Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-08-02
TRADE PARALYZED
"A Strike of 1900 workmen in
San Francisco.
Members of IL labor Organizations
Cease Work I'm order to Secure Rec
ognition of Union Labor by
Their Employers = Business
Comes TO Stnndstiii.

San Francisco, July 31.-The labor
trouble in this city reached a crisis
yesterday. Maritime traffic and Ia
Dor along shore are nearly at a
standstill, and industries are almost
totally paralyzed.
The order for a general walliout of
the City 'front.' federation, which
comprises ii unions with member
ship of about $4,000, was made ef-
fective in the 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 Sam
Francisco. Twelve thousand men
obeyed the order.
The City Front federation is COM
posed of the following organizations:
Sailors Union of the Pacific, four To-
cal unions of longshoremen, marine
firemen, Brotherhood of Teamstars,
ship and steamboat joiners, portcrs,
packers, warehousemen, ship clerks,
pile drivers and bridge builders, hoist
ing engineers, steam and hot water
filters and coal teamsters.
When the order to walk out went
into effect all the big shipping COM
panies, with one exception, were left
without "a union man. By a special
agreement, entered into some time
| ago between the Pacific Coast Steam
ship Co. and the Firemen's union,
| firemen remained on the vessels of
| that company.
Four coasting steamers, ship and
schooner were the only vessels that
went to sea.
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 team
| sters, or any other body of workers
who are in dispute with their employ
ers, but it is taking up the gauntlet
thrown down by the Employers asso-
citation. In other words, the City
Front federation is determined to de-
fend the principle of unionism, which
the associated employers have an
nounced their intention TO crush out.
Both sides seem determined to
carry the fight on, and all efforts on
the part of the mayor and others to
bring about conciliatory settlement
have proved unavailing. 1t is re-
| ported that several of the larger
wholesale houses will close down
until the strike is settled. Walter
Goff, 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 damages, but the
responsibility for it is all with the
employers. They have discharged
men right and left for adhering to
the union principles, 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 to deliver
oil to manufacturers who use that
duct for fuel. The coal supply of
the city will last but two weeks with
ordinary consumption, but with econ
omy it may be made TO last few
lweelcs longer. Should the coal and
oil supply be cut off, the lighting
companies will be compelled TO close
down and the city will be left in
darkness after nightfall.
Several disturbances occurred yes
terday. The first really serious fight
took place between party of strik-
ers and two colored drivers imported
from the interior. The colored men
claim they were attacked and fired
on the strikers in self-defense. One
man, striker who happened to be
crossing the street near the scene of
the trouble, was slightly injured. The
strikers claim the shooting was ua-
provoked.