Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-05-25
STRIKE STILL ON.
Milwaukee Public Boycotts the
Street Railway.
Question Hinges on Taking All Of the
Old Men Back.

WaUkee Electric hdllWdy anu AuSuL
company for an advance of l cent an
hour in wages and recognition Of their
union today enters upon it's third week.
1t is quite generally admitted that the
strikers would be willing to Withdraw
their demands and go back to work IT
the company would take them in body.
A large proportion of the public believes
that the company should do this and mas
sInaugurated boycott to force 1t TO take
the men back. The company runs its
cars quite regularly, but they are poorly
fpatronized, while the buses operated by
the strikers and others are crowded.
The company claims that it cannot in
justice to the new men discharge them
at moments notice so as to relnstate
the strikers.
Nearly every union affiliated with the
Federated Trades council was repre-
scented by large portion of its mem
bers in the parade of the strikers and
their sympathizers Sunday, and thrOngs
of people formed a channel through
which the procession passed along the
entire route. An hour was occupied in
passing a fixed point, and, from end to
end, the. actual column covered the
streets for a distance of four miles.
AT the gate of Schlitz park unnumbered
spectators were gathered at noon from
the north side of the city to witness the
dissolution of the marching files and the
Inauguration of a picnic, and from z
o CLOCK III Inc AFTERNOON I'LL Tie ldlc
watches of the night, the park con-
tanned a multitude of merry-makers.
Speeches were made by DR.. J. n. Ma
COON, Victor l.. Berger, Rublee A. Cole,
President Mahon of the Amalgamated
Association of Street Railway Employees,
President Flint of the local union of the
same organization and Frank j. Weber
of the Federated Trades council, all of
whom appealed to the public in the street
railway mems behalf, and urged the
ratification of the boycott against the
company. Concerts were given in the
grove by Wards band, a programme of
variety specialists was carried out in the
main pavilion, and the crowd amused
itself by contributing its patronage to the
refreShment tables and other devices con-
Quoted for the benefit of the strikers
fund. The affair netted a considerable
amount for the support of the strike,
financial aid as well as moral sympathy
being an object of the demonstration.
1t was positively announced Saturday
night that cars would run Sunday, but
after canvassing the situation early yes
terday morning it was deemed unwise
to attempt it.
''It was represented to u.s." said Gen
eral Manager Wyman yesterday, shat
there would be many strangers in the
city representing outside labor organiZa-
tons who might create trouble. We
also decided to take no chances on &C
and their sympathiZerS." Chief of Po-
lice Jansen said last night that he did
not advise the company to suspend rum
ming the cars, and that he believed he
had plenty of men to prevent interior
ence by crowds
According to the various statements
made by strikers yesterday fully 40
buses were running throughout the city.
OF this number seventy were run by eX-
street railway conductors and motormen,
Al1n rnStXx fnd W
men and men from other cities who
brought their vehicles and horses to Mil
waukee with the expectation of reaping
q harvest at the expense of the street
railway company.
Another Effort at Mediation.
The committee of fourteen representa-
tive Republicans selected by Mayor
Rauschenberger and President Baum
gaertner to make final attempt to re-
move or ameliorate the condition of az
fairs growing out of the street railway
strike held three secret meetings yester-
day.
The opinion expressed by members of
the committee was that every possible
effort should be made to secure a settle
ment of the dispute, which has now as
Sumed such a phase as to affect serious
Iy the business of the city. One of the
members said that while week ago 1t
looked as if the strike was at an end,
the boycott feature had now assumed
such proportions that the entire city was
suffering from the contest between the
street railway company and its old EN-
ployes, and that in the interests of the
whole public some way ought to be found
by which peace could be restored and
business allowed to assume its normal
conditions.
The days work was not closed until
midnight after a prolonged conference
in the evening with the representatives
of the striking employees, and it will be
resumed this morning, when the directors
of the street railway company will again
be asked to meet with the committee
An agreement was made with the strik-
ers committee last evening which was q
pledge of secrecy upon all matters dis
cussed by them. The continuance Of ne
gotiations however, is regarded rs an in
dication that there is a prospect OF ultl-
mate concessions on both Sides and this
view is given a color of proba bility by
the positive refusal of members of the
committee to prepare any statement for
the public or to authorize the publlca-
ton of any facts concerning the progress
of measures or mediation.
Although the company is running its
full number of cars on schedule time,
there is no increase in patronage. The
number of passengers carried on the
Wells street. Farwell avenue and Lake
park lines continues to be fair, but 1T is
far from normal while on the other lines
the cars carry few if any passengers
All Efforts Fail.
All efforts to settle the street railway
strike by mediation having failed, the
strikers say they now propose to provide
employment for all strikers and establish
a more vigorous competition with the
street Railway company by strengthen
ing the 'bus-line service. Yesterday rep
resentatives of the strikers left for Chi
cago and cities in Wisconsin with the
view of securing forty more carettes.
IN%D 1n6 fhar
said President Mahon last night. ''The
men can stand this strike, but the COM
pany can't. 1t is costing the company
piles of money to operate all its cars with
no one to ride in them. We have decid-
ed to increase the bus service and men
left today for the purpose of securing
more carettes. We are going to estab-
fish a thorough system to compete with
the company" There was no improve
ment in the patronage OF the cars yester-