The San Francisco call., 1901-10-01

~ HERE were important develop
ments in the machinists' strike
yesterday, and for a time 1t
IL seemed victory would perch on
the banners of the employers.
Some thirty-hve machinists returned to
work after having accepted, so the en-
.ployers assert, the old ten-hour schedule,
but during the day the pickets got in
their work and at o'clock last evening,
after working nine hours, the greater
with the announcement that they would
not return again until the demands OF
the strikers outlined on May 20 had been
The shop particularly interested in this
ultimatum is the National Iron Works,
conducted by MeSSrs. MarShutZ & Can
May 20 when the strike was declared this
firm lost some forty employees and since
that time its operations were almost
completely at a standstill. The firm de-
clined persistently to grant the nine
hour day with ten hours pay. Last
Thursday the executive committee of the
Machinists' Union called upon Mr.. Can
trell and after a conference the agree
ment was reached that the ten-hour rule
would be temporarily maintained, the
men agreeing to stand by the old sched-
ule. The firm was at no time unwilling
10 recognize the nine-hour rule, provided
pay for nine hours work was accepted.
This proposition was distastetul to the
leaders Of the striking machinists, but
some Of the men themselves secretly
favored the plan.
In consequence Of the agreement ar
rived at with Mr.. Cantrell, fifteen ma
chinists, five blacksmiths and two mold
ers appeared at the foundry at O'Clock
yesterday morning and began operations.
A few minutes later the union pickets
began 10 arrive. and throughout the Gay
their number was augmented until
o'clock, when fully one hundred strikers
were on hand. At noon several OF the
machinists in the foundry were ap-
preached by the pickets, and an animal
ed debate was the result When the men
returned to work at o clock the formal
announcement was made that the crew
would work until o'clock only. Mr.. Can
trell interrogated the men, and charged
them with violating the terms of their
agreement. The men said they were sor-
ry, but ii was unwise for them to work
according to the schedule in force at the
They glanced with considerable concern
at the crowd of pickets outside, and one
Of them hinted that it might be danger
Gus for them to work the limit of ten
hours. That the presence of the pickets
had the effect Of intimidating the men
and forcing them to violation Of their
agreement TO work ten hours until fur
ther notice. the members Of the firm 90
not hesitate TO declare.
Leave Shops Reluctantly.
Promptly at o'clock the men threw
down their tools and the hum Of the ma
chinery was stilled. Several of the older
the shop with tear-dimmed eyes, and all
Of them expressed their regret at the out
come Of the affair. They were willing
were forced to obey orders from union
headquarters, although in doing so they
were actually depriving their wives and
children of their daily bread. The firm
declined to recognize the nine-hour sched-
Ule, whereupon the men announced that
they could not again return to work I'M
less the union demands were recognized.
AS this surrender is improbable, the Ma
tional Foundry viii remain closed for the
present.
A gain Of ten machinists was made yes
terday by the Risdon Iron Works and
eight by the Union Iron Works. In these
instances the returning machinists were
not so easy Of access by the picketS, the
result being that the men were not inter-
fered with. These men worked the full
ten hours. according to the old schedule,
and when they quit work it was the un-
derstanding that they would return this
morning. Some Of the men remained in
the works, where the company maintains
do not return those now in the works are
certain to remain.
No Concessions Made.
E c. Cantren of the National Foundry
made the following statement last night:
When the machinists returned TO work to-day
it was with the distinct understanding that
do so was violation Of that agreement. While
we have opposed the demands Of the strikers
we have at no time resisted the nine-hour plan
provided pay for nine hours only should be the
rule. When the men went back believed
the strike was practically settling itself, but
we never intended II to be understood that we
were making any concessions to the I
an confident that the men would never have re-
fused 70 work more than nine hours had it not
been for the presence Of the pickets outside the
works The men feared violence and were COM
PEELED 10 take the step they did. We will hold
out to the last am sorry for the men, many
OF whom now in destitute circumstances.
They want TO work but dare not That is the
disgraceful condition of affairs in this city at
the present time
At the Office of Business Agent Wisler
of the Machinists' Union it was asserted
in the afternoon that the National Iron
Works managers had agreed to the nine
hour day at a rate of wages that was
satisfactory TO the men and to the COM
mittee."