Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-03
STUPID STRIKERS.
A General Cessation of Work
at Chicago.
Most of the Big Mills and Fac
tories Closed.
Many of the Men Walk Out Without
a Word of Warning.
Apparent Aimlessness of Many of the
Strikers-They Refuse to State
Their Demands.
Associated Press DISPATCHES. |

CHICAGO, May 2. - The threatened
strikes in this city, which may be said to
have technically begun yesterday when
organized labor took its holiday, were
not made apparent until this morning,
when the men failed to resume work at
many shops. The Black road in the
vicinity of McCormick's reaper works
had much the same appearance today as
it had four years ago. None but strikers
could be seen, and they had entire pos
session. Every man, boy and girl en-
ployed in the malleable iron works at
Twenty-sixth and Rockwell streets, is
out. The total number of employees is
1900 No particular reason was assigned
by the men for quitting work. A
committee was appointed last night to
wait upon the officials, but they seemed
disinclined to go before their employers.
President Bailey called the strikers
about him and upbraided them for going
out without notice, and told them that
when they found out what they wanted
to let him know their demands. The
men seemed not to know what to say in
reply. The chairman of the molders'
committee says they want ten hours as
days work, fifteen cents advance in
wages, and fifty per cent. extra for over
time.
AT the great Mccormick reaper works
about fifty molders went out, but work
was progressing as usual. A large pro-
portion Of the employees IN the foundries
OF Barnum q Richards, the Ajax Forge
Company and Chicago Wheel Company
went out, and the three concerns are
closed. As elsewhere, no formal demand
was made on the employers. At the
Wells-French Cart Company's shops
every one of the thousand employees
went out, and the shops are closed. The
blacksmiths were the only ones who
made known their demand, which was
for eight hours as days work.
At the K. F. Robert foundry it was
said the men seemed anxious for either
a strike or a vacation, so the works have
been shut down till next Monday
to accommodate them, and make re-
pairs.
The entire number of employees of
N. K. Fairbanks q Co., soaps and lard,
will go out Monday. The coopers. to the
number OF thirty, struck this morning.
This was surprise, as the men en-
ployed by Fairbanks are receiving better
wages than those paid elsewhere. They
want eight hours work and nine hours
pay. About 600 men will strike.
The coOpers are in earnest in their de-
mand for eight hours, and in all portions
of the city the men are quitting work on
the refusal of the employers to sur
render In the northwestern districts
of the city there is not one cooper work.
ing.
From three to four thousand sash, door
and blind men walked out of the various
factories in the southwest lumber dis
trict this morning. The action was APP
parently without warning. The men
came to their places as usual this morn
ing, and, with few exceptions, proceeded
to work, when whistles blew. An hour
or so later they threw down their tools
and quietly walked out, giving no ex-
planation.
The report is current tonight that
nearly all the planing-mill men in the
city will quit tomorrow. 1t was also
said that all the wood-workers, in what
ever branch of business, were restless,
and might join the strikers at any mo-
ment. Everything remained quiet to-
night, notwithstanding the large num-
Der of men idle, and the police say they
do not anticipate any disturbance.
Four hundred men in Denman's furni-
ture factory and 700 in the Chicago cot
tage organ factory struck this afternoon
for eight hours. Several thousand lum-
ber showers in the lumber district along
the Black road are dissatisfied, and a
strike is anticipated among them.
The arbitration committee between
the striking carpenters and new bosses
began work today.
The board of arbitration to settle the
differences between the striking carpen-
ters and the new bosses association was
in session all day and evening. At a
late hour tonight Judge briggs said they
were making favorable progress. The
old Master Carpenters Association re-
fused to join the conference.