The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-11
A STRIKE AT THE FAIR.
PEACE MADBAFT WHOLE DAY
OF IDLENESS.

Or 1DLEN hSos
Four Thousnd Men Involved in the
neutrality-suspicious. Of Non-Union
Men the Cause Of the Brelk-The OF
flciaIs of the Fair Convince the Men
That They We're Wrong and Work
VIII Be Resumed To-day.
CHICAGO, ILL. April 1O.-In obedi enc
to the order Of the building trades council
1000 union mechanics employed at the
worlds fair grounds did not
90 to work this morning. The
trades represented are the carpen-
tiers, painters and ornamental iron workers.
The nod carriers. tin aud sheet iron work
ers, fathers, cornice workers, etc. brick
layers stone cutters and plastegors
are not included. I he men claimed
that the council of administration
Of the worlds fair has broken faith with
the allied trades upon the arbitration ques-
ton. The men are quiet, but as fast as
wOrkmen approached they were taken IN
hand by pickets and requested not to 60 to
work. Probably 50 per cent. of the trades
interested did not go TO work. At 10 o'clock
a messenger came from the administration
building inviting the representatives Of the
strikers to a confer ence. The invitation
was at once accepted.
a
complished in the conference, President
Higinbotham taking the ground that there
was nothing to arbitrate. President Higln-
bothRm professed to be not in the least dis
mayed when he heard the men had gone
out. He said he was sorry that they had
determined TO 90 out, but the fair was
gigantic enterprise which no labor strike
could seriously affect. Every place would
be filed and that soon.
NOT A NEW ISSUE.
The question Of the employment of union
labor only, which the building trades coun-
Gil wanted to reopen, President Higin-
botham said, was permanently settled 40
years ago, when it was agreed between the
council and the fair officials that there
should be no discrimination, that union and
non-union men should be employed alike.
Now, twenty DAYS before completion OF the
fair, the council asks to have that matter
arbitrated on as if it were a new subject
He thought work would not be greatly de-
layed, but if 1t should be the people would
know where to place the blame. He ans
tlclpated no riotinR,. no bloodshed. The
fair had ample police protection and work
would be pushed.
TWO THOUSAND MEN AT WORK.
Already signs are being placed about the
grounds and in the neighborhood of the
mark announcing that carpenters, painters,
workers are wanted. Many men applied
for work to-day and were at once given
employment. Fully 1000 men remained at
work in spite of the order to quit. The
missionary work of the strikers among the
oikmen who refused to quit led to a few
personal encounters, but nothing worse than
fists were used aud as a rule quiet and good
nature prevailed.
AN AGREEMENT REACHED.
CHICAGO, April 10, II p. M.-The strike
inaugurated at the worlds fair grounds
this morning was amicably settled tonight
at the meeting of the council of administra-
tion with the executive committee Of the
building trades council. The whole
trouble is settled, SO far as the exposition
company is concerned, but there
are, however, several contractor on The
grounds who must sign the agreement
before their men will return to work.
There are 1000 men who will not return TO
work In the morning on this account. The
committee will 10 at work early endeavor-
ing to get these contractors to sign the agree
ment. which will put these men a5 work
and enable the great enterprise to be pushed
to an early completion.
The session of the two committees this af-
ternOon was a long one and both sides of the
trouble were thoroughly discussed. Director
OF WORKS Burnnam proved to President
Russell Of the building trades council that
the building trades had agreed when work
on the fair was commenced that union and
nou-union men should work together with
OUT discrimination. 1t was this ques-
ton Of hiring non-union men that
was the real cause of the
strike. President Russell finally acknowl-
edged shat in that one particular the build
ing trades were in the wrong. An agree
meut was drawn up and signed and the
strike was declared off and President Rus
sell promised that the men should return
to work Tomorrow morning as if nothing
had happened. Delegates will be stationed
outside the ground TO instruct the men to
go back, but not TO allow the men working
for those contractors who have not signed
the new scale to resume work The meet-
ing broke up in a very friendly manner,
the delegates shaking hands with President
Higinbotham and Director of Works Burn
ham.