The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-18
HISTORY OF rHE STRIKE.
How II Was Inaugernted-rhe Demand
of the strikers.

Early in July mutterings began to be
heard OF an impending strike Of the tele-
egraph operators all over the United States.
1t was said that the brotherhood Of opera
tors had become 80 strong an organization
that they felt able to cope with the West
ern Union and less powerful corporations.
1t was reported on whatseemed to be good
authority that on certain day, variously
stated, but somewhere in the early part OF
July, q demand would be made on the dif-
erent companies for certain concessions
and notifications Of the wages and hours
OF labor, and il these were not granted q
general strike would follow. On July IL
Il was officially announced that the West.
ern. Union Company had adopted the fol-
lowing new rule in relation 10 hours Of SER
vice.
eat all independent Western Union Off
ces which may be required to keep open
all day Sunday, nine hours actual service
in the day, six days in the week and seven
hours actual hours service at night. Seven
nights in week will constitute days
work. All service in excess OF above
named hours, including Sunday, will be
regarded extra and be paid for at the regu.
lar salary on basis OF seven hours TO
day." f..
This was supposed to be concession in
compliance with the demand oi the Broth
erbosd, but the Company denied that II
was so. On July l6!h formal demands were
made by . committee OF the Brotherhood
upon the officials Of the Western Union,
Baltimore & Ohio and American Rapid
Telegraph Companies, that the rules be so
modified as to reduce days work from
nine to eight hours and nights from eight
to seven, with an increase in ail wGges OF
10 per cent, irrespective OF age, skill or pc
sition OF operator, besides extra compelsa.
ton for Sunday work. Tnese demands
were denied by the companies, and on
Thursday, July lob, at noon, by previous
arrangement with the executive officers Of
the Brotherhood, gorg Was sounded or q
whistle blown in all tie offices in which
members oi the Brotherhood worked,
and they at once left their keys and ceased
work. Messages we're taken by the com.
psnies sabject to delay and mailing IN
route, the few operators who remained at
WOTS DetIS huppleuenteu ny otnetb uOL
members OF the Brotherhood as they could
be picked up. On July % the American
Rapid Transit Company accepted the
terms Of the strikers, and many members
OF the union won't TO work in their offices.
Both sides claimed TO be confident OF a
victory, and conflicting reports were daily
circulated. July 81 trouble was expert.
enced by the Western Union Company
from cut wires, and this continued atinter.
walls OF few days until the end OF the
strike. The company accused the strikers
Of doing the mischief, whils the
latter claimed it was done By the company
to win public sympathy, which was all
with the strikers. Day by day the COM
pauies became stronger aud better able to
handle their business. On August 10 the
money order department Of the Western
Union, which had been abandoned at the
beginning Of the strike, was resumed, aud
this was taken as a sigu that the strike
would eventually prove failure, pre-
sumption Which has now been justified,