The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-23
OPEN FIGHT ALL AROUND,
Ship-OWnerS Take an Active
Hand in the Sailors
Strike.
OPPOSITION TO THE UNION.
Pope & Talbot and Mlghell TO JOIN
Issues With the Asso-
citation.

The strike of the Sailors Union is nearly
at an end, and if it is not concIuoeo
shortly it will not be the fault OF the snip
owners. movement was begun yester-
day by the shipowners, totally Irrespective
of the association, which promises to BRING
the conflict to a crisis. 1t may be, TOO,
that the movement bodies no good for the
Shipowners' Association as it is, and there
will probably be change in that organl-
cation within very few days.
The American ship Sterling, bound for
Philadelphia, obtained a crew last Friday
and all arrangements were completed Tor
the sailing of the vessel yesterday. The
crew had signed regularly enough. but
when it came to going to sea the sailors
thought that they could escape the duties
of voyage and still hold the advance OF
SIS man. The men, under the guild
ance of the counsels of the union,
claimed that the vessel was going
on a coasting voyage, inasmuch as
she was going to make a stop on the
Sound. They further held that as they
had been paid an advance of SIS each the
owners of the vessel had violated the ship
ping laws of Uncle SAM and therefore they
were not only entitled to come ashore, but
were also entitled to damages from the
ship.
The Sterling's owners took the matter to
the United States District Attorney, who
telegraphed to Attorney General Olney.
Yesterday afternoon dispatch was re-
ceived from Olney saying that the trip OF
the Sterling was continuous one, and
that the advance was perfectly legitimate.
But the crew had deserted and there was
no way of getting them back.
Two firms have held out from Joining
the association. They are Pope & Talbot
and Mighell & Burdrow. They handle
more sailors than all the shipping firms
put together outside of Gooda1l Perkins
& Co., and their action means much to the
Sailors Union and to the Shipowners'
Association. 1t was rumored yesterday
that both had put all their ships into the
association. There was an ''if," however,
in the contract, and that 'if'' was John
Cane, the shipping agent.-the man who
shot the union sailor on Friday night.
Pope & Talbot have been among the
grea test friends the union has had, but
the last act of Secretary Furuseth did not
suit the firm and from the inception of the
strike they have hired non union men
through the agency of Cane.
Mighell has had Cane in his employ
| since the strike OF two years ago, and Cane
has always found men for his ships.
While Mr.. Mighell is director of the
Shipowners' Association, he has only one
ship in the organization, and he is the
managing owner of at least dozen. If he
and Pope and Talbot go into the associa-
ton, it will mean an addition of at least
$500 a month to the dues of the organiza-
ton. They will only go in on the condi-
ton of Cane supplying their vessels with
men, and this means change in the per-
sonnet of the Office. The Shipowners' AS
ISOLATION, through its directors, has not
yet acceded to the demand, but it is said
that the two firms will come very near
carrying their point.