The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-15
CONFERENCE PRODUCED NO DEfI-
MITE RESULT
STRIKES FROM SYMPATHY
Teamsters Meet sunday tn Cali q
Though One Existca-Most OF
the Railroad Swftchmen VIII he
Asked 10 Come 0ut-Longshorcmcn
May be Approached.

Chicago. July 12-Conferences s1e-
tween the striking freight handlers and
the managers OF the railroads did not
produce any definite results today. All
the railroads. with the exception % the
Chicago and Northwestern. Erie and
Illinois Central. refused to recede from
their position. and declared that the
men must ACCEPT the terms offered
them on July 1st. This means seven
teen cents an hour. and a period OF pro-
baton for new men.
The demands OF the men were Is.
cents time. and one half for overtime.
and no period OF probation. all men to
receive full pay from the start. The
northwestern road offered l. L. cents
an hour. single Time for over time for.
men employed by the DAY. but not for
men whose wages are paid by the
month.
The Erie. offered seventeen cents,
single time for overtime. and no period
OF a probation
The Illinois Central declared that IL
had made an agreement with its EN-
ployees since the Inauguration of the
strike. and that 1t would do no more
The men must accept that or remain
on strike.
Although it has been the understand
ing of the members OF the board OF ar
bitration and that OF the general man.
ayers of the railroads, that the COM
| mittees which were to call on the rail-
road managers would have full power
| to reject all proposals from the roads.
| the committees announced at the con-
clusion Of the conferences. that they
| did not possess this power, but were
compelled to report back to the officers
OF the union. They declared they had
been sent tozthe ccnferences with M
structions to demand eighteen cents.
but If that was found TO be impossible
| to obtain, to take seventeen and a half.
but even this must not be accepted
until the officers OF the union had been
| consulted
A general meeting OF the frei-af
| handlers will be held tomorrow night.
at which the advisability of accepting
the offers Of the Northwestern and Erie
roads will be discussed
4
| be held tomorrow, to call a strike Ia
sympathy with the freight handlers.
but the officials OF the organization
declare that no strike will be called by
the organization as long as they can
| prevent ii. While there may be no
| official strike of the teamsters.
| the condition is the same as
though one existed. The truck team
| sters refused today to accept freight
for the freight houses and In many OF
the wholesale houses they were in
formed by their employers that IL 1.
was impossible 20 deliver the freight.
they need not attempt 70 do so.
The railroads deprecate this attitude
on the part OF shippers and say that
! they are prepared to handle freight IL
II Is brought to them. They claim that
the strike OF the teamsters is a matter
| between their employers and the team
| sters, and that 1t Is no affair OF the
railroads. and they do not see why
| they should make further concessions
| TO the freight handlers for the sake of
| producing peace between the shippers
and their men.
The freight handlers. who are now
| fully assured of the aid of th. team
sters. whether a strike shau be sanc-
toned by the organization or not, an
| nounced tonight that they will make
| an effort TO call out the railroad
switchmen. by appealing to them not
to handle cars Of freight that are Load
| ed by non-union men. Itwas an
| nounced at the headquarters OF the
freight handlers union that this had
been done. but Grand Master Hawley
Of the switchmen's union, who In In the
| city on business. having no connection
with the strike OF freight handlers said
that he had received no such request
and that under rules OF his organiza-
ton it would be out OF the question
for him to call a strike and he did not
believe that there was any prospect OF
the men going out to aid the freight
handlers.
The national convention OF the long,
shoremen Is now In session here, and
Grand Master Keefe. Of that body said
tonight that he had not been an
preached In the matter Of q sympa-
thetic strike. but that the freight
handlers could present their request
to the convention ON Monday II they
should desire to do 30. What action
would be probable IN such an event.
Mr. Keefe declared he could not guess.
: - a.