Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-11-11
ALL IS DARKNESS.
New Orleans Suffers for Want of
Either Gas or Electric
Light.
The Great Strike Becomes Worse
anu More General Con.
stantly.
Governor Holds the Militia in
Readiness-Etttct on
Election.

| New Orleans, La, Nov. 7.-Goycrnor
! Foster has the militia in readiness for
Immediate action, but belief is we'll
grounded that no steps will be taken
until Wednesday, as any serious trouble
| before will not only complicate the cleo
| tlon in this place, but i'll other sections
also. The idleneSS of such Il large body
of negroes and the desperation ensuing
| upon the loss of their earnings is feared
| and the democracy will have Il hard
| time maintaining its supremacy in con-
| sequence, as crowds of strikers and the
| absence OF street ears will serve to keen
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 us 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
ceivcd a letter from Ex-Governor War
mouth, a republican leader in the state
and a large sugar planter, saying that
planters desired the merchants to stand
; firm as 4 victory for the unions would
! tl,N
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
i'll the city and have said that the strike
meant so much to them that they are
willing to answer the first call for men
AS soon rs election is over the real bat
! tie will begin and it is believed that tn"
city authorities will throw off Il good
deal of the lethargy charged against
them.
Besides this the merchants will de-
tprmine upon strong measures on their
own account. The. merchants SAY that
a number Of men are willing to return
10 work, but do not propose to make
targets for the union untjl they arc
ready for Il vigorous defense, ami so
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 10
iI,t hn 1,n 81, ~
the strikers. although that is expected
to appear tomorrow. During the morn
ing Il proclamation was issued by The
mayor calling upon al persons TO pre-
serve the peace and warming the people
that any disorder would he rcprrSscd
by the SterncSt 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 i'm the
places of those striking. This was
promised.
During the afternoon the president Of
the Sugar & 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
bring 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 portion of the
plant sufficient to furnish the hospital,
but the directors refused, fearing for the
safety of the plant if the strikers were
The union freight handlers
quit at noon, but the men employed n
the cotton presses and yards are still ut
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 yet
involved but the cotton trade if effected
rs proposed. the cotton men will join in
The strong measures which the employees
propose to inaugurate Wednesday.