Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-05-14
THE BIG STRIKE is ON.
Milwaukee's Street Railway
System is Tied Up.
Six Days Have Elapsed and Both
Sides Are Still Firm.

Milwaukee, Wis, May 1.-THE strike
inaugurated by the motormen and con-
ductors in the employ of the Milwaukee
Electric Railway and Light company to
enforce their demands of 70 instead OF
19 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
panies-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
onstrations on the Kinnickinnc line and
at noon cars were taken off this branch
" ANOlu lIOuDic. LII the evening DOyS
and hoodums 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 Il patrol wagon full of officers
came over to rescue the two men.
Second Day.
10
was the walk-out of the electrical work
ers out of sympathy for the strikers.
The electrical workers did not all obey
the order of the union, and the men in
the power house which supplies the city
lght, were at work last night. This was
done by the order of the union, as it
was pointed out that the cause of the
striking car men would be hurt IN case
the city was made to suffer. The idea
OF a general sympathy strike is still adj
hered to, but the labor leaders believe
that it 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
is being made against union recognition
and that in case the street car employees
are 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
h,.na II hIrt hrio y,Ia no
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 a big
crowd, which grew unruly later in the
evening. Stones were thrown and the
situation was menacing for a 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 uglier feeling
om the part of the element ympathizing
with the strikers and the move toward
arbitration. The former was very de-
cided and more arrests were made than
for the entire remaining period of the
strike.
The council met in special session in
the afternoon and took up the question of
che strike with the announced intention
of trying to arrange some plan of arhi-
n1 10 ~
present situation. The members took
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-
&StonS.
One of the most ominous features of
the day was the intimate that there is
Il possibility that the unions in other
trades 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
at 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,
since the street railway strike began,
have created disorder throughout the
city. the department is unable to prevent
the 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-
cAied and even beaten by crowds which
they attempted to dispense. streets were
blockaded and demonstrations were fire.
measures, and arrested all those who
were found to be responsible for demon
STATIONS. During the stoning of the