Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-06

was to arbitrate the matter.
Mr. Yerkes replied in type written letter
as follows:
1t is now $50 O'Clock The time is so short and
the matter so serious that ] must ask further
time than that designated to consult with others
before replying If the subject matter sub
mitted to such court involved only the consid-
Grafton of the faithful compliance with the con
tract might consent.
To Thu the committe replied in writing:
We can not see that there can he any misun-
as to the question to he submitted to
such court. In other words, we wish TO sub
nit the entire matter presented TO You Sept. -,
and the court of arbitration will be the proper
place to decide whether any or all of thesesie-
mands are legitimate and reasonable Mean
while We can not recede from our position as to
the time when wish our reply, for the reasons
stated in our former communication. But should
you desire to submit the same to such court at
any time in the future we shall he glad to hear
from You.
In response to this Mr. Yerkes sent across
the hall to the room occupied by the COM
mittee, asking to see Chairman Chrsty. Mr..
Christy stepped into the priva office in obe-
dience to the call, and was told that an an
swer could not be given in the time allowed,
whereupou Christy said:
Ii luu Ndll EiNt US an uhS"ut ASiN'p
midnight we will withdraw our men from all
your cars at o'clock tomorrow morning"
This was the ultimatum of the north side
street car conductors and drivers delivered
verbally to President Yerkes by Master
Workman Christv, of their assembly.
at will be impossible for me to answer in
that time" said Mr.. Yerkos.
And the strike was as good as on.
The news of the result OF the conference
spread among the men who were running
cars with almost incredible swiftness, and it
Is only fair to say that most of them were
surprised to hear it. They believed that
their fight was as good as won sas soon as
they opened it, for they did not think that
President Yerkes would dare to oppose them
until be had established more amicable re-
lations with the public, which is inclined to
complain because the cable does not always
act just as expected Another thing that
contributed to their belief that success would
attend their agitation was the threat of the
West side men to quit their cars within
twenty-four hours after the strike
on the north side was declared.
This. in fact, has been their chief sup
port all through their negotiations with Mr..
Yerkes. The west side men, it appears in
structed Lake Cayua and John Goodwin,
their president and secretary, to tell the
north siders that they could depend upon
them for any assistance they might need to
win: that they would tie up the Philadelphia
syndicate's west side system if necessary to
force a compromise They took this radical
stand because they expect to have a cable
system in their division in the near future,
and they want all questions pertaining to
wages and hours settled now. The north
siders were proceeding to secure an adjust
ment of their grievances in a very methodl-
cal way until this offer Of assistance was
made and then they began the old "meat AK
system which brought about last nights I'M
satisfactory conference.
It was given out from half dozen sources
last night that the strikers cannot look for
financial aid from the Knights of Labor, be-
cause that organization is in such q bad way
financially not only in Chicago but all over
the country, they can barely pay operating
expenses. The only aid they will get will be
from south and west side men, and the latter
will not do much if they themselves strike
| as they have promised to. Talks with
drivers and conductors yesterday brought
out the intelligence that the most of them
are prepared to stand long season of idle
| ness il they are forced to do so. A majority
| Of them have money, and they say they
| will use it to help out the ones who are moi
similarly provided They also claimed
that they would never go back tC
the road except on the terms they had stated
| to President Yerkes.
As soon as the conference was over Mr.
| Yerkes was besieged by reporters.
"WaS that last letter you sent the commit
tee your ultimatum!" he was asked.
ut can not be called an ultmatum.
was simply communication telling then
that could not give them the sort Of an an
swer they wanted before midnight withou
consultation They declined to give me an
more time, and suppose they will 60 out a
l O'Clock as they promised told them tina
if they wanted to arbitrate the subject Of re
visiug hours of labor, or, more properly
time tables and wages, that could not repI
to them in so short time. But if the
wanted to abltrate any question relating t
their contracts with the company, why
thought that was subject that such boar
as they suggested could properly inqur
into.
Mr.. Yerkes added that the road would /
operated by horse cars indefinitely. He cor
tinued:
ave have been having trouble with OF
boys ever since they became Knights of Ii
Dor two year, ago. Before that time it we
acknowledged by everybody that this roa
had the best equipment of employees in tt
country. They were always neatly dressed
they were polite and courteous to passenger
and they carefully observed all the con
pany's rules. After they became knight
however, their demands changed. They b
lieved they were more independent Whe
we would discharge man they would con
down here and demand to know why. If
, was not for dishonesty or some fragrant vi
lation of rules they would demand that man
, reinstatement and persist in their deman
too, until we would have to act 1t got
bad finally that we would only discharI
men for the offenses l have named in ord
to avoid trouble"
The trouble is simply strike for high
. wages-that is the p1th of the matter. The
, are some other points that are presentt
first, but the wages is evidently the so
point with the men. In behalf of their d
mands they state that the south side cat
car men get from 81 2O14 to s3:15 day
from nine hours to IL Sc hours, the highe
price being paid the night car men, WI
: only work nine hours; while on the nor
I side lines the pay is from 81 % to s.. 50 p
/ | day Of from IL hours and 10 minutes
IL hours and 10 minutes The pay of 4
. | west side men-all horse cars now-is al
| claimed to be big her than that of the nor
| side men.
To the demand Mr. Yerkes returned
, positive refusal He said he had increas
the wages of the men already to an exte
that added S26, 600 to the pay roll. That t
increased wages on the west side had BET
obtained from the old company just as tbs
were completing negotiations for the sale
G the property, and would do anything rath
: than have trouble, but said nothing of t
t south side wages. He told them they h
= gone to work for him under contract til
they had continually broken, while the CO
y pany had religiously observed eve
. | part of it, and il they stru
to-day the contract would
totally smashed, they would be out Of
employ of the company which would ell
ploy new men, none o; whom would be d
Y charged to make room for tbs old ones
:, they wanted to return to work
= The strikers have made arrangements
run buses, etc, to accommodate the pub
to some extent, and Mr.. Yerkes has ma
arrangements with the police for protect
a to new men as they come in. There is iik
to be lively times on the "nortd seit" in
course of few days.
: Men En- Route to Chicago.
j. PTrTsBURG, Pa, Oct. 6-Sinee Thurst
l. | evening 100 men have passed through {