Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-02
CHICAGO'S LABOR WARS.
5000 BEEF Man OUT IN A FIGHT
FOR EIGHT HOURS.

The Slaughter Houses of C. w. Swift %
Go. and Nelson Morris the Ones Del
serted-The First Day Passed wIthous
Any Indication of VIOlence-BOth
Sides Apparently Determined.
CHICAGO, Nov. 1.-The threatened
strike among the beef men at the stock
yards was commenced this morning, and
nearly 5000 men are now ont from the
slaughter houses of G. +. Swift & Co.
and Nelson Morris. The trouble IS over
the adoption OF the ten-hour system, the
men refusing to work two extra hours
without additional pay. In these two
houses there are no hogs killed. and the
employees say they cannot accept the ten
hour system. Each OF the firms employ
about 5000 men, aud many of these
c0ngregated about the streets and on the
corners near the big houses, but there was
this morning no indication of any troublet
There was a great deal of excitement, bus
the men We're orderly, aud insisted that
no act OF theirs would precipitate any
trouble. There was no indication that
the police would be called upon TO protect
the two houses, but 1t was yet too early
to determine the intention OF the tive
hrrls. At9 O'Clock everything was quiet.
THE DIRECT CAUSE.
Mr.. owitts men sent a committee to
him Saturday and insisted on having an
increase OF soc. per day should the irm
return to the ten-hOur system, and this
was agreed to. This morning when the
beef butchers went to work thev found
that Foreman Wilder, OF Mr.. Swift's es-
tablishment, had discharged James Mat
thewsOn, one OF the committeeman. They
also found that the wages of the laborers
had not been increased, and so they struck.
Thev insist now on having Matthe wson
reinstated and also a return TO the eight
hoar day.
VISITING OTHER HOUSES.
On hearing that SwifCs men wera
out the beef butchers employed by Nelsoni
Morris went out. A crowd went down to
Smiths machine shop and compelled the
men there to strike. After this they went
To Armour's for the purpose Of calling his
men out, but this move WAS anticipated
by the firm, who got a force Of policemen
to guard the principal entrances, and the
crowd was kept away. The strikers
arranged to hold meeting during the
day. A member OF the Executive Com
mittee told reporter that unless the two
firms gave in all the employees In the
yards would be called out.
CANNING MEN GO OUT.
Between 200 and 800 men in Libby, Nc,
Neill & Llbby's canning establishment
went out to-day. The reason alleged was
that the Morris establishment partly sup
plies the canning firm with beef. A meet
Ing Of the strikers was held this afternOon4
No one except Knights of Labor
were admitted. Fully thousand
non-union strikers congregated on
the outside, anXiOusly awaiting the
action OF the Knights. Several speeches
were made, and wild applause greeted
every reference TO the eight hour law. Al
motion to make no compromise on any
thing short OF eight hours was carried
by unanimous vote. A committee was
appointed TO take charge of the strike and
full power to act given. A knight of
Labor explained tonight that the men
had been offered reinstatement or DIS
charge, but would now hold out for a
return to the eight-hOur system by ali the
beef houses. He said the proprietors
would be given till Saturday to decide
what they would do, and II they persisted
in running ten hours a general strike
would probably be ordered, which would
incluce Swilvs, Morris and also
Armour's slaughter houses.
A SIMILAR FIGHT AT ST. LOUIS.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. IA card was posted
AT W HlJIhheTb DOfk packing mouse IN
East ST. Louis this morning, notifying the
employees that hereafter ten hours would
constitute days work at the prevailing
wages. The employees have been working
nine hours per day heretofore. AT noon
the men neld a meeting 10 consider what
action TO take, and, pursuant 10 an agree
ment among themselves, demanded of
their employers that the present hours Of
labor be not changed. The employers re-
fused TO comply with the demand, and the
men, at O'Clock. refused to go TO work.
There is little excitement over the strike
and no trouble is anticipated.