The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-12-24

battle has mainly been fought on the uues-
tion of the employees membership in the
Amalgamated Association of Street Rail
way Employees, which the company has
persistently refused to recognize. The
new men engaged since the strike began
number nearly 1000, while there were
about 5000 strikers.
Mr. Wanamaker submitted the ideas
embraced in the settlement to the strikers.
They accepted them, and in turn submit
ted them to the company. Considerable
correspondence and many conferences fol
lowed, and late yesterday afternoon an
nOunCem mt was made that both sides had
agreed to the terms, To properly round
out the matter mass meeting Of the
strikers was held last night for the pur-
pose of ratification. Here the strike was
officially declared Off.
Thus ends what has probably been the
greatest strike in the United States. 1t
lasted exactly one week, and it cost the
city, the company and the strikers thou
sands of dollars. The loss in fares alone
to the company is estimated at $780, 900 or
thereabouts. Apart from the destruction
of cars and other property, there has been
much bloodshed, although fortunately no
fatal results
The business men of the city have prob
ably been the heaviest sufferers after the
company. The strike, coming in the
midst of the holiday, brought unparalleled
disaster to shopkeepers.
A rumor was current that a syndicate
had been formed to buy out the Welsh in
terest in the Traction company and make
Mr. Wanamaker president. To this he
said There is no truth in the report
| The suggestion has never even been made
| in my presence.
Throughout the strike the newspapers
| of this city and the correspondents Of
newspapers elsewhere have refrained, in
the interest of public order, from referring
to the widespread sympathy given the
strikers by Philadelphians 1t may now
be said, however, that never in the history
| of strikes has there been such unanimous
expression of good will toward men on
strike and animosity toward public cor
poration. Citizens in every walk of life,
! even including stockholders in the Trac-
| ton company, have been outspoken in ex-
pressing the hope that the strikers might
| win. and have emphasized their hope by
contributing literally to the strikers re-
| lief fund Among the strike sympathizers
may be included the men who could ex-
press their sympathy only in private con
versations, and whose duty compelled them
to make an outward show of hostility
the members of the police department. 1t
may be safely asserted that more than 80
| per cent of the blue coated guardians of
| the peace regardless Of the many acts Of
| violence, wished success to the strikers. 1t
| is, in truth, victory for public opinion,
| A modest factor in the great strike has
/ been Mr.. George p. Chance, president Of
/ Philadelphia Typographical union. Mr.
| Chance is not n professional labor agi-
tator, but earns his living as compositor
/ at the office of the American Press Asso-
citation in this city. When off duty, how
/ ever, he has given much of his time and
| talents to further the organization OF the
street car employees, for which he received
no compensation. When the strike was
declared Mr.. Chance was called upon by
the strikers to aid in bringing about a set
Element and in quiet way he has done
much to bring about that gratifying result
Yesterday was certainly the most yio-
lent since the struggle began, and for the
first time the police shot to kill About
/ 10 O'Clock in the forenoon a tremendous
crowd gathered at Eighteenth and Girard
avenue, and as the cars passed each with
several policemen aboard, the stones be-
gan to fiy. A dozen or more cars had been
completely wrecked, when the policemen
oDened fire They first fired into the air.