The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-03
STREET CAB STRIKE RENEWED
After Fruitless Ne2otisI ons men Refuse Il
Take Their Cars Out.

Take Their Cars Out
hfladelphia, Jan 2P.-The street rail-
way strike is on again. AT 40 o'clock
this morning, (3rd.) the motormen and
conductors employed by the Union
Traction company decided not to go 10
work when the first day cars start at
o'clock. The official declaration was
made at "a mass meeting Of the men in
Labor lyceunl. 1t came amid the
greatest confusion and against the
strong protests of their conservative
leaders. In fact, the excitement was
90 intense that numerous small riots
between the two elements were avert
ed with the greatest difficulty. Many
of the conservatives left in dnisguSt.
An unsatisfactory conference with
General Manager Bestem had been held
earlier in the night and the trouble be
gan when the committee made report
TO the mass meeting. revious to their
arrival the turbulent scenes OF the day
had been increasing in intensity.
The question of strike or no strike"
was abotuo be put 10 the men when DR..
GTiffifhS of the Chris ian league made a
speech urging them to be patient, and
suggested further effort for peace. He
was greeted with jeers and fuel was adj
Ged to the flame when a man named
Kirshner, of the Ciga r1nakers union,
made a fiery speech, urging the men
to strike.
President Machon, who has an along
been opposed to a strike, tried to shut
off Kirshner, and also incurred personal
violence from the men, who wanted to
hear Kirshner. The confusion kept up
until Chairman LutZ put the question
10 a vote. A decided affirmative was
ativeS, however, increa sing from time
10 time, but the strikers were in the
majority. The meeting broke up in the
creates disorder.
Throughout 1T was manifest that
many OF the men who went out on the
last strike VIII report for duty as usual
tn e temper of the strikers is such that
should the conservatives do this, trou-
Die is almost bound to result.
Philadelphia, jan From the ad-
journment Of their meeting at 8 o'clock
this morning the dissatisfied employees
were quietly but actively at work.
Committees were assigned to each di-
vision and polled the conductors and
motOrmen 10 determine their sentiment
on General Manager Beetem's PROPOSE
tton Of last night. This was TO the ef-
feet that the old men would be given
preference over the new men hired dur
the strike these halter 10 be placed at
ehe foot of the extra list. The ten-hour
day and 81 wage scale question were
also brought up at the conference, but
Mr.. Beetem firmly stated THAT the com
pany WAS not in a position to accede
to these demands, even if IL 50 desired.
Returns on the result OF the canvass
came to the headquarters as the day
w-aned. Indicating that large majori-
dy of the men favored a strike, many
of the branch lines being unanimous.
President Mahon of the Amalgamat-
ed Associa ton of Street Railway EN-
ploys used his best efforts throughout
the day to obviate another tie up. and
in this he was aided by nearly all the
other leaders and a delegation of prom
inent citizens. The majority, however,
were almost a unit in the determina-
ton to reject Manager Beatem's last
proposition. AS time passed. they as
sembled in groups at the strike head
quarters and a feeling OF restiveuess
became manifest
This grew more marked tonight when
a committee of representatives from
rhe various divisions met to review the
situation. The men were admitted to
the hall but were so utterly at variance
With the minority conservative ele-
ment that II became necessary TO make
them withdraw. The employees fire.
quently interrupted the proceedings
with boisterous demonstra tons, and de-
clared that they would hold a monster
mass meeting and declare the strike on.
II was apparent that many OF them had |
diSregarded Leader MahOn's Injunction |
to keep out of the rum shops, and that |
a break in the ranks was imminent. |
This was regarded as most serious be- !
cause of the fact that the radical ele- |
ment is largely in the majority, and /
should they take matters in their own |
hands the result could not be foretold. |
While these events were in course. q |
Of ten was again in con- |