Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-18
AN ELECTRIC SHOCK
That May ParaIyzs the Nervous
System of the cuuntry's
Business To-day.
The Companies Must Pay the Fir
teen Per Cent Advance or
the Men VIII Quit.
Rumors that the B. & O. and the
American Rapid Will Accsds
to the Operators De-
mands,
Leaving the Fight Between the
Western Union and Its En-
pIoyes---Ths Operators
Power.

Power. -
New York, July IA prominent OIL
cial OF the Western Union is reported TO
have said this morning: THE operators
demand is now under consideration. The
directors are willing that certain OF these
demands be at once complied with, but will
strenuously oppose payment OF the 10
per cent. advance on all wages. The direc.
tors of every other company think as we
do. We will probably offer an advance OF
> per cent, but even this, considering other
large concessions that we are willing to
make, is a large amount Of extra pay. The
strikers have no good reasons for their
action. There has been no recent advances
in provisions or rent We shall consider
this matter fully to-day and decision will
be rendered. The company's earnings are
large. During this year we have earned 80
per cent. dividend. The gross earnings for
the first fifteen days of July aggregate near
" a million dollars.
d. a o. Officers I'm Consultation.
BALTIMORE, Mp., July 1.-THE BAlti-
n ore and Ohio officials have not as yet re-
piled to the demands OF the brotherhood
Of Telegrapbers, presented yesterday. Mr..
Robert Garret is in consultation with other
officials of the company, and it is believed
they will reach decision this afternoon.
There is a hopeful feeling among the oper-
atOrs that the reply will be favorable 20
! their interests.
Opinions Of Managers.
PITTsrURG, July l5-At noon to morrow
| the telegraph operators in conformity with
| the order emanating from the headquarters
| OF their organization, will drop the key,
| switch OIL their line and leave the offices,
| unless the companies grant them toe ID
| per cent. advance demanded. Ii the
| "lightning.slinGers' succeeded in keeping
| mum when the movement was first talked
| Of their secresy has become more profound
| as the time approaches when they are to
| take the decisive step, and to-day the
| operators when spoken to in regard to the
| impending crisis look at the questioner
| with an expression which seems to indi.
! cate that such a thing as strike has never
| been thought OF. Another feature of the
matter is the satisfaction with which the
representatives Of rival lines regard the
Trouble Now Brewing.
| II seems 10 be settled beyond doubt that
! one or more companies will Concede the
| demands before the expiration of the day
| Of grace given by the workers, and this
| fact tends little 20 cheer those who make
! the jump to morrow.
| Manager j. II. BaOCock, of the b. Il o.,
| when visited by the ques,ioner, made the
| remark that if the Western Union stood a
! fight it would be harvest for the opposi-
| tion lines. "I believe that every man IN
! the brotherhood can stand three months
| strike, said he, ''and feel sure that the
| western Union
| cannot hold up its end ot the stick that
| long. While We have had no official noti-
| tcation Of what will be done, and in fact
| nothing mas been told us officially OF the
| demand, we have it from a very good
| source that our company is fayorably con-
| sideTirg the matter, and We expect that the
| wires will bring Us word TO night that the
| demanded fifteen per cent of an advance is
conceded. | think that the opposition won
derive any great benefit from the matter,
as the Western Union will in all proba.
| bility settle the trouble before noon to.
morrow"
Mr.. Janowitz. manager of the American
| Rapid lines here. sand: We are sure that
| the B. 4 .. and the
American Rapid
| will give the wages IL is settled so far as
this company is concerned and to-mOrrOS
| afternoon the Western Union boys will
| come 10 lDlS OillCe lclp Us Oul. L III
| tend TO run on three hour stretches. We
| have made arrangements TO duplex our
| lines and greatly increase our facilities for
pushing business. The Merchants aud
| Bankers Telegraph Company, which has
a line from New York TO Baltimore. has
already conceded the demand. don't
| take much stock in strikes, bat it seems
that the boys have the upper hand this
| time. There is very little material that
can be utilized hy the Western Union
| Company in fighting the strike. II all
| the retired operators who were once in
any way proficient in the business were
raked up don't thev would amount to
ever SEQ, which would be y small force to
| depend on in case OF a strike.
| The brotherhood
gees into the fight mighty strong. When
| the operators were beaten in the last strike
| they numbered 1900. Since that time the
] telegraph business of the country has in
creased 500 per cent. The organization
has kept pace with its growth, and to day
| it stands the best example of trades union
| in the country"
n. c. Griswold, division manager OF the
/ B. Il D. lines between Cumberland and
| Wheeling via Pittsburgh, said to-day that
! he had talked 10 several local operators
| and had been left under. the impression
| that the railroad operators will be allowed
4 W COulluuC NuIA b4iC sSttASLAcut
I of the
! Commercial Operators' Demands.
| He also believes that these railroad men
will not refuse to send commercial mes.
| sages. and that in case of strike business
/ can be conducted without great difficulty.
Mr. Lloyd, Pittsburgh manager for the
! Western Union, said he had no notice of an
| intended strike. He does not believe any
local notice will be given, but thinks that
| il strike is declared the men will just
leave their desks at the appointed time and
remain away from the office.
Their Case.
The Herald says: ION the whole it may
| be doubted whether the operators have
presented 8 strong case. That the evils ex-
| iSt cannot be questioned, but they will not
! be remedied by the course taken"
The Operators Compared 10 Corpora
tions.
The Evening Post says: That which in
tereSts the public NEST, and which the
public can form an opinion about, is the
means to which the operators propose TO
resort in order TO enforce their demands.
\ strike of telegraphers nov, when so
leree a proportion Of the business OF the
country IN every department is carried oa
by telegraph, that the credit itself in the
commercial and financial world may be
said 10 rest on it, is q very serious matter
indeed. T-lesraphing is mystery,
small mystery, it is true, but one which
nobody can master in q day, or in a week,
50 that telegraph operators have itjn their
power To intlict an enormous loss >sod loss
and inconvenience on the community by
refusing to do their work until their EN-
ployers comply with their demand. Now
the question whether any body Of men
ought to be allowed for any purpose to
in 10y this InsS and inNOnvaDianee on the
public is one of which the growing COM
plexity of modern society will soon com
pei psremtorily settlement. The country
cannot allow strikes OF employees in.theSe
great public services, any more that it can
ALLOW corporations themselves to refuse 20
carry on their business, as a means Of eH-
tracing what they think fair rates Of trans