National Republican., 1883-07-21


oil he wanted to say:
"Our force on duty during the day was
fourteen operators, and was ample Tor our
work. Oar usual day force is twenty ope-
rators. The force remaining with us is, with
two exceptions, among our highest priced op-
orators. The commercial business has fallen
Off somewhat, but our press business yester-
day and last night was fully up to the average
of the month"; and greater than the day be-
fore the strike. We had sixteen operators
report for duty tonight, which is larger
number than our regular force. Our busi-
ness is all being worked oil as promptly as
usual. Our wires are all in good condition,
and the number of offices reporting to-day is
much larger than yesterday. We arc pro-
pared to do considerably larger business
than is being offered"
Manager Whitney refused to say whether
ovortures Had been received from any of tho
strikers. The falling Off in business he at
tributed to the false impression that the COM
pany did not have force enough to transmit
messages.
AT the Mutual Union which is virtually n
branch of the Western Union being leased by
the latter company, Supt. Colum was
found working at an instrument.
while the night chief handled
operators, the day chief, the night chief, and
the superintendent. The two operators
left. Mr.. Collum said work was done as
usual. The business of the office was chiefly
with Chicago Boston, and New York, and
there had been no falling off. He said that
the two operators who left told him they did
SO regrettully, that they were satisfied with
their pay and their hours but felt obligated
to obey the order OF the brotherhood by
leaving.
At the American Rapid office Manager Col
Inns was holding the fort assisted by two
ladies, neither of whom are operators, one
| being type writer and the other perfOratOr.
Seven men from the Rapid office had joined
| the strike, but Manager Collins said that by
using the automatic machine which is five
| times more rapid than the Morse instrument,
| he had been able to handle all the business
that offered. Business had fallen OIL however,
fully 80 per cent. The wires arc all right to
New York and New England states, tho press
reports for Boston being sent through as usual.
All business for pittsburg is accepted subject to
delay, as the company has only one man
| there, sixteen having struck. Manager Col
| Inns sympathized with the strikers, and
| thought that such skilled work deserved bet
ter pay. He said, however, that the Rapid
company was taking business SO cheaply that
1t could not possibly pay the men more with
out raising the rates. None of the Rapid
strikers had offered to return.
At the Baltimore and Ohio company the
manager and chief operators constitute the
working force, and all business that comes is
received. The Merchants and Bankers is the
only company not affected by the strike. The
operators belong to the brotherhood, but did
| not Join in the demand for more wages. II
is stated on good authority that it was an ar
rangement of the brotherhood that the men
| in this Office should not strike in order that
the wires of the company might be used fol
the private correspondence of associations and
committees in different cities.
The striking operators held meeting last
.S,l,N 40 N,N.
| the proceedings were of n secret nature and
were not given out for publication. The meet.
ing lasted from to II o'clock, with n recess
of half an hour, and the attendance included
about all the men who quit work. One of the
| leading operators said to the re-
porter "You can say that the meet.
ing was simply gathering of the broth
| crhood, and our proceeding, though
secret, would not be of general interest to the
public. 1t may be stated that the purpose oI
| the meeting was more to discuss the situation
| than anything else, to re-eXpress our dc.
termination to stand by each other and to
hear reports of committees in charge of the
business ofthe brotherhood" All the strikers
with whom the reporter talked were strong
in the belief that the companies would
accede to their terms. They vehemently
denied the statement of Manager Whitney
that he has all the force necessary to transac
Western Union business. They assert that in
stead of having IA day men at work and II
night men, only o members of the old fore
remain on duty, and that the office is ser
Ously cramped; that of those in the operating
room, three are day chiefs, one is an operator
on the day force, two are night chiefs, one IN
office boy, and the others are stran
gers The brotherhood had heard from
all points of the country during the day
and the ranks Of the strikers had been aug
mentod at many places. There are now OF
| of N
those who had struck have gone back to work
There seems to be feeling of confidence
among the striking operators that thu
Western would offer a compromise in
day or two. A leading member sait
to the reporter that he thought th
brotherhood would accept fair anC
reasonable compromise. One operator sale
seventy-eight men attended the meeting ant
answered roll call, and that four new men hat
come in during the day. Resolutions wer
adopted to stand firm to the last and pledg
ing themselves to total abstinence from in
, toxicating liquors, and to the same careful
ness and moderation and actions while OF
! strike that marked their conduct while il
, the operating room.
One striker told the reporter that tn
, brotherhood was pledged to take care of all tn
lady operators who had joined the strike
f They were to have the first preference. Th
only lady operator in Washington was Mis-
AllCe Callan, ana she went out on the strlKt
/ She was employed at the Baltimore and Obi
Office at $35 per month, and had to work fror
S a. IN. to 6 p. m. Yesterday she was pre-
/ vided with place in the United Press associg
ton at $50 per month, with working hour
from q, m. to p. nj.
) At their meeting last evening the strkin
operators in Washington adopted the follow
ing address:
BRoTHERs: You are called upon to act with thI
dignity characteristic ofthe operator on duty tot
ing with care and caution to avoid mistakes. l.,
your pledge be 10 SO act, while business Is su
pended, with the same judgment and GOODNESS TIN
you would use were you in the AZ
of transmitting an important cablegram, n
important cipher telegram in which Thousand
, of dollars were involved, or the sad news of Il
death of the late president. bearing in mind th(
; none have deplored more than we the occasion
tho suspension of the telegraph but since Il
press aud the public have become iamilia
, with the subject through our cxecuti,
, committee, the rich corporations for whom "
have been amass'ing wealth, have in their hanC
TO avert the evils that may visit the interests
the public, and in connection with this subscrib
, your names to refrain from any unseemly cor
duct or demonstration and to abstain from IL
duging in intoxicating liquors.
} The New Pool Agreement
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