Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-20

the point was that the manager had refused
| to a deputation, and this high handed
| conduct the papers expressed themselves as
! forced to deplore
Both members of the firm thought this
| manifesto should be answered. The manager
| did not agree with them, so 1t was net
| answered.
Pickets were placed before the gates and a
| few extra policemen appeared. as II by acci-
| dent, in the neghborhood; Tut there was
| nothing for either policemen or picketa to do.
On Monday some of the men longing around
| the place locked up at the tall chmneys and
| saw them, for the first time during their
| remembrance, smokeless. They had never
| noticed the smoke before, but row its absence
created an unexpected void in the murky
outlook. 1t was as If the finger of death
had touched those gaunt, lofty stacks, and
the unusual silence of the place seemed to
give the situation al lonely feeling OF solem-
| nifty they had not looked for
On Tuesday some dray loads Of new ma
chinery arrived at the works and these the
pckets attempted to stop. but without sue
cess. Gibbons was consulted, but he took a
sensible and liberal view Of the matter
Let them put in all the new machinery
they wish. That will mean employment for
more men when we go back. We will not
| interfere with Sartwell until he tries to fill
the works with other employees"
Fer the remainder of the week the shops
echoed with the clang Of iron on iron, but no
Call this a fght?" said one of the men
over his mug OF beer II call 1t bean
feast"
On Saturday strike pay was given out at
headquarters, each man getting his usual
wage for the union was rich. II was, indeed
bean feast-all pay and no work.
The first week had enabled Sartwell to
make repairs and to add machinery that had
long been needed, but 1t had another effect
which he considered more important still.
recover their second wind, as II were. These
good but timorous men had been panic
stricken by the going out of their employees,
and by the adverse comments of the press.
AS nothing happened during the week, they
gradually regained what they called their
courage, and. although they perhaps did not
realize 1t, they were more and more COM
mitted to the fight when 1t did come on.
They could hardly, with decency, after keep
ing silence for week during which there
was peace, give way If afterward there
should be violence.
The vigilance of the pickets perhaps re-
laxed a little as time went on, and there
was nothing to do. But one morning they
had a rude awakening. When they arrived
at the gates they saw smoke once more
pouring from the chmneys; there was a
hum of machinery; the works were in full
blast. and the former workers were outside
the gates.
The news spread quickly and the men
gathered around the gates from all quarters.
Gibbons was early on the ground. like an
energetic general, ready to lead his men to
the fray. He saw that the fight was now
on and he counseled moderation when he
spoke to the excited men. 1t was all right,
he answered them. He had expected this,
and was prepared for it,
The gates were closed. and when Gibbons
asked admission to speak with the manager
his request was curtly refused. This re-
fusal did not tend to allay the excitement.
nor to improve the temper of the men. The
police kept the throng on. the move as much
as possible. but the task became more and
more difficult as the crowd increased.
At noon a wagon, evidently loaded with
provisions drove down the street and when
the mob learned that its destination was the
works, cry went up that the vehicle should
be upset.
Again the pacifylng influence of Gibbons
made itself felt, and the wagon, amid the |
jeers of the bystanders. drove in while the
gates were speedily closed after 1t.
Gibbons retired with his captains to head |
quarters, where a consultation was held. |
There was chance that Sartwell, during |
the first week. when 1t was supposed he was |
putting in new machinery had also been :
building dormitories for his new men, and |
that he was going to keep them inside the |
gates. free from the influence of the union |
This plan had not been foreseen by Glib |
bons, and he was unprepared for It,
"The men must come out sooner or later, |
and when they do we will have a talk with |
them" said the secretary. my own opinion |
is that they will come out tonight at the |
usual hour, and propose to act on that sup !
position. II find am wrong we will meet |
again tonight and Will have some proposals |
to make. In a short time we shall be able |
to learn whether the scabs are coming out |
or not. Meanwhile. get back among our |
own men, and advise them not 10 make any |
hostile demonstration when the blacklegs' |
appear; and when the scabs come out let each |
man OF you persuade as many as you can to |
come to the big hall, where we can have |
talk with them. Tell the men that II there |
is any violence they will be merely playing |
into Sartwell's hands We don't want the |
police down on us, and, until there is a row,
they Will at least remain neutral"
This advice commended itself to all wh)