The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-21
MANY CONCERNS SIGN. new SCALE
Walk Out Not Yet Extended to Allied Trades, EXCEPT
in Few In~stances-De1nands of Union are Shorter
Hours at Present Wage Schedule.

Washington, May 2O.-Approximatt
IS $4,000 machinists throughout tn
country struck today for a nine-hou
day; a scale Of wages equal to tn
present ten-hour per day scale an
other demands. This is the estimat
of President O'Connell of the Nationa
Association of Machinists, based OF
Geographic advices that have reached
here today from machinists' headquar
tiers in the various districts.
The strike has thus far not extend
ed to the allied trades, save in one o.
two instances, as at Scranton, Pa.
where the men in a part Of the allied
trades are out. No machinists en-
gagged in government work are affect
ed. This is due to the fact that on
such work an e%ight-hour a day scale
alrea ly prevails. Railroad machinists
as a rule are not involved in the
strike, though the men on several
raods are out. The Central Vermont
shop machinists at st. Adams, mum.
bering probably 200 have struck. The
Lehigh Valley road machinists at Buff
falo, W~ilkesbarre and Elmira are out,
aggregating about 500 all told. The
Delaware, Lackawana & Western men
at Buffalo, Syracuse, Wilkesbarre and
intermediate points are out. The
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe men are
also out. The strike ordered, how
ever, does not apply to the railroads
generally. 1t is explained at head
quarters that there is no competition
between the railroads and the private
works and that work among the pri-
vate establishments is to be adjusted
first.
The situation this afternoon was
summarized by President O'Connell in
the following statement to the Associ-
ated Press:
1--WE are demanding a nine-hour day
universally throughout the trade and
an increase Of wages to overcome the
loss of the hour in time; regulation
of the apprenticeship system and the
number that shall be employed, in &C.
cordance with the number of machin-
lists employed; agreements as to arbi-
tration of all disputes that may arise
in the future; the right Of the machin-
lists to be represented by a committee
and agreements that there shall be
absolutely nc discrimination against
machinists because of their member
ship in the union.
From the present indications and
the statements issued from headquar-
tiers at the various points the orders
are being generally obeyed and in
larger numbers than was anticipated.
In certain cases where only a few
hundred were expected to be involved
the indications are that the number
will be increased so per cent. The
number of firms signing indicates that
in localities where the agreements are
being made the strike will not last
over a few days. In other localities,
where a large number of men are
being involved, l look forward to an
adjustment being reached within the
present week."
Following is a statement of the num-
Der OF men out at important points:
Hartford, Conn, 1000; Ansonia and
Derby, Conn, 500; Hamilton, O., 1000;
Buffalo, N. Y, 1900; Scranton, $500;
Cincinnati, completely tied up and g.
900 men cut: Connersville, Ind, 200;
Palestine, Tex, 200; York, Pa, 800;
East Orange, N. j., 800; Oswego, N. Y,
400; Norfolk, Va, all shops out, 500
men. Word from other large cities
is tardy in reaching here.
Telegraphic reports to Mr.. O'Con-
nell show the following number of
firms which signed the agreements
today: Kenosha, Wis, all; Milwaukee,
Wis, five; Wilmington, Del, two; To-
ledo, one; Auburn, N. Y, all; Ana
conda, Mont, all; Denver, all; st.
all; New Orleans, all; Danburv.
Conn, all; Pittsburg, 80 per cent:
Franklin, Pa, all; Youngstown, O., all:
Cleveland, Is; Rochester, N. Y, 80
per cent; Buffalo, SO per cent; Niagara
Fails, all; T~onnowanda, all; Trenton,
j., rs per cent; Baltimore, IL:
Philadelphia, 25; New Haven, 8.
These firms have conceded the de-
lands and their men are at work as
kual: