The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-04-15
GREAT STRIKE ON.
WaIk-Out Of Mechanics Employed at the
Worlds Fair.

WaIk-Out OF Mechanics Employed at the
Worlds Fair.
CHICAGO, Ill, Aprll IU.-At the most
critical time possible for the Worlds
Fair, the big exposition to-day en-
Countcred its first great strike. A
thousand union men quit work with
prospect that 1000 more might Join in
the stampede before night. 1t was the
elimination Of much controversy over
what Is claimed to be an agreement be-
tween the Worlds Fair officials
and the representatives of union labor,
by which all disputes between employ
ers and employees on exposition work
were to be settled by arbitration. The
men contend that some Of the eXpOsi-
ton officials have recently shown dis
position, now that the fair is nearly
completed, to deny point-blank any
thing that may be asked, and that
this has notably been the case
IN the carpenters troubles which
have been pending for some time,
the exposition authorities, it is alleged,
declining to sign the scale proposed by
the Carpenters Union for the new sea
son, although majority of the large
contractors in the city had signed. To-
day was named by the business agents
of the Building Trades Council as the
final time at which arbitration must be
asscnted to if a strike was to be avertcd
Early this morning the emissaries de-
tailed to spread the news of the order
for general strike at Jackson Park, as
issued by the Building Trades Council,
were on hand at the various entrances
to the grounds. The delegates were
quickly strung along the fence from
SIEty-scvcnth to SiNty-cight streets
in regular picket line formation.
George Gary, the president of
the Bridge Workers Union.
was marshall Of the forces, and with
willing assistants his work of detailing
was well done. Each side street Lead
ing to the grounds was pickcted on both
sidewalks to make the canvass of in
coming workers as complete as pos
Rlblc. Are You a union man" was
the question each dinner pail carrier
was button-holed with, and if the an
sWer was in the affirmative, the order of
the council was communicated.
Very few union men disobcved the
order. If the subject of examination
proved to be a non-union man, a short
statement of the condition of affairs
was given and his membership in the
union solicited. No threats were made
OF bodily harm If he showed an inClina-
ton to proceed to work.
As the hour approached s O'Clock the
delegates began some very lively work.
The men who had joined the strikers
now constituted themselves delegates.
Some mounted boxes at the gates and
"Attcntion, union men" or
some such salutation to attraction.
stump speeches on their grievances be
came the order of the moment, and
At 10 party Ot hait 4 u0hen uGIe-
gates started in at the SiXty-titth Street
gate to make tour of the grounds
The party walked rapidly and by the
time the transportation, cold storage,
electricity, mining, administration, ag-
rCultural and machinery buildings had
been passed, the party augmented to
nearly POO brought up at the liberal arts
building.
Thclatcst estimates are that fully 5000
men quit at one time or another during
the day.
CH1CAGo, H., April 1O-11 p. M.-The
great strike at the Worlds Fair Is a
thing of the past, and the 1000 or 5000
men who walked out this morning will
walk back again tomorrow morning
and nlnetY-nlnC out of every hundred
will work the same hours, and for the
same pay he received before he struck.
For the first time organized labor came
squarcly in contact with the United
States government, and while all qucs-
tiOns of wages were satisfactorily set
tied, the right Of the employer to Rse
nOn-uniOn or union men, the right Of
men to be in the ranks of organized la
hOr or without them, was insisted upon
by the national representatives. and
acknowledged by the union men them
selves
For twelve hours to-day the results Of
the painstaking expenditure of more
than $50 900 900, the good name of a
mighty nation and its pledges to the
nations of the earth were imperiled,
while men who reaped the benefits of
the expenditure of that money argued
with the men who controlled, over
question offs cents an hour and the rights
of men to think and act AZ they please,
and temperate blood TO guide the
dispute to a peaceful issue. 1t
was 10 o'clock tonight when the
meeting between the Council of Admin
istration and the representatives of the
Building Trades Council came to an
agreement which is to continue through
out the entire period Of the exposition,
and under which further trouble will be
impossible. The men have received the
formal concession of minimum rate Of
wages, and have welded to the demand
of the exposition officials that they may
employ any man, whether he be or be