The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-27
THOUSANDS ON STRIKE.
Nearly All the Chicago Pork
Packers Quit Work.
Striking Against a Return to the
Ten-Hour Day.

Rather than submit to proposed return
to tho system Of ten hours work with ten.
houS Fay, 1000 employees of the various
pork packing houses of the Chicago stock
yards quit work on the sth and inaugurated
what was expected would be- q long and
troublesome strike. A Chicago dispatch
gives the following account Of the inaugu.
raaon OF the strike: :s;s.I:- = c!5sTr
Since May 10 the packing houses have been
running only eight hours a day, but they
paid the men for ten hours work The pork
packers say they cannot compete, with pack
ers in other cities as long as the present sys-
tenn continues; aud for some months they
have been threatening to zput their
men on ten hours once more with.
out increase Of pay. A few days
ago mott to that cffe:t was posted in most
Of the pscking houses, the atefor the return
to the old system being fixed for; Monday
next The men at once determined that they
would not give up the eighehour system.
of the Chicago Packing and Provision
Company met and talked the thing
over. They decided to quit work.
By common consent the men started down
the alley to Arrnour's packing houses, and
for some time there was great confusion, Yell
ing and excitement The men inside did NOT
come out, however, and it was but q few mo-
ments until the leaders Of the Knights Of La
Dor took hold Of the matter. Without any
great trouble the men seFarated in
gangs and paid visits to different houses.
There was general stoppage of work at ev-
cry other house, although the progress was
gradual With the exception Of Hately
Brothers and John Morrells, the workmen
remained to clean up everything on hand,
and this brought them out in squads Of 50 to
100 Hately Brothers were left with 1900
head Of green meats on their hands and Nor
rell & Co with u, 900 head: !.
As fast as the men completed their work
and came trooping from The buildings they
were met by two or three men who appeared
to pass some order or warning among them,
and in every instance the men scattered in ali
directions to their homes When all tho
houses are running with full force there arc,
q, ,0O0 men employed. At present there are
1900. OF this numbsr {, 600 are employed
In the beef departments and the balance in
pork packing. Asnearly as can be learned the
beef men have not been asked to return to the
old system, and it is thought likely that they
will not be. .Itisaquestion, however, whether
the Knights of Labor will not order the beef
men to 60 out in order to strengthen the po-a
sition OF the porx packers. Should the strik-
ing pork packers attempt to force the beef
men to quit work, tt ere will be friction
enough to make things Lively.
The Packers Association has employed 49,
Pinkerton men to guard the prop e.ty Of its
members, and the officers will 60:
into the houses tomorrow. Pinkerton
men are not liked In the neighbor-
hood Of the Stock Yarls, and their.
presence there will irritate any M.feeing
which may exist. Both sides have been get
ting ready to lock horns over this question Of
the eight-hour plan, and both packers and
workmen are determined not to give In. The.
workmen are talking about strike Of .
month, and the packers say it may Last all
winter. .s.....:,
Tonight Armour & Co. posted notice in..-
forming their men that they would be Eaid
Of tomorrow, which Is taken as an indica-
ton that the house will remain closed until
pome form of q settlement is reached