St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-17
CARS STAND STIL1
EVERY STREET RAILROAD IN
PHILADELPHIA Is TIED
HIGHER PAY, SHORTER DAY.
ENTHUSIASTIC MASS MEETING OF
MEN DECLARES FOR A
STRIKE.
HIGHER PAY, SHORTER DAY.
NEW YORK'S IDLE TAILORs.
Sixteen Thousand Are Locked Out
and the Employers Will Fight
Bitterly.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Dec. 16.-
AT o'clock tomorrow morning the
street car lines of this city will be
tied up in a general strike. That
step was decided upon late tonight.
The conductors and motormen are
waging war for increase Of wages,
shorter hours and the privilege of
belonging to the Amalgamated AS
sociation of Street Railway En-
ployes. Dissatisfaction has been
growing for a long time, but reached
a high pitch Immediately after the
recent consolidation of all local lines
into one company. Then action was
precipitated by the numerous dis
charges from the companys service
of men belonging to the amalgamat-
ed association. Many conferences
have been sought by the various
committees representing the railway
men, but all have been rejected by
President Welsh and the company's
board of directors. A few days ago
w. D. Mahon, of Detroit, president
of the national organization, ap-
peared in this city and took charge
of affairs. A crisis was reached to-
day. AT meeting held this morning
a committee of one was appointed to
convey an ultimatum to President
Welsh. He returned with the in
formation given by the president
himself that there would be no an
swer, and that no person connected
with any labor organization would
be recognized. The sentiment of the
motormen and conductors was al
most unanimously in favor Of a
strike. 1t was, after long and earnest
discussion, declared that a general
strike on all the lines of the COM
pany, which controls every car in
the city, would be inaugurated either
at very late hour tonight or the
first thing in the morning, when the
first day cars start out. President
Mahon said he was confident that
nearly all the men employed would
go out, irrespective of whether they
are members of the amalgamated as
sociation or not. He said that the
association numbers close to 4,500,
and with the others over 5000 men
would stop work at the appointed
hour.
CITIZENS INTERVENE.
Eearly in the day it had been de-
cided to hold a monster mass meet
ing, to last all night, at Harmonic
hall. Immediately after the strike
had been declared the men repaired
to that place. AS the big meeting
was about to be called to order
citizens committee, headed by ex-
Gov. Pattison and Thomas Martin
dale, appeared, and asked for a pri-
vate conference. The general impress
sion was that they meant to induce
the men not to strike. The confer
ence was granted, and the leaders re-
tired. 1t was in the neighborhood
of 9 o'clock, and at II they were
still comforting, and evidently with
great earnestness, for their voices
could be heard in the body of the
hall. Meantime the hall gradually
filled, and crowds Of uniformed con-
ductors and motormen stood in
groups discussing the station. 1t
was a noticeable fact that their de-
meanor was one Of enthusiasm. Dur
ing the evening President Mahon adj
dressed the men in an informal man
ner. He spoke as if the strike was
an assured fact. First he cautioned
them, in the event of a tie-up, to act
like gentlemen throughout. Then
he begged them to keep away from
the rum Shops" adding: "If we
win I'll drink enough for the whole
crowd after it's all over"
Tonight the railway men issued
an appeal to the citizens for their
sympathy and support.
DECIDED TO GO OUT.
Shortly after II o'clock the con-
ference was over, and President Ma
hon announced to the waiting rail-
way men the decision Of their COM
mittee to strike at a. M, and asked
them to ratify it by standing up. The
crown dIOSc Ollc cillu gave
vent to shout Of accord. The great
est enthusiasm prevailed. Mr.. Ma
hon then proceeded to counsel them
as to their future actions. He spoke
long and earnestly, and appealed to
them, as they valued success, to be
firm, and above everything else to
act like gentlemen and to discounte-
nance anything in the shape of dis
order He said: mo one is more
sorry than I that this strike will
occur. Let us fight it to a finish,
and accept nothing but what we
have demanded"
The enthusiasm that followed
clearly indicated that the men were
most earnest in their purpose to quit
work at o'clock and rest their sue
cess on the future. The meeting then
broke up, and the strikers commit
tee went into executive. session.
Chairman Lutz announced to the
men that the trolley mail cars must
not be interfered with, but must be
permitted to run at all hazards.