The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-05
TIED UP TIGHT
Entire Street Car System Of
Milwaukee Involved in
the Strike.
Vice President Payne Gives 1t
Out That No Further Confer.
ences Will Be Held
With Its Old Employees Wanted
More Wages and Arbitration
Of Grievances.

MILWAUKEE, May 5-Only half
dozen street cars are running IN Mil.
waukee, owing to the strike OF street
car employees, which was inaugurated
at 4 O'Clock. At o'clock the employees
of the power house held meeting and
voted not to join the strike. A large
force of police is guarding the power
houses. barns and tracks, but thus far
no act of violence has been reported.
Between 300 and 1000 men are In.
volved in the strike. The men have
sx1x+ Vi ganixed into companies which
are stationed at the car houses and
power houses, and the captain OF each
company is in constant communication
with the headquarters of the strikers.
President Mahon, Of the Amalgam.
ated Association of Street Car EN-.
ployes, announces that he will issue a
card to the public.
At noon notice was posted in all
barns and headquarters, warning mo-
tormen and conductors that they would
be discharged from the service II they
did not report for duty within "a 4hours.
Trouble is anticipated. The railway
company has served formal notice on
the mayor that 1T will hold the city
liable for all damages to its property.
The strike was determined on at
midnight at a mass meeting Of mem.
bers of the union. 1t had been deter.
mined to request the officers OF the
electric road for another conference in
hopes that an
Undsrstanding Would BE Reached.
When it was learned by the officers OF
the union that the men from other
cities were being imported and that
the company was preparing to imme-
diately fill the places Of the old en-
ployes it was determined to ask con.
ference at once with the officials OF the
company. The request was sent to
Vice President Henry G. Payne who
replied that the company would re.
ceive no communication from the men
and would in no manner treat with its
employees further. When this answer
was announced at the meeting Of the
union q vote was taken on motion to
declare q strike and it was carried
unanimously.
The directors of the road sent their
reply to the men Saturday morning in
which they positively refused to grant
two Of the leading requests-those for
higher wages and the
settlement Of Dimoultiss
by arbitration. The officials, however.
eignifed their willingness to discuss
the minor grievances with the men.
The strike will tie up the entire elec-
tric and street railway service Of the
city. The several lines are owned by
the one company and every employe OF
the road Is q member Of the union. In
addition to the street railway employees
the electric light employees are involved
and they will probably strike. They
number 800 men and operate the only
electric lighting plant in the city. Un-
less the company is prepared to man
the powerhouse the city will be with.
out light except for gas.
That serious trouble is expected is
evidenced by the activity at police
headquarters and the sheriff's office.
So far 100 special policemen have been
sworn in and more will go on duty
later. The sheriff has q large force Of
snecial IDENTITIES ON duty