The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-19
Wont Work While Con-
ners Has Contracts.
Effort to Be Made to Secure
New Men.

Buffalo, N. Y, May 1S.-The possibility
of an early settlement of the dock strike
was removed this afternoon, and tonight
the end of the trouble is apparently
farther of than ever before.
The grain shovelers have once more de-
clared their intention of refusing to re.
turn to work until the contract between
the Lake Carriers association and Mr..
Conners is abrogated.
The situation Is most peculiar. Yester-
day Bishop Quigley advised the men to
accept the terms offered by Contractor
Conners and to hold themselves in readi-
ness to go to work when he gave the
word.
The Bishop also warned them to hold
no more meetings. Today ST. Bridget's
hall, the headquarters Of the strikers,
which is owned by the Catholic church,
was closed and locked by order of the
Bishop. This afternoon, notwithstand-
ing the fact that at least so per cent of
the strikers are of the Roman Cath Ollie
religion, large number of the grain
shovelers publicly repudiated the Bishop,
refused to accept his advice, and removed
their headquarters to Fillmore hall.
Shortly after three o'clock this after
noon, over / 200 grain shovelers formed
in line in front of st. Bridget's hall and
m arched to Fillmore hall where they
were Joined by about 2.0J0 striking
freight handlers and other sympathizers
and President MaMahon of the union
was summoned. When Mcmahon appear
ed the men voted unanimously TO refuse
to work while Mr.. Connsrs holds the
contract and committee was appointed
to reopen direct negotiations with the
Lake Carriers association.
Resoiutions were adopted disehargfng
the COMMITTEES that has been a,Jipg in
con njuncting with Bishop Quigley. ex-
pressing confidence in President McMa-
hon and refusing to pay any attention
whatever to any call for meeting issued
by the Bishop.
Timothy p. Donovan, the inspector
appointed by the Bishop to represent the
men on the docks and who had brought
about the last agreement with Contrac.
tor Conners, was denounced. bishop
Quigley is out of town tonight and no
statement as to his future course could
be secured. He will return to the city
tomorrow morning.
Information was received today from an
authoritative source that the elevator
men and others who have valuable in
terests on the docks, have determ ined
upon radical action. They propose to
exert every effort to secure men from out
of town to take the places of the strikers :.
The action of the strikers today, they
say, makes it necessary to adopt some
measures other than negotiations In order
to bring about resumption of business
here.
The public Investigation now being
held by the State Board of Mediation and
Arbitration brought out the fact this
afternoon that not only the commerce of
the port of Buffalo, Dut also the entire
commerce of the lakes is in danger of be-
ing permanently crippled by the strike.
Gibson c. douglass Of the Western
Transit company testified that vessel
owners already..have sustained Loss OF
over 100000, that agents.lwere refusing
to load vessels for this port and that the
commerce was being diverted into other
routes. He said that as result Of the
strike western grain shippers had discov-
cred that they could ship grain by rail
from Indiana, Illinois and other sections
cheaper than 1t could be shipped by boat
to Buffalo. His OF inion was that If the
dock troubles continued good portion
of the lake commerce would be perma :
nently destroyed.
The association of lake lines, Bishop
Quigley and the freight handlers union
committee held q conference at 1l.9O a.
m, today, and dis cussed the terms OF the
strike agreement. The lake managers
declined to discuss the abolition of the
contract system for this season, also the
wage schedule on account of present con
traoJs, but took up new matter pre-
sented by the strikers, namely, the dis
charge of Objectionable bosses This mat
ter caused delay and the conference was
adjourned until Friday at 10 a. m.
All the p,embers of the tiremen's union
in port struck at noon. 1t was stated
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