The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-10


pany Will Not Surrender the Prin-
ciple Involved and Its Representa-
tives Turn Deaf Ear to PIeadings of
the Visitors General Strike Today.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, July 0.
0T IS war to the knife, and the knife
to the hilt The powers have
II spoken and the most tremendous
u strike known to history will be in
augurated tomorrow when the evening
whistles blow, and II hundred thousand
men lay down their work, not to re-
turn until the Pullman boycott is
settled.
Today has been the most quiet Chi
cago has experienced since the great
Pullman boycott was declared. But it
was the quiet that precedes the storm.
and beneath the strange stiffness the
ear OF the close watchover OF events
can catch the ominous rumblings of an
industrial cyclone threatening dread
disaster and fearful destruction, u
storm whose awful portence none may
read and whose vast consequences none
may forecast.
The strike which paralyzed traffic on
the railroads for the past few weeks
and wrought loss beyond computation
to every interest in Chicago, will to-
morrow be augmented by the practical
cessation of all industry and the almost
complete paralysis of commerce in and
about the city. All night Sunday and
until the gray hours of Mondays dawn
great meeting composed of delegates
from all Of the trades unions in Chi
cago sat in Unlich's hall and wrestled
with the problem confronting it. The
question before the meeting was,
Shall the trades unions Of Chicago
strike in sympathy with the Pullman
boycott to the end that the principle
of arbitration may wlnH
CITY COUNCILS INTERESTED.
1t was a gathering Of thoughtful
men, and their deliberations were
marked for their calm earnestness,
'fhe gravity Of the situation was fully
apprehended. 1t was determined that
last attempt be made to get the Pull.
man company to arbitrate its differ
ences with its workingmen, and a com.
mittee of seven was appointed
10 call upon the mayor with
view to securing the co-opsra-
tion of prominent business men in
securing from the Pullman company
the concession asked GENERALIZATION
A brief meeting was held in the
mayors officewhicii adjourned to an
other meeting with the city council
committee on arbitration. At the last
meeting Alderman McGillen. chair
man Of the council committee.
made the suggestion that committee
be appointed who should investi.
gate and determine whether the Pull =
man company's statement that there
was nothing to arbitrate was true and
Just. that the committee be composed
Of two members named by the Pullman
company, two to be named by tho
judges of the circuit court Of Cook
county, and the fifth by the four first
chosen. The suggestion was adopted
by the joint committee and sub. COM
mittee appointed to present the propo-
sition to the Pullman company.
This committee was composed Of the
council committee-Aldsrmen McGil.
len, Marrener. Muelhoefer and Powers,
and Messrs. Elderkin, Ryan and Lind
holm, repre- senting the trades unions.
The subcommittee repaired at once to
the office OF Vice President Wickes, of
the Pullman company. and requested an
interview with tnat gentleman. 1t was
granted, and then followed n scene
which bids fair to rival in historic in
terest aud importance any event in the
history Of labor. Every man present
felt the extreme gravity of the hour
and the silence through which the
voices of the speakers seemed painfully
distinct was oppressive.
RECEPTION BY Mr.. wICKEs.
"Do you come as an official Of the
cityT Mr. Wickes asked the alderman.
II do" replied Mr.. McGillen,
DO you represent the mayor in this
matterH" inquired the Pullman official.
THE mayor will endorse our action
here" the alderman replied.
Alderman McGillen was the spokes
man. He addressed Mr. Wickes and
placed before him the proposition as
authorized by the full committee.
Once, as the alderman halted for an
instant, Mr.. Wickes said, "The com
pany cannot recede from the position
it has already held"
The interjecton aroused Alderman
McGilen and he eloquently portrayed
the situation in all its bearings and the
inevitable consequences uuless settle
ment were reached. Mr. Wickes list
ened attentively. He seemed touched
by the appeal, and when the spokes-
man had concluded retired with Attor'
ney John $. Runnels. of the Pullman
company. for consultation The delay
was OF brief duration. When he returned
every one present in readVics President
Wickes' stern face the fateful answe
he would make. The feeling was in
tense and the little throng, composed
of committeeman and members OF
the press and news associations, waited
hreathlessly for him to speak, Ai,
dressing Alderman McGillen Mr..
Wickes said:
"The Pullman company has nothing
to arbitrate."
Then there was painful silence
Alderman McGilen seemed paralyzsd
for moment He could not beIiev,
the Pullman company would assume a
responsibility 80 tremendously grave.
IAN to understand" he slowly said
"that the Pullman company refuses
this slight request, made in 80 grave ar
hour, and upon which so much de.
pends2'
"Tbe Pullman company has nothing
to arbitrate. reiterated Vice Presiden
| Wickes.