Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-10-17

CHICAGO, Oct. IA. - The street car
strike, after a duration of nine DAYS.
was ended completely this evening on
basis honorable to both sides. The
question of wages was compromised.
An advance was secured, but the scale
is materially lower than what has been
insisted upon by the strikers up to the
very last. They get only about one
third of the increase asked for. On the
other hand, all the reforms demanded
by the men in the system of working
are conceded and all the strikers ere to
be re-employed. The men hired since
the strike will also be retained. Minor
questions at issue will also be settled bv
arbitration.
The ''set car" system, which the men
claimed prevented them from getting a
fair amOnnt of sleep at any one time
and kept them constantly in the har-
ness, making even a small share of So
cial enjoyment practically impossible. is
abolished The working day is to be ten
consecutive hours, with pay upon an
hourly scale. Traffic on every street
car line of the North side will he re-
sumed tomorrow morning, lifting the
embargo completely. the West side cars
having run to-day by an extension OF
Saturdays truce.
The agreement was reached at a meet
ing which lasted nearly six hours. Those
present were Mayor Roche. committees
of the strikers, headed by Master Work
man Christie, and President Yerkes,
with the two attorneys of the com anv.
The conference was held in the general
offices Of the street car syndicate, and
proceedings began with the strikers
asking as preliminary to any compro-
mise the discharge of the new men.
This was met by fiat refusal An ami
mated discussion ensued on this point,
and when it was finally understood that
the number OF new men to be retained
would be III instead of 295, as first
stated, both sides showed evidence of a
desire to conciliate. Mr.. Yerkes then
agreed to take back his old men al
together, retaining the new men as
"extras." The abolition of the "set-
car system" and O concession that the
working days should be SO ARRANGED as
to give the men regular and consecutive
hours of labor and rest, proved less of a
stumbling block, and was forthwith
made part of the agreement.
Then came the tug. Mr.. Yerkes had
declared that he would never consent
to an hourly scale of wages or an in
crease in pay. It was now demanded
that he yield both. Argument at this
stage seemed interminable. Figures of
compromise were offered and rejected.
The men at last announced that they
would accede to the horizontal rise Of 8
per cent. Mr.. Yerkes said he would
give per cent. The mayor here en-
tered the breach, and in an address of
considerable passion warned Mr.. Yerkes
of the danger Of an obdurate stand on
small matters. He spoke, he said, as q
representative of the public Mr..
Yerkes offered per cent. The men re-
fused. The mayor now laughingly sug-
gested that a settlement of the per
cent. now in dispute could be better
reached after having had something to
eat. Neither side accepted the idea,
though it evidently put both into better
humor. Alter further parley, Mr.
Yerkes ended the dispute by suddenly
profering the l per cent. additional
The agreement was Immediately
clinched. 1t had been placed in writing
as matters went along, and after refer
ring the details to arbitration, was
promptly signed by Mayor Roche, the
men and President Yerkes.