The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-06
Hard to Say What Next
Move Will Be.
Masters of Vessels Ordered to
Put Crews to Work.

Buffalo, n. T.. May 5.-The members
of the state Iboard of arbitration and
mediation have worked hard today In an
endeavor to settle the existing trouble on
the docks. Conferences have been held
with the strike leaders, meetings have
been addressed and speeches listened to
and at midnight a conference is going
on at the Iriquois hotel at which repre-
sentatives of all the interests involved
are present and determined effort is be-
ing made to bring about q settlement;of
the difficulty. While there is every indf.
cation that Contractor Conner 10 willing
to make concessions 10 the strikers in the
way of advanced wages and the removal
of the saloon bosses, the strikers show
most uuyieiding spirit.
meeting was held this afternoon at
which were present fully 5000 scoopers.
When o member of the state boayd ad-
vanoed and asked them II they would re-
one-that Of the Withdrawal Of the con
tract from MIR. ConneYs-were conceded,
there was o great shout Of mo, never.
We will not go to work for any contrac-
tors
In the face of this spirit the members
aged and should no agreement be reached
| at tonight's conference the board will
cease it's endeavors in that line and order
. public Investigation of the whole mat
ter.
The strike of all union men employed
on the docks that WAS prophesied for noon
today did not occur. President McMsh"n
Of tbs new s,oopers unioi l ays that at tA
| request of the state board 1t was ueie.. Il
24hours. The situation in the harlor is, If
anything, worse than last night.
so far this season 80 grain laden o ts
| have arrived in port. OF this mum ber
but 25 have been unloaded leaving 90 st !
to be handled with the prospect of further
arrivals during the night The contract
ors claim to be working 12 elevators, but
while this is probably true the number of
men placed on each hoat is so small that
but little progress is being made.
Traffic on the Erie canal s threatened
with almost . complete stoppaee as re.
suit of the strike. Boats are arriving
with freight to be unloaded and others
are waiting here for loads both for grain
and heavy freight, but men cannot be had
to do the work.
RESULTED IN NOTHING.
Buffalo, May 6.-At O'Clock this morn
ing the conference between the different
| interests was closed. Nothing was accom-
pIished. MIR. Gould vf Cleveland as coun.
sci for the Lake Carriers association
made the argument for the vessel owners.
! He said that while the association would
see that the scoopers received fair treat
ment 1t could not and would not abro-
gate Mr.. O'Conner's contract Repre-
sentatives of vessel owners in Buffalo and
Cleveland pleaded for settlement of the
| strike, but President McMahon of the
New Scoopers union and his associates
would consent to nothing until the con-
tract system was abolished and::the menals
lowed to deal directly with the Lake
Carriers association. Thus the matter
| stands.
| What the next move will be it is impos-
sible to say. The Lake Carriers asooi-
alton has ordered the masters of vessels
to pit their crews at work snovelling
grain. In case the men refuse which Is
| likely, another complication will arise.