New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-20
ACTION OF THE OPERATORS.

ACTION OF THE OPERATORS
DISCUSSING THE SITUATION IN A GENERAL ;EuS6
COMMENTS AND GOSSIP.
When the signal was gwen st noon for the tele.
graph oerators employed by the different CON-
NAMES 10 stop work it estimated by the Brother.
hood that 2, 900 men and 1000 women clOsed then
KEYS and left the offices. The strike includes 200
cities and nearly every commercial telegraph oibcs
in the country. In thus city LOO
men aud women oDsraSors ara said TO
have quit work. Most OF them weat
in small parties to Csledonian Hail. at EIghth-aye
and Thirteenth where they held secret busI-
ness meeting. About o'clock the doors were
thrown open. The hall was crowded almost TO SUIT
location. between 500 aud 1000 operators beps
present Included in this plumber were about
seventy five girls District Master Workman john
Mitchell presided. He congratulated rhe operators
on having quit work. He had hardly begun W
speak when no was interrupted By soma one blow
ing the whistle with which the signal for the strike
had been gwen. This was the signal for prolonged
and enthusiastic applause and three rousng cheers
for Frank Phillips WAC bad given the signal to
strike.
Alter the excitement had somewhat subsidized. Mr.
Mitchell offered a resolution that I'm til the opera
tors had gained the victory they would abstain
from all intoxicating drinks 1t was adopted vita
an AYE" that shook the building. La response %
repeated calls Brother OReilly chief Of the Wheat
stone operators emplOyei by the Western CnIOn
Company, took the floor. He contradlcted
the reports that the Wheatstone operators
were loyal to the company, I'VE afs
all loyal men, however" he SAID" loyal to tue
Brotherhood When that whistle blew ths Wheat
stone men would have answered the call with their
lives if it had been necessary Mr.. DeaIy said that
g haa ieft he
discontinued lie told was leaving:
'OReilly feel sorry for you. You'll never come
back to the Western Union again But We left all
the same and we have 20 stsJ
until the Executive Committee order US
in.n Mr.. O'Rellly was frequently interrupted.
Al. Seymour. ex-manager of the Mutual Union
Office in New-York, SAID that prominent ex-ofnclh
of a Iival of the Western Union Telegraph Company
had told him that he would see that the operators
didn't suffer from lack of funds. He didn't give
any names however.
Chairman Mitchell read dispatch that he
remarked must have been sent aud re-
ceived by Cooper Union graduates dated
st. LOUIS. stating: " The Globe democrat and all
merchants with YOU The iron merchants nave
subscribed 1900 TO sustain the strike. lou nave
the entire business community with you
p. }. MorrlsOD impressed on the " ladies ana GEN
temen present the necessity Of obeyng tue orders
of the Executive Committee In all respects
Our motto, he SAID. is ,. UNITY U.i s ahs
| stantial element with YOU Is the lne-mali
| tThree cheers were given for the linemen.
They are the body guard of this order. If there ar,
| craven wretches to take your places they CANNOT
| operate without line. The committee appointed
by the Western Union was the greatest thing eyer
| saw" There considerable laughter at ths
statement and several illusions were made 70
blind pool" There was uproarious applaase
v whsn the speaker This s'd the w wSiss
that that waeened the whole world The Western Unioa
Company will feel this blow Tomorrow"
L.Deman smith said that he had seen 1t stated ~
the papers that the lnemen didn't have hall days
work a month. They'll lind out now If We are any
use" he SAID. They can't work wires wrthou.
nemen. They can't go To Castle Camden and ges
Cinnamon aud Italians to clear the wires. nor can
5ey a ssHd too 0S hrh pps them MaTSe h
the spurs don't tit his test. The linemen our 70
STAY We are going TO be the bosses now for awhile
The officers came to aud said they'd grant our de-
mands if we'd cut loose from tine operators Whea
asked for an advance before it went into toe
TastsGa'ks h because , dd%s hev oO srs
golug through the proper channel nov
and we'll get it inside of a week.
Three cheers were given as John Oliver. brawny
and said that the linrmen had informed Mr. Dogers
that unless the demands of tn operators wefo
granted by nooa every llneman would refuse 10 s'
orders.
The meeting adjourned until ! o'clock this morn
ing, with three rousIng cheers for the ladies.
SURPRISED At THE UNANIMIrY OF THE STRIKE
The local officers OF the brotherhood express
themselves rather surprised at the uuanimity WIN
which the men Obeyed the summons. why sara
j. B. lateral, there were not over fifteen men
and many girls left in tho Western Union oper.
ating ROOM and, with the exception Of the ch'e'
operators they are all second and thrd-cass op-r
ators In of the larger branch offices the msn
| agers themselves went out with US" a.,
Al the onice OF 1Ao 1eleyrapAes ddroea.e Ia"
man came INTO the room about 1890 on his way ~
| fill an order in NewJersey. When informed oil tno
strike he tore mp his order saying: That settles W
| don't hunt gany trouble till this thIns
settled" a,
They say girls can't keep secret, saia
one young woman after the meeuns
| in Caledonian Hail. Il think we
have kept this secret pretty well. Tho girs arc
fully as enthusiastic as the in this matter. No
are out for business. We were excited. OF course.
this morning when the signal was given, but nos
| girl who was member OF the Brotherhood hinched,
We feel confident of success aud shan't 90 bac.
until instructed 30 TO do by tho cxecutie comm''
| tee.0
| AID AND Sympathy PROMISED.
Al tho headquarters Of the Executive Comm'tses
i