Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-05-13
THE BIG STRIKE Is ON.
Milwaukee's Street Railway
System is Tied Up.
Six Days Have Elapsed and Both
Sides Are Still Firm.

Electric Railway and Light company to
enforce their demands of 20 instead of
10 cents an hour and recognition of their
union has been in progress six days,
and neither side shows any disposition to
yield. The company has imported men
from other cities, but is suffering seri-
ously from the disorderly element. The
strikers stand firm and are keeping aloof
from disturbances
First Day.
The first day the tie-up was very COM
plete, the only cars run being those
manned by inspectors barn foremen and
other employees of the company. The
strikers organized themselves into COM
panleS-One for each car barnard elect
ed captain whose duty it was to see
that the men preserved good order. The
strikers kept in their uniforms, removing
only the numbered badge which was the
distinctive sign of their being in the
street railway employ. Even If they
were not so disposed, the men were there
fore put on their good behavior for their
uniforms made them conspicuous The
day was very quiet except for some dem
0nStratlOnS on the kinnickinnc line and
at noon cars were taken off this branch
TO avoid trouble. In the evening boys
and hoOdlums stoned the Third street
barn and the police charged the crowd,
making two arrests. A similar crowd
followed two street railway inspectors
up Wisconsin street until they were
forced to take refuge in a drug store.
An alarm was sent to police headQuar-
tiers and patrol wagon full Of officers
came over to rescue the two men.
Second Day.
The principal event of the second day
was the Walk-Out of the electrical work
ers out of sympathy for the strikers
Inc electrical workers did not all obey
the order OF the union, and the men in
the power house which supplies the city
1ght, were at work last night. This was
Gone by the order of the union. as it
was pointed out that the cause of the
striking car men would be hurt IN case
Tue city was made to suffer. The idea
OF general sympathy strike is still ad-
hered to, but the labor leaders believe
ehat 1t Will not be necessary. 1t is
claimed, however, that rather than let
the street car men be beaten most of the
unions will quit work. The impression
prevails In the labor ranks that the fight
As being made against union recognition
and that IN case the street car EMPLOYEES
SIRE beaten other unions in all lines of
trade will be placed in jeopardy in this
city.
Cars were run in an intermittent man.
ner all day Tuesday, but were with
drawn before nightfall, except for two
cars which were run on the Farwell ave-
nue line through the swell residence dis
trIct OF the east side. There were four
policemen to each car, and not more
than dozen passengers were carried
during the night. Great crowds gath
cred at the downtown corners and
Jeered and howled whenever the cars
dashed past. There was no serious out
break, but bricks were placed on the
tracks and crOss-beamS run through the
iron posts in the middle of the street
which support the wires. At the Far
well avenue barns there was big
crowd, which grew unruly later in the
evening. Stones were thrown and the
situation was menacing for time, but
the police finally dispersed the gather
ing
Third Day.
The third day of the strike closed with
the finish line apparently just as far
away as ever. Both the principals said
they were sure of winning and were
ready to prolOng the fight Indefinitely. |
The only ones that are really suffering
are the public and the police, the first
through lack of city transportation and
the last from overwork. The entire po-
lice force has been on duty night and day
for three days and is beginning to feel |
the effects of the wear and tear
The principal developments of the day
were the exhibition of an ugiier feeling |
ON the part of the element sympathzng |
with the strikers and the move toward |
arbitration. The former was very de-
cided and more arrests were made than
Sor the entire remaining period of the
strike.
The council met in special session in
ahe afternoon and took up the question of |
she strike with the announced intention
od trying to arrange some plan of arbi-
5Tatlon which would put an end to the |
present situation. The members took q |
curious way of going at their work by
first listening to resolutions denouncing
and attacking the company with which
they expected to arrange mutual conces-
Ssions.
One of the most ominous features of
The day was the intimatiOn that there is
a possibility that the unions in other
Grades may be called out to assist the
street railway men if the latter seem in |
danger of losing the strike. Thus far
they have no fear of such result or |
profess not to have. Though more cars
were moving yesterday than the day be-
fore, the strikers say that the number is |
fewer than they believed would be moved
rs this time. Should the other unions
take the matter up the result would be |
serious in the extreme There is no tell
ing with any degree of certainty what |
they will do, as each day makes the feel |
ing more intense.
Fourth Day.
Though the police have adopted every
means in their power to suppress the |
turbulent spirit OF young hoodlums, who, |
sFnce tine street railway strike began, |
kaagEe created disorder throughout the
CITY, the department is unable to prevent
TIE gathering of large crowds, which be
come more or less disorderly. The situa-
ton on Thursday, the fourth day of the
strike, and last evening was not i'm
proved Cars were stoned as freely as
ever, non-union men were jeered and
egged numerically, the police were ridi-
cuied and even beaten by crowds which !
they attempted to dispense, streets were
blockaded and demonstrations were fire.
qnent. The police adopted stricter
measures, and arrested all those who
were found to be responsible for demon
STATIONS. During the stoning of the
cars on the west side many windows
were broken. By the flying glass sew
eral passengers were painfully, though
not dangerously hurt.
The feature of the day SO far as diplo-
matte negotiations were concerned was
the refusal of the company to confer
with that section of the common coun-
ciIs committee on mediation which was
composed of three members of the Anal
gamated Association of Street Railway
Employees. The company said it would
he glad to confer with the business men