Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-12
CHICAGO PACKERS
Talk OF a Big Cooperative Establishment
in the City->ixteen thousand Men Out
OF Work-The knights Offered to Guard
the Yards During the Trouble.
CHICAGO. Oct. II

CHICAGO, Oct. IL.
special meeting of the packing house
men was held last night, but no action was
taken owing to the non-arrival of delegates
appointed by the Richmond convention who
will reach mere today memorial TO the
town of Lake protesting sgains the importa-
ton OF PInkerton detectives, many of whom
they allege are of a bad character and de-
clsring their presence is more calculated TO
excite and provoke than to allay and mollifv
discomfort. scheme for cooperative pack
ing house was proposed, and met with much
support Que of the speakers said: 'sIf Ar
mour persists IN his present course, we will
place perpetual boycott on his meats and
transfer the bulk of his trade TO the co-opera-
tive house. Suitable land for its location
can be easily secured and plant put in op-
Grafton IN few months. We can secure the
very oest men in the yards. Such plan
could not fail II be an instantaneous success
from the very start The Knights of Labor
offered TO put trustworthy patrol all through
the yards and maintain it until the termlna-
tion OF the strike. This was offered free of
any expense to the packing companies
None OF the large pork packing establish
ments at the union stock yards opened this
morning and none of the $1,000 men usually
EMPLOYED in these Departments Offered to re-
turn to work on the ten hour basis. tre-
mendOus crowd of idle men were iD and about
the yards but there were no disturbances in
the early hours of the forenoon. Shortly
before nine o'clock fifty of the beef killers
employed IN the Fowler packing house
stopped work and joined the main body of
the strikers. Shortly afterwards the men
employed 10 load freight cars bv the Armour
house also stopped work and the pressure
| from the strikers ls so great that fear is en-
tertained that the strikers will involve all
the men employed about the yards and occa-
sion an entire cessation of work in all the
houses.
Two delegates sent by the general assem-
bly, of the knights OF Labor, to endeavor to
adjust the troubles among the men at the
stock yards have arrived aud are now hold
ing consultation with the strikers. They
have as yet had no conference with the pack
ers. The latter are not disposed to compro-
mise but will insist upon ten hours. The
presence Of an increased force of Pinkerton
men, armed with Winchesters, had a verv ir-
ritating effect upon the men this morning
| 1t is asserted by msnv that the packers are
not very anxious to have the trouble adjusted.
They have been paying high price for hogs
lately and the stocks on hand are considera-
bic so that temporarily suspension would not
be disagreeable to them. This report, how
ever, the packers deny. Armour is bringing
men in from different parts of the country to
take the strikers places and saye he can
guarantee all of them steady work and am
pie protection.
They are putting up cots for the imported
men and have roc IN for about six hundred
Other packing house. are making similar
preparations. About ifty-ive men and fifty
engineers employed by Armour Joined the
strikers, this morning. There are about 400
men in all or about one eighth of the regular
force at work in the pork department of this
establishment today. Beef killers are at
| work as usual.