Morning journal and courier., 1886-05-01
THE KNIGHTS GOING INTO CHAOS.

THE KNIGHTS GOING INTO CHAOS.
 to Keep Track of Them Check
 Them-The Plaint of n Prominent
 Leader at t>Chfcag0.
 CHICAGO, April 30.-The indications in this city are that there will be trouble in many cases tomorrow in connection with in- augurating the changes in the working hours from ten to eight, but there is every reason to believe that in nearly every case the ques- tion at issue can be settled and the new sys- tenn put to the test at least without interrup- tion to business. Almost every trade union in the city and throughout the country has pledged itself to stand for eight hours and de- mand that only, but as the time draws near for enforcing it trade after trade and union after union has begun to break the line and vary the demands. Many of them have coupled the request for short hours with an expressed determination to accept nothing less than the ten hours pay. This, the lead CTS of the movement as rule fear is the great and only danger to it's successful termination. In the rolling mill at South Chicago there is great excitement because the men employed in the blast furnace, about two hundred and fifty in number, are threatening to strike. The workmen in all the other departments are entirely satisfied with the treatment they have received from the company. Presi- dent Potter has granted every reasonable demand of the blast furnace men, so the oth- CTS say, and has offered to submit the other points of difference, which are not of serious nature, to arbitration But this did not satisfy them and for day or two past they have assumed threatening attitude. If they quit work eighteen hundred men will be compelled to remain idle. The district as semply, Knights of Labor, has given the men notice that if they strike they will be denounced and subjected to such disciplinary treatment as the order can exert The stand taken by the Knights of Labor will probably be emulated by the trades and labor assem- bly,. ''We are rapidly drifting into state of chaos, /" said George A. Schilling a prominent are occurring by the dozen all over the city and the central executive board, which should be the guide and director of the labor forces, has no means of keeping track or of checking them. With view of bringing order out of this condition of affairs we have resolved to form central governing body consisting of delegates from the trades as committee and every other organ ization involved in this strug gle This body will meet every night to 'size up the actions and movements of the day. Every strike will be reported and recorded and general uniformity and re- ciprocity insured. From careful analysis of the situation MT. Schilling is of the opin- ion that the following unions, which de- termned to fight for the eight hour demand, will meet with vigorous resistance from the employers: The br1cklayers and stone masons numbering over four thousand; the bod carriers; the carpenters union, the brick makers (nulnbering 300 the metal work CTS (numbering 1,aOO), the furniture workers of shoemakers, ,uphosterers and moulders. The unions that will probably take no action are the printers shoers anl blacksmiths, tanners and curriers'. united nailers, rollers and heaters hangers. The master plumbers association. which includes all the plumbing shops in the city decided o b 5o gEs Pag Ifr st tied with it's eighteen hundred shopmen by allowing without loss Of pay and reducing the rates of fare to em sloyes who patronize the company s trains turing company will close down to morrow until the labor question is settled. Five hundred em- struck today for eight hours work and ten hours pay. This afternoon $50 employees of the Union hours pay and eight hours work. The freight hSdsFs at @ tt the coh Chicago % Burfn9n houses struck this afternoon for increase of wa ges. The Rock Island and Lake Shore freight han There about three tn Jusand freight handlers in the employ of the different roads, and it is feared
  freight business that will involve every company running out of Chicago.
 Business Depressed by the Troubles.
 NEW YORK, April 30-Special telegrams to Brad streets do not report encouraging view of gen eral trade as in the preceding week. At Chicago and Kansas City there is relatively the most active demand. But at a number of cities at which improvement in the movement.of general merchan- disc noted week ago, there is none now. At the larger seaboard cities trade is of moderate pro portions There at least fifty thousand em- ployes strike against forty-three thousand last week, in addition to those seeking to enforce the adoption of the eight hour rule Bradstreet finds that at least 225,000 at industrial centres actively moving to secure fewer hours of labor daily Of this number six thousand are strike, thirty two thousand have had their demands granted and one hundred and five thousand threat en to strike. There are seventy five thousand who have not yet accompanied their requests with threats of strikes. The more aggravated condition of the labor situation is primarily responsible for the noticeable depression in general trade and in dustrial circles throughout the country this week.
 PowderIy to Visit Montreal.