The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-04
The Railway officials Hold Meeting and De-
eide that the Condition of Business Will
Not Justify an Increase in Wages.
The Switchmen Will To-Day Join the
Strikers and Business Will Stop.
The Owners Of Packing Houses Concede the
Demands of Their Men-The Strike on
the Missouri Pacific Declared Ended.
THE SITUATION AT CHICAGO.

THE SITUATION AT CHICAGO.
Blockade of All Railway Freight Business.
/ CHICAGO, May 3-It was estimated last night
that 40 900 of the 225 600 workers Of Chica-
60 have already proited by the eight-hour
movement About $4,000 are supposed to be
| out on strike this morning. In many instances
| where large bodies Of men are solidded under a
| trade movement, long strikes are threatened if
the present attitude Of the employers is main
tanned. The movement has not yet been at.
| tended by ary violence, though in some quarters
| the socalistic element has caused seeming bick-
ering and disquietude. This is particularly true
OF the lumber region and North-side furniture dis
trict Previous to Saturday 1000 brewers, as
many bakers, 800 furniture workers, 1000 cloth
| ing cutters and 100 tuck pointers had secured a
reduction Of the working hours. According to
the reports received up to midnight by Mr.
| George A Schiiling, chairman Of the eight-hour
committee, the demands of the following have
been satisfied: Eight hundred tobacco handlers,
700 street-car employees, all the members Of the
cigar-makers' union. 800 beer barrel makers, $50
dry goods and notion store employees, $500 pack
| ers, and large number Of workmen employed
| in smaller industries. Besides, the following
unions have adopted the eight-hour standard:
Bricklayers, stone-masons, hod- carriers, plaster
| ers and fathers.
Eyes, we intend to open our freight houses at
o'clock this morning" remarked Local Agent
| Wilson, Of the Chicago Milwaukee 8 St. Paul
railroad, in answer to question put to him
shortly after o'clock. The large freight depots
OF the railroad company at the junction of Union
and Kinzie streets were early the scene Of curl
ous crowds, aud among the number wsre the
striking freight-handlers Of the road. From the
windows of the main Offices appeared the heads of
clerks and other department employees anxiously
awaiting the outcome Fifteen minutes before
7 special train of three passenger coaches and
an engine ran into the yards and fourteen spe-
cial detectives of thecompany, ID citizens Clothes
and decorated with stars, appeared first; follow
ing them marched two hundred men brought in
| by the railroad company from different points
on its line. They were at once surrounded by
strikers, who urged them in all manner of ways
| not to 60 to work and deprive them of their DO.
sitions. There was no wavering on the part of
the new men. however and they entered the
| freighthouses in body. Only three, the ordi
nary number OF city police, were on duty, and
there no call for their services The strikers
appeared dazed at first at the size of the crowds
which had arrived to support the company and
| owing to this fact, possibly. offered no violence.
The leaders of the strikers, seeing that no inn
preston was being made on the new men,
called off the former and hurried consulta
ton was had on the railroad tracks near the
freight-houses After few moments parley-
ing, the entire crowd marched off in a body
to the Burlington yards for consultation. and
to obtain, possibly, an enlargement of their
forces.
Groups of idle men hung about the yards of
the Fort Wayne, Burlington and Alton roads,
and up to o'clock the officials of the companies
had given no sign of their plan of action for the
day
The Lake Shore men in the out-freight-
houses, about sixty-five, made a demand this
morning for an increase in wages from 81. so to
81. Is per day in the cases of laborers, and from
$55 to $50 per month for check clerks They
said they were willing to work ten hours day
The company was given until May to return
an answer. The agent said he would refer the
request to the higher officials, and in the mean
time the men are at work.
Four carloads of imported men were set to
work in the Western avenue freight-house of
the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul railroad this
morning. The Burlington freight-houses were
thrown open shortly after o'clock. No at
tempt was made to drive the non-nnion freight
handlers from the houses. The company had
a full force-one hundred-at work, and soon
was taking all the freight that could be deliv-
cred. The amount received was increasing, and
more wagons were standing before the doors than
could be unloaded. Guards were kept al the
doors, and no suspicious characters were admit
ted A good part of the men at work were evi-
dently green hands, but they were rapidly learn
ing their duties. The strikers were scattered
along Canal street. and discussed the situation.
They wanted the new men pulled out, but
seemed to prefer that some one else did the
pulling At $50 o'clock procession number
ing about one thousand composed of men from
other roads, passed by. They made no attempt
to raid the house, but contented themselves
with cheering, yelling "scabs," and calling on
the men to ''come out" No banners or flags of
any kind were displayed. The procession passed
on south. a part of the Burlington strikers join
ing, but the majority remaining to keep watch
over the house. The men came from various
points within the State, and seem contented
with the hours and wages promised them. They
are paid by the old scale.
The procession of freight handlers, after pass
ing the Alton and burlington yards, went south on
Canal street to Eighteenth street and proceeded
east to Michigan avenue, and then headed north.
1t was reported to police headquarters that an
attack on the Illinois Csntral yards was contem-
plated, and squad of fifty police was at once
sent from the Central police station to the scene.
The marchers, however. turned to the left and
crossed Rush street bridge and then proceeded