The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-19
TIE THREATENED STRIKE.
The Companies Seem TO be Determ-
ined Not to Yield.
Equal Determination on the Part Of the
0perators-A Committee Of In
ve,tigatiOn Appointed The
Present Situation Other
Strikes.


exists In telegraphic circles over the threat.
ened strike. Every person interested Is
snxiously awaiting the result OF the cxccu.
tive meeting Of the Western Union directors.
The committe Of the Brotherhood held a
meeting early this morning, but what
transpired there could not be learned
Cipher dispatches were received by the
committee from various points stating
that the operators were In readlnesst &c leave
their desks at a moments notice. W. B..
someryille Of the Western Union said that
there seemed 10 be little possibility
that the company would grant their request
and that the strike seemed 10 be inevitable.
The demands were unjust and unreasonable
and II the strike should happen the com
pany would fight II to the bitter end. W.
j. Dealy, manager OF the operating room
OF the Western Union, said that he did not
believe that the strike would be commenced
without mature deliberation on the part Of
tho operators. This morning there was an
unusually large force at work in the office,
numbering between 800 and 700. The or
binary number OF absentees was from If
teen TO twenty -fye. There were only nine
aosentees this morning. He said he had at
least fifty letters from employees of the com.
pany promising to stand by II in the event
OF a strike. There were 29j chief Cd.
orators In the office, each one having under
him eighteen 10 twenty-five men. A can
vaSs was made by these chiefs among the
operators to ascertain, il possible, the real
strength OF the Unaffected ortion. and how
large force might be relied upon in case Of
q strike. The first report showed that out
oftwenty. one operators twelve were doubt.
full and nine promised 10 stand BY the com.
pany. Later reports indicated that this
proportion represented the division OF feel.
ing Throughout the whole force. The Wheat.
stone operators TO man. Dealy said.
pro Missed TO stand by the company in case
OF strike.
Operators are unwilling 10 converse on
the subject, and the stereotyped reply has
been, "Wait till Wednesday.p At the
main Office president Eckert refused TO
answer any questions concerning his in.
tentions and declined 10 state whether he
would reply TO the committee OF the Broth.
erhood to-day. Mr.. Dealy, manager Of
the operating room, said:
cede 10 the de nands OF the men, and do
not think there will be strike. Many
members OF the union said 10 me that in
case strike was ordered they would stick
TO their posts"
"If the men strike will the Wheatstone
Instruments help you out?'
"Yes, II would be one Of the greatest
fall-backs we have. The persons working
II now are chiefly poor Epglishmen and
girls who come to Us begging for work, and
AM satisfied they will not strike. II tIev
should we could easily get a low order OF
talent 10 work the machine. One Of these
Wheststones will transmit 800 messages an
hour, whereas good operator can only
send forty or fifty. Besides there are pIen.
ty Of good operators now employed in other
pursuits who would willingly help us
OUT
Mr.. Humston, the superintendent, said:
Tho situation Is unchanged. II strike
occurs we will keep on working as long as
we possibly can. don't see how we can ac.
cede % the modest demands Of the men.
The v heatstone operators are really too
modest for anything. They
only ask us to Increase their salaries
from $50 to SO per month, besides the tif-
teen per cent. asked for By the other opera
tors, and then they desire eight hours
work. Figure this up and 1t makes a total
increase Of eighty-seven per cent. which is
a very modest tenn
Have they made special demand for
the cabley''
'No; the cable workers are few, and
their working hours differ from all others. 4"
Mr.. Sommerville, the press agent Of the
Western Union, said: 1.-The demands OF
the men are unreasonable, and some Of the
union men have expressed themselves so
to me. Many men that the Brotherhood
count on will not come to the scratch il q
strike Is ordered.'
The operators admitted that their case
looked serious, and groups OF them were
quietly discussing the situation. Said one:
1--WE get all the money we need from the
Knights Of Labor, and can hold out as long
as they will back us, and don I think they
will drop Us very soon.' 1t is expected
that when the demands are refused. at a
given signal all members Of the Brother
hood will close their keys and 60 out. 1t is
claimed that ninety. five out of every hun
dred are union men, and that the company
will never know who the men are until they
begin To strike.
Excitement at ~. Louis.