The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-03
The FREIGHT HANDLERS.
Most OF the Chicago Freight Houses of the
Railroads Closed.

Railroads Closed.
CHICAGO, May 3-The freight handlers
Of the Chicago, Burlington a Quincy and
Chicago 4 Alton railroads, to the plumber
of about 300, held brief meeting at the
Harrison street viaduct at a. m A few
speeches were made and the crowd started
for the Wabash freight houses The handlers
of the Chicago, Milwaukee q St Paul were
not represented at the meeting in any num-
bers
The freight handlers in the Fort Wayne
houses Saturday morning demanded eight
hours work with ten hours pay, and said
that they would 60 out unless this was
acceded to. The force number 120, and in
cludes clerks, truckers, and laborers
Contractor Reedy has the contract for
unloading vessels for the Chicago, Rock ISL
and t& Pacific road at his dock at Sixteenth
street He employees fifty hands. They ali
struck Saturday morning. In consequence
the Rock Island people commenced Satur-
day morning to ship out all freight in their
houses, fearing general tie-up The same
was true at the Michigan Central houses
and it was expected that they would close at
noon The Rock Island has ninety five men
and the Lake Shore .01.
The committee from the freight handlers,
TO the number of l5D, reached the Wabash
houses at 9:15 O'Clock. They induced
eighty five men 20 stop work. The crowd
swelled, and with groat cheers, but no dis
order, moved on the Rock Island in-freight
houses Here thirty men quit
The line of march was again taken up and
soon the freight-house of the Louisville,
New Albany Il Chicago road was reached.
The men there, to the number of thirty, re-
fused to work any longer.
At 10 a m. the 100 freight handlers in the
Chicago, Milwaukee & ST Paul railway
left work in body.
After this the crowd of strikers marched
to Clark and Taylor streets Here they
formed in line, four abreast Hundreds Of
people turned out to see the sight, and with
ringing cheers the men marched through
the streets toward the Michigan Central
freight-house As they pursued their way
the streets became filed with sight-seers,
but nothing approaching disorder was ap.
parent
When the strikers reached the freight
house of the Michigan Central road some of
the freight handlers commenced TO put on
their coats preparatory to stopping the Off
cials, locked the doors and barred the win
dows. Some of the strikers were locked in
but subsequently, got out The work Of
clearing up thu house went ON and the
strikers left
They then went to the Lake Shore freight
house. Here they found the doors locked
| Some of them crawled in and few of the
freight handlers were induced to leave
About ten of the men employed in thu
house refused to join the strike, and abou
this time police protection was sought by
officers of the road. Lieut. Laughlin and
squad OF police soon appeared and succeeded
in clearing the depot without using violence
although the men grumbled at being forcet
back, claiming that their intentions wer
| peaceable.
| After leaving the Lake Shore depot tn
| procession OF strikers crossed over Val
Buren, street to tho Fort Wayne freight
house. The freight handlers thee. had givsr
notice that they would wait until noon be
fore striking. But the procession prove,
too much for the men ct work. The,
caught the spirit and left in a body Their
| were $50 of them
The consequence of the strike of th
| freight-handlers is the temporary suspen
| sion of freight traffic on the railroads
which have notified shippers that for tn
present no freight will be received for ship
ment