Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-16
Chicago Freight Handlers
Return to Work.
ACCEPT FORMER OFFER
CURRAN CHARGES UNION OF
FICIAL WITH TREACHERY.
Heard Him Advising Railway Official
to Held Out Against the
Strikers

CHICAGO, July 16.-The Association of
Railway General Managers, embracing
every road which enters Chicago. have is
sued the following signed statement:
'AH of our old men. not before on hand
for work, reported at the freight houses at
noon today, and were put to work No con-
ference was held with any committee or
otherwise since Tuesday. and no agreement
was made with the union or with any COM
mittee- The men simply reported for work.
and they doubtless expect and will receive
the pay offered July /. and which the rail
road companies have been willing all along
to pay"
After ten days of strife the Chicago
freight handlers strike terminated today in
an unqualified victory for the railroads.
meeting of the strikers. presided over by
President CUrran, resulted in an almost
unanimous vote to return to work. leaving
the wage scale and other questions for set
titment between the men and their respec-
tive roads.
Rush for Their Old Places.
At the conclusion of the meeting the
strikers went by hundreds to the ware
houses to apply for their old positions, and
the teamsters who have remained out in
sympathy again took up their reins. BY
noon Immense quantities of freight, which
had been held back for days, We're being
rushed TO the railroads. or taken from
warehouses and cars. Where stagnation
mad ruled commercial activity again reign
cd Chicago merchants expressed unbound
cd relief at the termination of hostilities
out they were sCarce.y less happy than the
men themselves. although the strike is esti-
mated to have cost them $4,000. 600 to say
nothing of trade that has been permanent
y lost to them.
The little hail where the meeting of the
strikers took place was jammed to suffoca-
tion, and thousands were unable to obtain
entrance 1t was a brief meeting only long
enough for an angry speech by Curran
GrC the vote which followed.
Curran Charges Treachery.
Men said Curran. we came out like
men; We have acted like men, and we
should not go back like sheep. but there
has been treachery in our camp. Yesterday
when ! was about TO use the telephone the
wire got crossed. and l heard one of he
ne tmhers Of ou@ executive committee talk
Ing with a railroad manager. He was en-
cctTa2lES the manager 10 hold out. for he
ted him that the strike was almost broken
That Is a, sample of the faith that has been
kept with me. The officials of the Truck
DRIVERS Mon have not kept faith either
and II seems useless to continue the fsht
any Ionger. Shall We go back and ask for
our old jObS?''
In this simple form the matter was mt
Il
chorus of ayes had brought 10 a peaceful
end one of Chicago's most serious and
threatening labor situations. 1t is believed
tne roads generally VIII allow the truckers
Ii cents an hour and minor concessions
granted by the proposition of July i.
Terms Of the New Agreement.
The proposition accepted by the men was
In effect the one given to President Curran
by the state board of arbitration earlier
In the day, although the proposition in its
proper form was not placed before the
men.
The railroad managers. when told of the
vote TO return TO work. said that wherever
possible the old men would be taken back
a small portion of the new men, however
Will be retained for a time at least No
Wnere was the news Of the settlement re-
celNed with more pleasure than at the
warehouses where thousands of men gath
cred from other points of the various roads
10 take the places Of the strikers were
longing TO return to their homes They
had Deen well fed and given good sleeping
quarters. but the big majority of them be-
ing accustomed to the comfort of their
homes, were tired of being herded"
Mr. Curran, IN the course of his address
to the men, saId:
am going To organize the freight ham
dLers all over the country. and when Ne
decide 10 fight again 1t will not be struy-
gle between the freight handlers in Chi
cago and the railroads but between the
railroads and the freight handlers all over
the country