The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-12
THE BUFFALO STRIKES.
Shovelers Will Doubtless Accept
Lake Carriers Proposal.
FREIGHT HANDLERS oBDURATE,

Even should the shovelers Resume
Work the Handlers VIII Probably
Remain on Strike to Enforce Their
Demands For an Increase In Wages.
Buffalo, May 1.-THE strike among
the members of the Freight Handlers
union at this port Is gradually assum-
ing serious aspect. There are about
1000 Of these men pledged not to work
Tor any contractor, and many of these
men are now on strike. Originally
only few of them went out in sympa-
thy with the grain shoyelers, and now
1t Is believed that in case the scoopers
gain their point they will still remain
out until their own difficulties have
been satisfactorily settled.
Several managers of transportation
lines said today that If the contractors
did not quickly demonstrate their abil-
1ty to do the work of loading and TN
loading freight boats they would be
compelled to devise other means of re-
lieying the congestion of traffic at this
port.
At the Lehish Valley docks the COM
pany called in lot of yardmeH and
other employees to take the places of
the strikers. At the Central, Erie and
and other big docks the work was
practically at standstill, the few
freight handlers who were at work
being non-union men.
The freight handlers demand an in
crease of wages from Is cents an hour,
the present rate. to 80 cents an hour
for work outside of the freight houses,
and 20 cents an hour for inside work.
They also ask for the abolition of the
contract system.
The meeting of the advisory COM
mittee of ten, of which Bishop Quigley
is the chairman, which was to have
taken place last night at the bishops
residence, to consider the grain shovel
ers' strike, was postponed until today
owing to the illness of two members
of the committee ex-Congressman
Mahany and President P. ]. Mcmahon
of the Grain Shoveers' union.
The strikers have steadfastly assert
ed that they would not agree to any
terms or concessions made by the en-
ployers except they were accompanied
contract system. On good authority it
was stated this morning that the
scoopers must concede something, and
it is not only possible, but very prob.
able, that they will agree to accept the
terms offered by the lake carriers. The
action Of the Lake Carriers associa-
ton at their meeting in Cleveland yes
terday in endorsing the proposition
made by the associations representa-
tives to the grain shovelers in this
city. and in voting to make no further
concessions, opened the way for a
settlement of the trouble c@e.he basis
of the last proposition made by the
carriers, which will mean that, while
Contractors Corners will remain in
possession of the contract, he will have
no control over the men or the man
ngement of the grain shoveling bust
ness here. All the demans of the men
will be granted with the exception of
the complete abrogation of the con-
tract. |
During the last "a hours a number
of shrewd conservative men who yield |
great influence among the leaders o,
the grain shovelers have been at work
They have told these leaders plainly !
that their stand for the complete aboli- |
tlon of the contract has endangered !
the victory already won by the men,
and that If they maintain their radi- |
cal stand much longer all will be lost.