Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-03
FRESCO'S BIG STRIKE ON
Traffic at a Standstill as Result
of Transfers Fight.
CITY FRONT FEDERATION OUT

Twelve Thousand Men Join Original
Strikers Ranks-They Claim II 10
Fight For General Recognition Of
the Labor Unions.
San Francisco. July 31-The labor
trouble in this city reached a crisis
yesterday. MSratime traffic and labor
along shore are nearly at a standstill,
and Industries are almost totally par
alyzed.
The order for general walkout of
The City Front Federation, which COM
prises Ia unionsand organizations, with
a full membership of about Ii, 900, was
made effective yesterday morning.
Three thousand of these men are
employed at sea or In other cities, and
the strike order does not apply to them
until they return to San Francisco.
Twelve thousand men obeyed the or
der yesterday.
The City Front Federation Is COM
posed OF the following organisations:
Sailors Union OF the Pacific, four local
unions OF longshoremen, marine fire.
men, brotherhood of teamsters, ship
and steamboat joiners, porters, pack
ers, warehousemen, ship clerks, pile
drivers and bridge builders, hoisting
engineers, steam and hot water filters,
and coal teamsters.
When the order to walkout went into
effect all the big shipping companies,
with one exception, were left without
. union man BY a special agreement
entered into some time ago between
the Pacific Coast Steamship company
and the Firemen's union, firemen re-
NAMED on the vessels of that company.
1t Is claimed by the officers OF all
the organizations involved that the
strike is not purely an expression OF
sympathy with the union OF teamsters,
or any other body OF workers who are
In dispute with their employers, but
is taking up OF the gauntlet thrown
down by the employers association.
In other words, the City Front Fedora
ton Is determined to defend the prin-
ciple OF unionism, which the associat-
ed employers have announced their in
tention to crash out. Both sides seem
determined to carry the fight on, and
all efforts on the part OF the mayor
and others TO bring about a concilia-
tory settlement have this far proved
unavailing. 1t Ia reported, unauthori-
tatively, that several OF the larger
wholesale houses will close down until
the strike is settled. Walter Con-,
president OF the labor council, said to-
day: ,,ss.~--
This is th3 greatest strike In the
history Of the state Its effects will
be far reaching; the city and state will
suffer untold damages, but the respon-
sibility for II Is all with the employ
ers. They have discharged men right
and left for adhering TO union princi-
pies and In taking up the battle, the
affiliated trades are merely fighting for
their rights"
There Is every prospect that many
other unions will be drawn into the
fight, In which case the business OF the
city will be completely tied up. The
coal handlers may refuse to handle the
fuel supply Of the city, or the drivers
of oil wagons 20 deliver oil to manu-
facturers who use that product for fuel.
The coal supply OF the city will last
but two weeks with ordinary consump-
ton. but with economy 1t may be made
to last few weeks longer. Should
the coal and oil supply be cut of, the
lighting company will be compelled to
close down and the city will be left
in darkness after night fall.
Several disturbances occurred yes
terday, and the first really serious fight
since the trouble commenced took place
between party OF strikers and two
colored drivers imported from the in
terror. The colored men state they
were attacked and fired into the strik-
"ers In self defense. One man, a strik-
"er who happened to be crossing the
greet near the scene Of the trouble
Was slightly injured The non-union
men were arrested but were released
on bail.