Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-05-21
$4,000 MACHINISTS'
Stop Work and Begin Their g.
Hour Day Fight.
Hundreds Of Shops All Over the Cour-
try Crippled and Closed.
Leaders Predict thlt Strike will Be Short and
Men Will Win.

Washington, May 20.-Approxinlatelv
h0,W0 machinists throughout the coun-
try struck. today, for a 9-hour day, a
scale of wages equal to the present 10
hour per day scale and other demands.
This is the rough estimate of Prcsi-
dent O'Connell of the National Asso-
citation of Machinists based on the
Geographic adviccs that have reached
j him, today. from the machinst5' head
quarters in the various cities
The strike thus far has not extended
to the allied trades. save in one or two
| instances. Nc machinists engaged in
government work are affected. Rail
road machinists are not, as a rule in
volved in the strike, though the men
on several roads are out. The strike
order does not apply to the railroad
generally.
| 1t is explained at headquarters that
| there is no competition between the
railroads and the private work and
that work among the private establish
mcnts is to be adjusted first
| The situation. this afternoon. was
summarized by President O'Connell in
the following statement to The Asso-
ciated Press:
| We are demanding 9-hour day
universally throughout the trade, with
| an increase of wages sufficient to over
come the loss of the hour in time
| regulation of the apprenticeship sys-
tenn and the number that shall be en-
ployed in accordance with the number
of journcymen machinists employed
agreements as to arbitration of all dis
| in hA fn
the right of the machinists to be repre-
| Sented by 4 committee and agreements
that there shall be absolutely no dis
| elimination against machinists because
of their membership IN the union.
From the present indications and
the statements issuing from the head
quarters at various points. the orders
are being generally obeyed and in
larger numbers than was anticipated
| In certain cases where only a few
| hundred men were expected to be in
volved the indications are that tho
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 few days. In other localities
where a larger number of men are be-
ing involved l look forward to an ad-
iustment 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. Ohio
1000: Buffalo. 1900: Scranton. Pa. 2500;
Cincinnati, completely tied up and
5000 men out: Connorsville. Ind. 200:
Palestine. Texas. 200; York. Pa. 300.
East Orange. n. j.. 800; Oswego. n. Y,
500: Norfolk. Va. all shops out. 500.
Word from other large cities is
tardy in reaching here. TeleSraphic
reports to Mr.. OConnell show the fol
lowing as the number of firms which
signed the agreements. today:
| Kenosha. Wis. all: Milwaukee, Wis.
5: Wilmington. Del. 2: Toledo. Ohio. l;
| Auburn. n. Y. ALL Anaconda. Mont.
| ALL Denver. Col. all; st. Louis. all;
| New Orleans. all: Danbury. Conn. all;
| Pittsburg Pa. 90 per cent: Franklin
Pa, all: Youngstown. Ohio. all: Cleve-
land. Ohio. Is: Rochester N. ", 30 per
| cent: Buffalo. n. Y. so per cent
| Niagara Falls. all: Topawanda. N. ".
| all: Trenton. n. J., 10 per cent: Balti-
more. IL, Ph1ladeiphla, 20 view
| Haven, s.
| Those establishments having con-
coded the demands their men are at
| work as usual.
Mr.. O'Conncll said. tonight. that up
| to ) O'Clock reports show that 904 firms
employing approximately 10000 men,
had signed the agreements for the y
I our day or made satisfactory arrange
ments with the local organizations.