The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-14
WE WANT GEORGE.
Messenger Boys Threaten
to Strike.
A PLEA FOR MATRIMoNY.
The San Francisco District Telegraph
Boys Will Quit To-Day Unless a
Married Clerk Is Recalled.

The messenger boys of the San Francisco
District Telegraph Company are threaten
ing to strike.
Though 1t may not be generally known.
the fleet-footed Mercuries Of this particular
company are about as determined set of
young gentlemen as one could meet in a
days searching. Let them once make up
their minds that some one is not doing the
square thing by them, or that injuries stand
unredressed. and it is doughnuts to dollars
that they go out on vigorous strike at
once.
Such was the case some few months back.
when the boys felt that the exIgencies of
mary action, and accordingly laid by their
baggage of servitude for few brief hours
and took up the wand of authority.
At this writing the present case seems TO
DE parallel one. For some time the regime
of Henry Alderman, the superintendent,
has not been altogether such as the boys
coulG indorse.
In fact, when CALL reporter tried to
talk quietly with group of them last night
the great er number lost all self-cOntrol, as
an enumeration of their wrongs brought the
matter more nearly home. and expressed
themselves rOundly in denunciation of the
superin tendeDt in language that admitted
of no demonstration.
Said one: "Our fines Is somethin' rank!
We get locked for about everything. Erin
stance, il we are caught smokn' he puts rs
down for one dollar, and IL be catches us
again 1t is two dollars. l got gned fifty
cents because me shoes wasn't shined."
Said another savagely: HE give me one
dollar fine cause laid off work on Sunday.
and If it had been on payday 1t would have
cost me two dollars and hail."
DIT 81 - In Nnv mat ~
show you," shouted little chap above the
din OF the excited group, she saw me takin'
a drink Of soda water and caught fifty
cents fine"
Fearing that the youngsters imagInations
were getting away with them, the reporter
tore himself away, followed by shouts of
Give it TO Ackerman!' Don't forget 10
score the superintendent"
The true inwsrdness of this tempest in
teapot is simply this: Mr.. Alderman is
unpopular for eone reason or other with
the boys. aud Leo Brisacher. the present
manager, is their beau ideal of what a SUI
perntendent should be. The consequence
is that they are anxious to have change of
officers.
In spite Of these minor grievances 1t is
probable that hosaction would have been
taken by the BOYS had not recent and par
ticularly unsatisfactory movement on the
snperntendent's part precipitated matters.
George Collins. an old empl0ye of the COM
pany. and one who had been promoted from
messenger to operator, having arrived at the
advanced age of %, and gaining knowledge
with years, saw the futIlity Of celibacy and
last Wednesday was married.
Now comes the rub. Superintendent
Alderman got wind of Georges happiness
and at once notified him that S35 q month
was too small an amount to support a wife
upon, and not feeling in position to in
crease it he thought itwould be wisdom and
i'm ID rifh IN coId
Georges services.
Then war was declared by the messenger
boys. Who knew but that some charming
lady might win any one of them over to
matrimony some bright day, and then there
would be something to pay.
Clearly it was strike at each boys future
hearthstone, and they rallied 10 an urchin
in support of Collins. There was to be no
faliering, no quarter. Every messenger boy
and operator Of the San Francisco District
Telegraph Company was pledged to "knock
off, at ii o'clock to-day unless George
Collins was bacl; at his desk at that hour.
The number of The strikers would be some
thing over 100. 1t was deep laid plan that
was not 10 be sneezed at
Such was the state of affairs yesterday
afternoon when Charles 5. Alderman,
brother of the unfortunate Henry aud the
popular president of the company. entered
the presence Of his irate subjects and arose
amid profound silence to address them.
Mr.. Alderman was heard through with
liberation and respect and when he v0uca-
safed the information that Collins would
probably be returned he was eheered to the
echo.
In consequence Of the remarks of Presi-
dent Ackerman an atmos phere Of decided
exaltation pervad the Market-street office
last night The coy bird victory seemed
certain to come their way.
The boys are not To be satisfied with idle
words, however, and ho.d themselves in
readiness TO make good their oath unless
Alderman keeps faith with them this morn-
ing. In the words Of their Leader, 1t is time
for action. land we don't take no bluff.
neither. See?"