The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-10-20
ENDS THE STRIKE.
a Compromise Reached In Chicago-The
Ssreet-Car Strikers Gain Valuable
Concessions - President Yerkes In
creases Their Pay, Rearranges the
Hours of Work and AboIishes the So
Called ''set-Car System.'

CHICAGO, Oct. IA. The street car
strike, after a duration of nine davs,
was ended completely this evening on
basis honorable 10 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 are to
be re-employed. The men hired since
the strike will also be retained Minor
questions at issue will also be settled by
arbitration
The set car" system, which the men
claimed prevented them from getting
ialr amonnt Of sleep at any one time
and kept them constantly in the har-
ness, making even a small share of So
clal 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 viii be re-
sumed tomorrow morning, lifting the
NAA4 ANA4 - toAll p4tlGAA. tue w tsI sue EaTs
having run to-day by an extension of
Saturdays truce.
The agreement was reached at 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 company.
The con erenee 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 l17 instead of 295, as first
stated, both sides showed evidence of a
desire to concilate. 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 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 q
| stumbling block, and was forthwith
| made part of the agreement.
Then came the tug. Mr.. Yerkes had
| declared that he would never consent
| 10 an hourly scale or wages or an IN
| crease in pay. 1t 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 s
per cent. Mr.. Yerkes said he would
| give + per cent. The mayor here en-
! tered the breach, and IN an address of
| conside rable passion warned Mr.. Gerkes
| Of the danger of an obdurate stand on
| small matters. He spoke, he said, as a
representative of the public Mr..
Yerkes offered per cent. The men re-
| fused. The mayor now laughingly sug-
gested that a settlement OF the l per
| cent. now in dispute could be better
reached after having had something to
| eat. Neither side accepted the idea,
| though 1t evidently Put both into better
| humor. Alter further parlev, Mr..
Yerkes ended the dispute by suddenly
| proitering 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 Ierkes.