Gilpin observer., 1902-07-17
ONE 1 a III
COST or FREIGHT strike TO
CHICAGO. WHOLESALERS.
Situation 10 Admitted to Be eravcr
Than at Any Time Since the
!. Trouble started-ProGucc Market
I 10 Hard Fit.

10 T1dFO FIX
Chicago. July 15.-While the whole
sale business of this city is almost
completely paralyzed and while its
business men are standing loss Of
$1,000,000 day, the striking freight
handlers and the railroads are in
deadlock and announce their deter
mination to fight to the finish over
the question OF one-half cent per
hour, per man, or total of $500 for
every twenty-four hours. this being
dividend on one side between twenty
four railroads, and on the other be-
tween ten thousand men. The situl-
tion Is more serious than at any time
since the commencement of the trou-
bic and at no time since the walkout
have the points at issue been SO OBJ
stinately maintained.
Conferences End in Failure.
Three times yesterday the freight
handlers sent committees to meet the
general managers and three times
they came back without results. The
n <committee that went to the Milwau-
kee and st. Paul road came back
bearing the information that they had
been refused admission and were In
formed that their former employers
did not care to receive them. that
they had all the men necessary in
their business and that hereafter no
1 deputations would be received from
employees who had gone on strike. The
officials of the road declared later
that they would maintain this posi-
tion.
When this had been reported at
headquarters of the strikers, Presi-
dent Curran announced that the fight
was on to a finish and that hereafter
when the railroads had any overtures
to make, or wished to do any bust
ness with their employees they would
be compelled to transact such business
through the officers of the freight
handlers union. Both sides now de-
clare that they have reached the limit,
and that absolutely nothing will be
conceded. The men demand 17ia
cents. the managers say they will not
under any circumstances pay more
than II cents.
Merchants to Take Drivers Places.
A meeting of majority of the pro-
duce men of South Water street was
held and it was decided that because
the strike was running business an eff
fort would be made by the commits
sion men to haul their own freight
from the railway yards. Fearing 4
general tumult in the down town
streets such as followed the moving of
meat in the recent packers strike, the
commission men called upon Mayor
Harrison and Chief of Police O'Neill
and were assured that police protec-
tion would be given them.
The danger to the men who deliver
freight is not so much at the depot
as it will be from the men who will
follow them when they leave the de-
pot, and attack them when they are
not in the vicinity of the police
There were but few such cases yes
<terday, as nobody attempted to de-
liver any freight. One driver took
two small packages to the depot OF
the Pennsylvania road and at last ac-
counts he was still besieged there.
Charges of bad faith were numerous
between President Curran of the
freight handlers union. Secretary
Driscoll of the Chicago arbitration
board and the railroad managers.
Rioting Has Commenced.
The strike reached the rioting stage
last evening and it was only after the
police had charged on the crowd re-
peatedly and arrested eleven men that
a semblance of order was restored.
Eight policemen who were sent with
two teams from the Western Electric
company to the st. Paul freight house
at Carroll avenue and Union avenue
were unable to extricate. the drivers
from the pocket into which they were
forced by angry teamsters. A riot call
sent to the stations was responded to
by several wagon loads of policemen
and after fierce conflict with the OBJ
= structing crowd the wagons were re-
leased and the drivers, bruised by
missiles. were enabled to reach a
place of safety.
Submit New Proposition.
At 2 o'clock this morning q con-
ference between the national execu.
tive board of the Teamsters' Union.
/ the Team Owners association the
Freight Handlers Union. the Chicag
Federation OF Labor and the Truck
teamsters committee resulted In q new
proposition which will be presented
to the railway managers today. In the
new proposition the freight handlers
agree to accept the wage schedule as
presented July 1. After the confer
ence had adjourned the officers OF the
Transfers Union issued petition
asking the teamsters belonging to two
OF the local unions to return to work