The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-21
THEY ARE ALMOST ALONE
No Strike Declared Yet by the Allied
Trades.
FEW RAILROAD MEN ARE INVOLVED
President o. ConnelI Makes Statement Show
ing the Mems Demands and Describing
the Situation. He Believes the
Strike Will be Won.
CRy the Associated Press.l


Washington, May 20.-Approximately
fifty thousand machinists throughout
the country struck today for a nine
hour day. a scale of wages equal %
the present ten hour day scale, and
other demands. This is the rough es-
innate Of President O'Connell, of the
National Association of Machinists
based on the telegraphic advices that
have reached him today from the laa-
chinists headquarters in the city. he
service thus far has not extended TO the
allied trades, save in one or two in
stances, as at Scranton, Pa, where men
in a part of the allied trades are out.
No machinists engaged ir Government
work are affected. This is due TO the
fact that on such work an eight hour
a day scale already prevails. Railroad
machinists as a rule are not involved
in the strike, though the men on sew
eral roads are out. The Central Yer
mont shop m achinists at st. Adams,
numbering probably 200. have struck.
The Lehigh Valley Railtoad machln-
lists at Buffalo, Sayre, WIlkesbaTe and
Eimira are out, aggregating about 100
all told The Delaware, -Lackawanna
and Western men at Buffalo, Scranton.
Wilkesbarre and intermediate points
are out. The Gulf Colorado and Santa
Fe men also are out. The strike order,
however, does not apply 30 the railroad
generally.
The situation this afternoon was sun
married. by President O'Connell in the
following statement to The Associated
Press: a.
I'VE are demanding a nine hour day
universally throughout the trade, with
an increase of wages sufficient to over
come the loss of the hour in time reg
ulation of the apprenticeship syster1 in
accordance with the number of jour
neymen machinists employed, and the
number that shall be employed; agree
ments as TO arbitration of all disputes
that may arise in the future the right
of the machinists to be represented by
a committee; and agreements that there
shall be absolutely no discrimination
against machinists because of their
membership in the Union.
From the present indications and the
statements issuing from headquarters at
the various points, the orders are being
| generally obeyed, and in larger numbers
than was anticipated In certain cases
| where only few hundred were expected
to be involved the indications are that
! the number will be increased fifty per
cent The number of firms singing indi-
| Gates that in localities where the agree
/ ments are being made the strike will not
! last over a few days. In other localities,
where a larger number of men are being
! involved, l look forward to an adjust
! ment being reached within the present
/ week"
! Following is a statement of the number
/ of men out at important points:
! Hartford. Conn, 1000; Ansonia and
! Derby, Conn, 500; Hamilton, Ohio, 1 600 f;
/ Buffalo. 1900; Scranton, 2,500 Cincinnati,
| completely tied up and 5000 men out;
! Connorsville, Ind, 200; Palestine, Texas,
/ 200; York, Pa, 800; East Orange, N. j..
| 300; Oswego. N. Y, 800; Norfolk, Va, all
! shops out, 500 men; word from other large
| cities is tardy in reaching here.
MACON MACHINISTS WAIT.
| Macon, Ca. May 20.-The 100 machinists
| in this city decided not to go on strike
| this morning. They will do nothing until
! after the conference between General
! Manager Cannon and the Southern ma
| chinists in Washington on Thursday.
ALL OUT AT PETERSBURG
Petersburg, Va, May 20-AlI the ma
chinists of the city are on a strike, their
employers having refused to accede to the
| demand for reduced hours and increased
/ pay.
QUIET WALK OUT AT RICHMOND
! Richmond, Va, May 2O-About two
| hundred and thirty machinists went out
here today on the demand for nine hour
| labor day on ten hour basis of pay. The
| greater number were employed at the
Locomotive Works, the Trigg Shipyard
and the Tredegar Iron Works, but it is
stated that work at those plants will
not be delayed for the present None have
quit at the Southern Railroad shops,
though it is understood that committees
| will be sent from the principal shops
! along the system to confer with the COM
pany's authorities at Washington. The ac-
tions of the men in all cases was very
quiet and orderly and devoid of any evil
~