The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-03
WESTERN UNION
OFF The FLOOR
Surprising Development Marks the
Opening Of New Exchange
Room.
The Company Had Not Signed Its
Contract and Rent Was
Raised.
Having Made Concessions in Bucket
Shop Fight, the Company
Is Surprised.

,'he most sensational move in the var
between the Minneapolis Chamber Of
Commerce and the Western Union Tele-
forces Of the telegraph company, bag and
ba gga &c. messengers and men. We're put
off the floor. Dire confusion reigned on
Change when it was learned what had
been done. Trading was about to start
in the big exchange room of the new
building. and the floor was crowded with
men waiting for the stroke OF the gong
70 announce the opening.
The news that the Western Union had
been ruled off the floor spread consterna-
ton among the traders, who have been
dependent upon that company for COM
munication. and who We're cut off frcm
quick touch with their country CORE
spondents. The Chicago quotations were
not posted the board The private Wire
houses did fairly we'll. but the trade in
general labored under tremendous ham
dcap There were no private telephone
lines in operation, the public telephone
lines on the board We're not in the best
working order. and there was no way to
send a rush message by Western Union
except to go down four floors and run a
block to the corner Of Third street and
Fourth avenue S.
Not a Bucket Shop Move.
The move this morning not di-
reCtly d part of the bucket shop fight.
The real question involved in that fight
has been settled. The action this morn
ing due to the fact that the chamber
raised the rent of the telegraph company
in the new building. the telesra phi COM
pany failed to sign the contract and found
itself barred out. The stand of the cham
Der is final and the officers declare the
company will never come on the floor
until it signs the contract which calls for
the payment of 900 annually.
hn1r Of IF he cha M her
met in secret session on Saturday after
noon. A representative Of the Western
Union appeared at this meeting and out
lined the position Of his company. He
was given until this morning to sign the
contract.
The Western Unions Position.
The Western Union takes the stand that
st cannot pay the rental that. while the
chamber has given it a larger floor space
~ the new building. this was done for
the convenience Of the members and does
not mean more revenue for the company;
that the company has conceded in full
the demands of the chamber in regard to
withholding quotations from the bucket
shops. and that. in view OF the fact that
an amicable relationship existed between
it and the chamber and all disputed ques-
lions were on the point Of being settled
by unconditional surrender on the part
of the company. the action Of the cham
Der in ruling the company off the floor
is a great surprise and q great d1sappo1nt-
ment. And the charge is made that the
chamber has made concessions to the. 9TH
er companies. and Is thus discriminating
against the Western Union.
In the old building. the Western Union
paid $1,000 a year. and the Postal and
North American companies the same
rental. When the rental schedule for the
new chamber made out these figures
were raised to SO, 900. The Western Union
charges that the chamber afterWard made
concessions to the other companies.
Chamber Officials Silent.
No officer Of the chamber will say under
what terms the Postal and North Ameri
can have their new quarters. If there had
been concession, however. the argument
OF discrimination would hardly hold good,
in the opinion of members for the reason
that the relationship Of the Chamber is
vastly different with the Western Union
than with other companies. For one
thing. the Chamber pays the Western
Union about $4,000 year for carrying
quotations to and from other trading
centers. On fair calculation the mem
bers of the Chamber pay to the Western
Union $3.50. 900 a year in tolls on private
messages. To suppose that in fifteen years
the business Of the company has not in
creased sufficiently to stand this in
creased rental, the members say, is alb
surd The two offices just outside the en-
trance to the exchange room rent for
$4,000 year and in view Of this. the
rental asked for space almost as large
on the floor is considered very moderat e.