Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-10
FIGHT OF THE PACKERS.
ARMOUR GIVES THE EMPLOY
ERS' SID =. OF THE STORY.

Competition ~irh RIvAI Cities Declared
Impossible Under the tsighI-Hour Sys-
tem-AD OfTer to Sell Bis Chtcsgo
Property 20 Per Cent Below Cost
Pinkerton Men on Guard,
CHICAGO. Oct. Sin an interview Oh
the subject of the strike published this
morning, z. d. Armour says: THE mat
ter Of returning to the ten-hour system
rests entirely on question of self-pro-
lection. The Chicago packers are unable
to compete with the Cincinnati or Kan
sas City people on the basis Of eight hours,
chiefly on account OF the lessened cost o.
operating at those points. The Chicago
packing house property has greatly de-
precisted in value OF late, and tor M
part l stand ready to dispose OF my Chi
cago stock yards property at 20 per cent.
less tnan cost. l have expended 100000
on my Kansas City packing houses this
season. | would gladly have my men
Work eight hours il | could do so in JUS
tice 10 N. self, but under tee cIrcum-
stances this is not possible, and
self-prOtection, of course must be
primarily regarded by the packers.
l work IA hours myself every day. and 10
hours daily toll l. certainly not great
hardship for my employees. i do not an
I ticlpate closing down work entirely, al
though for few Gays we may not operate
at our full capacity. There are plenty Of
men who are willing to work ten hours
eacn day and take the place OF the
strikers II they are assured o. protection,
and this Will positively be offered them to
tie fullest extent. trust the old hands,
however, Will take Or per view OF tue
situation and recons der their action,
which is certainly III advised"
THE PINKERToN ARMY.
Over $50 Pinkerton men were lodged
and break asted at the Transit House last
night, and at o'clock this morning
emerged from the dining room and snOul-
dered their Winchester rifles, which were
stacaed 10 the corners around the lobby.
Capt. teoly called the men TO ''atte nti0L."
and they were marched oil through the
Yards. At each packing house squad of
men left the line. and in charge of a Ser
geant dedled through the yards aud were
stationed at various corners where they
could command view OF the entire
premises. They were watched with in
terest, and with hatred by menin working
clothes, and by hundreds without their
dinner and attired in their Sunday
clothes. " no by this time had assembled
in force in the yards and observed the
proceedings at the various packing
houses
RUMoRs OF A COMPROMISE.
This morning it was rumoreG through
out the yards that the packers mad APP
pointed a committee to adjust difficulties
" 18th the men. IL was asserted that the
packers had been making money under
the rev schedule Of wages and were sat
isfied with the advance, but could not
afford to let their machinery lay idle for
the two extra hours. The terms OF set
Element to be offered TO the men, it was
claimed, was to advance wages for ten
hours work to the same rates pa during
the last five months for eight hours.
This. it was said by some Of the men,
would be satisfactory, but others said
that nothing but eight hours work
would be accepted. A majority OF the
men were noncOmmittal on the subject,
| and referred all questions to their leaders.
| The situation, from a business point Of
view. is a gloomy one. The market is
very dull, there being no demand tor fat
hogs for packing. There is, however,
some little demand for light hogs for the
Eastern market. Buyers are sitting
around their offices waiting for prices to
go down. Commission men have advised
their customers not to ship in any more
cattle, and kilograms OF inquiry as to the
condition of things are being received all
the time. Commission men are very
gloomy.
ARMOUR's MEN AT WORK.
The Armour employees continued at
work to-day, deciding To- remain on duty
until the ten-hOur rule absolutely entered
into effect. When the force OF armed
Pinkerton men entered the building this
| morning the men all ceased work and in
formed the foreman that they would not
work while this armed force was present.
As a result the Pinkerton men were
sent away, and the men returned and put
eyeryth ing in shape before leaving for the
Gay. A notice was Issued by the assem-
bly, OF the knights of Labor, of which
nearly all the strikers are mem bers. ask
ing saloon keepers in the town OF Lake to
| close their places of business during the
strike, and the men have been cautioned
! not TO use violence in any form.