
paid from $50 TO $50 per month,
and were receiving extra pay for work
done outside of regular hours. some
were making at least $40 month in this
way. of course the strike was not To-
cal conception. The operators in the
office were all members of the Brother
hood. and being ordered to strike, there
was no alternative"
s.DO YOU look for compromise?
Il had hoped that some arrangement
would be made, and that the matter would
be quickly settled and without delay, but
it seems otherwise. There IS nothing that
/ can see at present that indicates set
Element of the difficulty unless the COM
pany accede to the demands oil the
strikers
DO YOU think this prObable"
Hardly so. If the company make the
concessions asked for il would virtually
place them in the power Of the operators,
and this. under the circumstances, would
he an Unwise move. 1t Is Impossible 10
predict what the outcome VIII be"
Abiding to the difficulty encountered
in securing extra operators Mr.. Dillon
stated that with the assistance at his
command fully One-half of the regular
work thus far had been performed.
Considerable delay had been eX-
perienced. but every effort had
been made to make the service as prompt
as possible. The scarcity of competent
operators rendered il almost impossible to
yet assistance from the city. The opera
tors in the railroad offices are nearly all
members of the Brotherhood and pledged
not to interfere with the movement, and,
altogether. the matter looks dubious. An
assistant is. however. expected from the
country this morning and the work Will
Ice carried on until either compromise Is
effected or some new arrangement Is de-
termined upon.
The demand which the company re-
fused to accede to, and which was the
cause of the strike, was formulated by
the Executive Committee of the Brother
hood of Telegraphers in session in New
York last week. This committee was
appointed al a convention OF the craft
held in February last, and it was EN-
powered to present a bill of grievances to
the Western Union and other Geographic
and railroad companies, and to accept
their terms if satisfactory. or to reject
them and order a general strike If that
course should seem best.
The Brotherhood of Telegraphers of the
United States and Canada was organized
4
cation has branches in almost every city
and town in the United States and
Canada. 1t numbers over twO-thirds of
all the telegraphers in the country, and
includes in its ranks women operators,
line men. battery men and clerks.
The committee waited upon General
Manager Eckert of the Western Union
Monday noon and handed him written
document, already published in the
tu1o of
which comprised the demands which
they had decided to make for more
paw and less work. Their appeal closed
with the request that an early reply be
made to their demands.
The feeling among the operators is
that a compromise will be reached. The
men in Savannah are in constant commu-
nicatiOn with the committee OF the
Brotherhood by telegraphic cipher, and
will await orders that may be promulga-
ted.
In conversation last night one of the
operators said to a NEWS reporter:
I'VE do not believe that the strike will
continue long, but compromise will be
agreed upon. Upon what basis we are
not advised. We can get all the money
we need from the Brotherhood, which is a
branch Of the Knights of Labor with a
special deposit of 100000 for this pur-
pose"
eve believe that the refusal Of the En-
ecutiye Board of the company to accede
to our demands is for the purpose of test
ing the strength of the Brotherhood. The
Western Union has contemplated the i'm
pOrtatiOn of operators from Great Britain,
but the English Brotherhood holds them
pledged. The only way out Of the matter
Is either to arrange compromise or
accede to the demands of the committee.
. tall n I'm CiO M
will be made, and a compromise seems to
he the natural result"
..What is the nature of the Brother
hOOd?"
ssItis simply a branch of the Knights
Of Labor order. We have a membership
of from 1850 to $4,000 operators in the
country. with a local organization in
every city. We are under orders from the
Executive Committee in New York.
At a late hour last night there were no
new developments. The strikers were
still out, although frequent cypher dis
patches were transmitted to them. The
office is still operated by Manager Dillon
and Superintendent Griffith, and the Oper
atOrs will await orders from the commit
tee to-day. The Associated Press report
was received with little delay.
1t was ascertained from conversation
with number of Savannah merchants
barrassment during the day. Messrs.
Herman & KaytOn, wholesale provision
dealers, said that the kilograms in which
they felt the most interest came before
the strike was inaugurated, and hence
they were not aware that the movement
had affected their business in any way,
unless some unexpected and important
dispatch had been sent them which
failed to come through. At the Board of
Trade the naval stores telegram from
Wilmington failed to make its appear
ance in the afternoon, and its nOn-arrival
caused some inconvenience, but as far as
could be ascertained there was no loss
OccasiOned any one interested in the bust
ness. In answer to interrOgatOries, the
opinion was expressed that If the strike
continued a few days some embarrass-
ment would follow. Mr.. Stillwell, repre-
senting Messrs. ID. c. Bacon & Co., the
well known manufacturers and dealers
i'm lumber. said that il was fortunate that
the strike did not take place during
a busy season. Now the business
in lumber is quite dull, and no
serious inconvenience will be expert
enced. He said that many orders
in lumber are closed by telegraph, and,
therefore, if the trade were active the
strike might lead to a great deal of trOu-
BILE.
The dealers in grain said that they had
received all their important kilograms
and had not felt the effects of the strike.
Messrs. NJ. Eerst Il Co., wholesale
grOcers, said that the strike had not
caused them inconvenience, but if con-
tinued would be a great annoyance not
only to themselves but to some of their
customers. suppose said one of the