The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-14
SAN FRANCISCO TIED UP
Strike Of the City Front Federation
ParaIyzes Shore Traffic.
ALL STATES INDUSTRIES SUFFER

Total Of $4,000 Men in Different Trade
Idle-1B.ooO Went Out - Cullninatiol
of Clty's Labor Troubles - Paralysi
OF Wholesale Business District - Call
fornia's Greatest Strike.
San Francisco, Cal.-The Labor
trouble in this city, which has been
brewing for some time, reached a
crisis and as a result maritime traffic
and labor along shore are nearly at
standstill and industries are almost
totally paralyzed.
The order for q general walkout OF
the City Front Federation. which
comprises fourteen unions and or
ganizations, with a full membership
of about $4,000, was made effective.
Twelve thousand men obeyed the
order the first day.
The City Front Federation is COM
posed of the following organizations:
Sailors Union of the Pacific, four
local unions of longshoremen, marine
iremen, Brotherhood of Teamsters,
ship and steamboat joiners. porters'
packers, warehousemcn, ship clerks,
piledrivers and bridge builders, hoist.
Ing engineers, steam and hot water
filters, and coal teamsters.
It is claimed by the officers Of all
the organizations involved that the
strike is not purely an expression of
sympathy with the Union Of Team
sters, or any other body Of workers
who are in dispute with their employ
ers, but is q taking up of the gauntlet
thrown down by the Employers AS
ISOLATION. In other words, the City
Front Federation is determined to
defend the principle Of unionism,
which the associated employers have
announced their intention to crush
out.
Both sides seen determined to carry
the fight OIL, and all efforts on the
part of the Mayor and others to bring
about q settlement have thus for
proved unavailing. Walter Golf,
President of the labor council, said:
This is the greatest strike in the
history of the State. Its effects will
be far-reaching; the city and State
will suffer untold damage, but the
responsibility for it Is all with the
employers. They have discharged
men right and left for adhering to
union principles, and in taking up the
battle the affiliated trades are merely
fighting for their rights.
"Now that the strike is upon us,
we will fight it out. We will win, be-
cause our side is right. Our victory
will mean the success Of union prin-
ciples and the defeat Of the employ
ers' attempt to say that employees
shall not organize or take steps to
protect their labor"
There appears to be every prospect
that many other unions will be drawn
into the fight, in which case the busi-
ness of the city will be completely
tied up. The coal handlers may re-
fuse to handle the fuel supply of the
city. or the drivers Of oil wagons to
deliver oil to manufacturers who use
that product for fuel.
The first really serious fight since
the trouble commenced took place be-
tween a party of strikers and two
colored drivers imported from the in
terror. One man, a striker, who hap
pened to be crossing the street near
the scene Of the trouble, was slightly
injured. Several fights occurred on
the water front, and the police were
compelled to use their clubs freely,
but no one was seriously injured.
The effects of the strike are being
felt in the interior Of the State, and
at fruit shipping quarters much fruit
is being wasted. Other products are
being placed in warehouses await
ing u settlement of the strike. The
transport service has not yet been
seriously affected.