New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-03
THE STRIKE IN CHICAGO.
MAY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE EN-
TIRE COUNTRY-UNIONS SENDING
OUT INSTRUCTIONS

Chicago, March 2-It is now expected that
the strikes inaugurated here by the unions in
the building trades and among the machinists
may spread all over the United States. involving
nearly million and half men, and include the
railroads Of the country as well as the trades.
The unions say they will call out the machinists
employed on any railroad that carries freight
for factories. building contractors or machine
shops that refuse to employ union men,
Already instructions have been sent by Presi-
dent OConnel of the International Association
or Machinists to the members of the Executive
BOARD or the machfnists' association to prepare
for strikes in many OF the large cities. Stuart
Reid, the general organizer. is in Milwaukee;
F. j. Conlon has left for Kansas City, ]. B. Fer
guson is in charge at Cleveland J. C. DagIish is
looking after the situation at Buffalo and J. Fl.
Holmes is in Toronto.
Signs OF activity noticeable at the head
quarters Of the machinsts. at No. 239 Randolph
St, to-day. where the leaders receiving
ports from the shops the men quit work
SYMPATHETIC STRIKES
| in New-York George H Warner George n
Cameron and several others are on the ground
and it is not expected there will be much
trouble. Manufacturers there have just agreed
to a nine hour day and may keep out of the
fight AS for the railroads, each road will be
taken as an individual, and where a grievance
Is found the men Will be called out all along
tina. system. This will result, 1t is said in many
OF the other unions joining in sympathetic
strikes. About two hundred and fifty thousand
machinists, both union and non union will be
affected in the United States and Canada and
probably two hundred and fifty thousand men
working in the allied trades may walk out.
There nearly million employed
by the railroads of the country who will be
rendered idle in general strike is declared.
Union men In every machine shop in Chicago
are now on strike. A general order instructing
them TO drop their tools was issued to-day by
President OConnell and It is considered prac-
tically certain that sympathetic strikes will
follow, and that In Chicago alone 1000 men
VIII be out of work within few days. While
this move has been expected. 1t thought
the manufacturers would come to an agree
rnent with the union at the conference with
the labor leaders yesterday, but after fiat
refusal to make terms President OConnelI set
about TO start the war, which now is on in
earnest.
AT a meeting of the Board of Business Agents
OF the Material Trades Council to-day II was
unanimously decided that this organization
should stand by the machinists in their fight
and the trades affiliated with this council will
be called out whenever it is deemed necessary
This decision to-day means that, In a compare
lively short time mill hands. blacksmiths metal
works and men in other trades will become IN
VOWED In the struggle, and by the first day of
May Chicago may be In the midst OF labor
war that will mean paralysis OF trade and in
all proba bility, cost many lives. for feeling Is
running nigh among the members Of the unions
ana they say they propose to carry their point
at all hazards. Non union men run the risk of
death whenever they take the places of strikers