Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-28
QUIT THEIR KEYS.
ST. Paul Telegraph Operators
Go Or Strike.
WEARY OF FREQUENT DISCHARGES

They Conclude TO Fire Themselves in
Body-Proscription of the Brother
hood by the Western Union Tn. Cause
The oficiais Have to Fly Around to
Keep Things Going-Summs airy Dismiss
sails at st. Louis.
ST. PAUL, MINI, Oct. % AT s O'Clock
last night the entire night force at the
Western Union Office consisting of thir-
~ five operators, walked out in body,
leaving only two chiefs to do their work.
Tue men are all members of tine local
lodge of the Brotherhood of photographers
recently organized hers The walk-out
was caused by the discharge of ten of
their members yesterday, no reason being
given for their ismissal. This will bad
ly cripple the Western Union for several
days rs they have been very short OF op
orators for some time
Determined to Stand IL No Longer
AT Sundays meeting of the order it was
decided that il any further summary dis
missals occurred the members of the or
der would Immediately quit work When
the night force came on last evening,
three men were notified by the night
CHIEF that there services were no longer
required. The usual demand for cause
was made and brought the customary an
swer: Acting under orders from Chi
cago, and you know well enough why"
A short time afterward there was a con-
sultation anon the operators. and at s
O'Clock twenty four of them opened
their circuits and left the operating room
Hustled Around for Help.
For short time there was general de-
moralizstion at the Office, but gradually
operators were secured until sixteen men
and two sub-chiefs were in charge and
business was running along as usual
The special operators were called in from
the several newspaper offices and the day
force was drawn upon to make up the
sixteen men at work. With this force it
was said the night business could be sue
cessfully handled. Among this force are
several who came TO the rescue of the
company In 1888 and have since been in
its employ.
They Charge 1t TO Chicago.
Most of the remaining day force not
called in is composed of female operators.
and if any difficultyis to be experienced in
handling business 1t will be when the day
force comes on, a. the present operators
cannot long do double duty The West
con Union managers refused TO say a
word in regar1 to the difficulty, but have
laid the burden entirely upon their Chi
cago superiors. The striking force of op-
orators held meeting last night, at
which nothing was done beyond telegraph
ing their action TO the brotherhood head
quarters at Chicago
The strikers in " Onandary.
The men seem at loss To know what to
do. They say their order is simply bene-
fetal and social. and not n trades union
in any sense. They do not believe they
Will be long out of employ menr, and think
the company cannot readily fill their
places, as operators are scarce Several
OF the railroad companies are now short
or operators, and may employ the brother
hood men, but have thus far held off.
apparently awaiting the result OF the
present difficulty. The men say the pres
ent force at work in the Western Union
office rs entirely made quate to handle the
rush of day business
War on the Brotherhood Mt 81. Louis.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 2S-Yesterday four of
the Oldest and best operators in the en-
ploy of the Western Union Telegraph
company in this city were notified by Su-
perintend9nt Baker that their services
were no longer required. The men dis
oh arged are ID. b. Grandy, T. J. Irwin
c. B. Graves and c. McNeiH OF this
qnartette Grandy has been twenty five
years in the service Mcneil seventeen
years, Irwin seven years, and Graves five
years. All are prominently connected
with the local Brotherhood of Telegra-