Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-12
TRUCK DRIVERS OUT
Individual Members OF Truck
Drivers Union Refuse to
Haul Freight.
Strike in Sympathy With Freight
Men Tho the Truckmen
Plead Fear.
Commission Merchants May
Lose S5oo.o0o in Perishable
Commodities.

| Chicago. July 12.-Members of the
! Truck Drivers Union, as individuals.
in sympathy with the striking freight
handlers, refused to haul freight this
morning and every freight house in the
city is tied up The men took out their
wagons as usual in many instances,
only to drive them to the warehouses
and block the entrances and exits. Fully
One hundred drivers went in this way
to the freight houses of the Illinois Cen
t.al. They backed their teams up
alongside the platforms, but would
handle no freight. Most of the truck
men who visited the depots We're from
South Water street. where vegetables,
fruit butter, eggs, poultry and like are
dealt in by Wholesalers. Other truck
men, it is said, in many instances, re-
fused to take out their trucks at all
or having done so. drove to headquar-
ters of their union and begged perms-
sion to refrain from work. They pleaded
as an excuse that they feared personal
violence at the hands of freight hand
lers on picket duty. such as befell a
number of teamsters yesterday. j.
Thompson, secretary of the union, told
the men it was their duty to work as
long as work was possible. but his ar
Suments We're not successful. Allega-
tions of fear on the part of teamsters
are believed to be merely excuse, the
real reason. many of the men admitted,
was that the truckmen desired to aid
the striking freight handlers and would
not deliver or receive freight to or from
nom union men at present in the ware-
houses. If the freight handlers strike
is settled today the teamsters will at
ment fail, it is said the commission
merchants on South Water street will
lose 100000 thru destruction of perish
able goods today. While the teamsters
We're making the situation extremely
embarrassing. the freight handlers We're
holding meetings at which committees
were appointed to visit the railroad
managers, in accordance with the plan
proposed by the Chicago Board of Ar
bitration last night SO many plans of
arbitration and compromise have failed
that no one could be found to predict
the outcome of these conferences. Canal
street, which leads to the warehouses
of the Burlington road. was again
blocked this morning, a double line of
trucks extending a distance of five
blocks. Several big firms. after listen
ing to the expressions of fear from their
drivers, decided not TO send their trucks
out at all today. Police guards at all
the depots were reinforced this morning
by bringing in more men from the out
living districts. Policemen stand in
pairs to increase their efficiency and in
order to protect each other against sud-
den assault.
The freight house superintendents
We're in perpleNing fix. Most of then
Gy bringing in men from other cities
and towns to take the places of striking
freight handlers and clerks. had sutti
cient force on hand to handle the usual
quantity of freight. but the detection of
the truck men left them with no freight
to handle Non-union freight handlers
found themselves with almost as little
to do as the teamsters who blocked the
approaches.
AT the headquarters of.the Transfers
Union it was said 5000 teamsters We're
out. leaving less than 200 at work. who
would quit work as soon as word reach
ed them. There are now about $1,000
out on Il strike.
At the meeting of the teamsters this |
afternoon it was stated that a commit
tee will be appointed to call upon the
numbering 5000 to strike if
the freight handlers strike is not set |
fed by tonip pht The teamSterS claimed |
the Switchmen are ready to strike. 1t |
ic reported at the strikers headquarters
that practically all the railroads had
refused to pay over IL cents an hour.
thus bringing about a deadlock. Sew
aral conferences. however, are still on.