The morning call., 1893-04-11

with every prospect that 1000 more might
join them before night. 1t was the cul-
mination of much controversy over what
was claimed to be an agreement between
the Worlds Fair officials and the represen-
tatiyes of union labor by which all disputes
between employers and employees on eX-
position work were to be settled by arbtra-
tion Tie men contend that some of the
exposition officials had recently shown
disposition, now that the fair is nearly
completed. 10 deny point blank anything
they asked, ard that this had notably been
the case in the carpenters troubles, which
had been pending for some time, the ex-
position authorities, 1t is alleged. declining
to sign the scale proposed by the Carpen-
ters' Union for the new season, although a
majority of the large con tractors in the city
had signed it.
To-day was named by the ''business
agents" OF the Building Trades Council,
otherwise walking delegates" as the final
time at which arbitration must be asSented
to, if a strike was TO be averted. On be-
half of The exposition officials it was claimed
the wOrkmen were taking advantage of the
last days of the hurry in the completion of
the work to squeeze tie exposition manage
ment and to violate the agreement hereto
fore made by Insisting that only union men
be employed on the grounds.
Piekets were placed a all the entrances to
the gates early to warn the union men that
a strike was on, and to try to persuade nom
union men to join them They labored
assiduously. and nearly all the union men
Obeyed the order to strike. No threats are
used against non-uniOn men. There was no
exitement and good humor seemed to pre-
vail everywhere.
After the hour for work began delegates
went inside the grounds, visited the various
buildings and picked up a hundred or more
men and conducted them out of the
grounds, when, embOdened b. numbers,
they began to cheer and get noisy. 1t was
no part OF the programme to invite disturb
aHce.
BY Q o'clock the number of strikers had
been increased to 2000, and later 1890 cleo
tricai.workers quit Then the construction
department decided to take positive action,
and the Columbia Guards were ordered to
eject any walking delegate who openly en-
deaYored 20 get tue mel 10 stop work. Very
soon there came repeated calls for the
patrol wagons and the officious representa-
lives of the strikers were hustled out Of the
grounds. This made the strikers outside sc
the grounds mad, and they began to indulge
in threats, and finally began to attack the
non-unon men who had refused to be per-
suaded not to go to work.
Occurrences OF this sort soon became nu-
merous and squad of police was called
and they drove the strikers away from the
gates, not however without resistance, re-
sulting in several strikers getting cracked
over tile head.
By P. NJ. fully 1000 men were out. In
eluding probably over a dozen trades To
make matters worse. at this juncture one
third of the employees Of the installation de-
uartmeut, 200 in number. knocked off.
They were teamsters, and had been getting
81 60 per day and demanded 81, which was
refused, and they quit
The strike leaders were confident Of sue
cess at this hour, and the managers OF
the exposition said they would have No
difficulty in filing The strikers places
a meeting of the fair directors and strike
leaders was held in the afternoon, but
nothing was accomplished at the confer
ence, President Higginbotham taking the
position that there was nothing to arbitrate.
Every man who presented himself for
work after the strike was Immediately
hired Most Of the strikers went home after