The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-05
Unless Trouble Is Set
tied Before.
About $500 Men Affected Be-
sides 1900 Already Ont.

Buffalo, N. T., May AT noon to-
morrow unless the grain shovellsrs win
their fight against the contractors before
then, all union men employed along the
docks In this city will quit work. That
will inclu do the coal beavers, tally men
stationery engineers. firemen and all
other men employed in the elevators,D
freight houses and other establishments
on the docks. About $500 men will be
affected by this move in addition to the
1900 grain shovellers already on strike.
Henry C. Barter of Detroit, secretary
Of the executive board of international
Ions gshoremen's association who is here
has called a meeting Of the board for Sat-
urday and an endeavor will be made by
1t to bring about settlement of the
trouble. Should the effort prove fruitless,
1t is possible that all the longshoremen
employed ON the docks IN the great lakes
cities may be called upon to quit work.
Individually, Mr.. Barter Is opposed to the
strike of the grain shovellers and upholds
the contractors, butlhe cannot speak for
the board. Urtil action Is taken by the
executive board there will be no move
made at outside ports to aid the strikers.
Today the situation was further compli-
Gated by the refusal Of some 700 freight
handlers to 60 to work under Contractor
Connors. The men say that they arc not
striking out of sympathy for the grain
shovellers, but In order to get rid Of the
middlemen or contractors and secure an
advance in wages from 25 cents to So
cents an hour. So far but two or three
freight boats have arrived here, but a
string of them lie looked for beginning to-
m orrow.
An important event tonight was the
unseating by the United Trades and
Labor Council of the delegates from old
Scoopers Union No. 81. 1t was expected
that the delegates from the new union
formed by the strikers would be seated
but this was deferred. The action of the
council virtually makes all the men now
working for the contractors non-union
men.
The work OF unloading the big feet of
grain carriers now in port proceeded but
slowly today and tonight there ara be-
tween thirty and forty boats in the har-
Dor waiting to be unloaded The action
of the lake carriers association in notify
support him in his fight has given con-
siderable strength to the contractors. 1t
is said tonight that the association has
decided for the present to relieve the con-
tractors from paying demurrage for de-.
| lays to boats during the continuation of
| the strike.
| So far the efforts of the state board of
| ar bitration to bring about Il settlement OF
| the trouble have proven fruitless. Meet
ings were arrange for but representatives
of the different factions either failed to
appear or arrived after the board had
closed their session.
1t is the intention of the members Of
the board to bring about meeting OF the
different parties tomorrow If ut all pos
sible and something may result in the
shape of q settlement. james Carrigan or
Cleveland, president of the Lake Carriers
association, arrived here tonight and
stated that the association intended to
stick by Mr.. ConnOrs and in case 1t
should become apparent that he Is unable
to fulfill his CO ntract and unload all the
grain sent to this port, the grain will be
shipped to Cleveland, Erie. and down the
st. Lawrence by the Canadian canal
route. The only effect Of the strike, said
MIR. Corrigan, If 1t is continued, will be
to destroy Butfalo's grain shipping In
tersts.