Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-10
New Orleans Suffers for Want of
Either Gas OF Electric
Light.
Governor Holds the Militia in
Readiness Effect on
Election.

| New Orleans, La, Nov. 7.-Governor
Foster has the militia in readiness for
immediate action, but belief is well
grounded that no steps will be taken
until Wednesday, rs any serious trouble
! before will not only compicate the cleo
! ton III this place, but in other sections
also. The idleneSS OF such a large body
! OF negroes and the desperation ensuing
| upon the loss of their earnings is feared
and the democracy viii have a hard
! time maintaining its supremacy in con-
/ sequence, as crowds of strikers and the
! absence of street cars will serve to keep
many of that element away from the
/ polls. In the meantime the governor is
using every means TO bring about an
amicable termination. Having procured
concessions from the merchants, the
| governor has referred the matter TO the
unions and they took the matter under
consideration and promised to give an
| answer by noon tomorrow. Up to to-
| night, however, nothing had been heard
| from them. The merchants carried on
| their businesses today as well as they
could and are determined to stand firm
! They received promises of support
! from other organizations and it is said
that the executive committee has re-
ceived a letter from Ex-Governor War
mouth, a republican leader in the state
and large sugar planter, saying that
! planters desired the merchants to stand
| firm as a victory for the unions would
mean the organization of negroes
throughout the south, the supremacy
OF the blacks, constant menace to bus
mess and the convention of prOduC-
ing plantations into grazing lands. Some
of the largest planters in the state are
in the city and have said that the strike
meant so much to them that they are
willing to answer the first call for men
or money sent out by the merchants
AS soon as election is over the real bat
tie will begin and it is believed that the
city authorities will throw off a good
deal of the lethargy charged against
them.
Besides this the merchants will de-
termine upon strong measures on their
own account. The merchants say that
a number of men are willing to return
| to work, but do not propose to make
targets for the union until they are
ready for q vigorous defense, and so
I they declined to take them back for
the present.
| The strike fails to affect the news
| papers to the extent expected, and the
| only paper which has so far failed to
| appear is the Item, the official organ of
the strikers, although that is expected
to appear tomorrow. During the morn
| ing proclamation was issued by the
mayor calling upon all persons to pre-
| serve the peace and warning the people
| that any disorder would be depressed
| by the SteTneSt measures.
| The most serious feature of the stu
| alton is the suspension of the lighting
systems, gas and electricity, and some
| alarm was felt when the officers of the
two electric light companies called upon
the mayor and said they thought they
| could furnish light if they were granted
protection for the men engaged in the
| places of those striking. This was
| promised.
! During the afternoon the president of
the Sugar q Rice exchange asked the
mayor that protection be furnished
those interests Nearly 10000 barrels
of sugar, molasses and other products
lay on the levee at the mercy Of the
| public tumult, and if the mayor could
| not furnish the force required the ex-
| change, he said, would tender men to
be sworn in as special officers. The
| mayor agreed to commission all men
| brought in by the exchange
In reply, the mayor announced that
his powers are restricted to preserving
the peace and that he could not force
! the men to work, but he could, and
would, maintain order.
! A strong influence is brought to bear
! on the electric light men, as their be-
| ing out is such a serious matter and
they were finally induced to return to
work The gas men are still out, how
ever, as are the telephone line men;
| but the exchange bureaus are in, as
| are the Western Union operators, al
| though strenuous efforts are made to
DrlnS them OUT.
The Charity Hospital appeared to the
directors of the Gas company for light
| today and offered to furnish the labor
| required to operate a portion of the
: plant sufficient to furnish the hospital,
! but the directors refused, fearing for the
| safety of the plant if the strikers were
| opposed. The union freight handlers
quit at noon, but the men employed n
the cotton presses and yards are still 1T
work, but the leaders claimed the men
| simply worked the day out and viii
strike as soon as positive orders are
! given. The cotton exchange is not yer
! involved but the cotton trade if effected
| as proposed, the cotton men will join in
| the strong measures which the employees
propose to inaugurate Wednesday.