Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-17
WILL HANDLt
OWN FREIGHT
BUSINESS MEN IN DEADLOCK
WITH FREIGHT STRIKERS.
TRAFFIC is PARAlYZED
Both Sides VII! Fight to a Finish and
Neither Will Concede Anything -
Railroads Declare They Will Not
Give Point - Railroads to
Have Police Protection.

Chicago, July 15.-While the whole
sale business of Chicago is almost
paralyzed and business men losing
$1,000,000 day the striking freight
handlers and railroads are in a dead
lock and announce the determination
to fight to finish over the question of
half cent an hour per man. On one
side are arranged "a railroads and on
the other 10000 men, The situation
is more serious than at any time since
the commencement of the trouble anC
at no time since the walkout have the
points at issue been so obstinateIy
maintained. Three times yesterday
freight handlers sent committees to
meet the general managers and three
times they came back without results.
On their first call the committees were
unable to find any of them for the rea-
son the managers were having meet
ing OF their own. On the second call
but nothing definite resulted. The last
committee went to the Milwaukee &
st. Paul office and reported they had
been refused admission and were in
formed their former employers die
not care to receive them and that they
had all the men necessary in their bus
mess and that hereafter no Populations
would be received from employees who
had gone on strike. Officials of the
road declared later that they would
maintain this position. After this was
reported at the headquarters Of the
strikers President Curran announced
the fight was on to a finish. Both sides
now declare they have reached the linn
it and that absolutely nothing will be
conceded. Business men, particularly
those dealing in perishable goods, are
FESTIVE and declare they can endure the
situation but short time longer. 1t is
costing them more than either the
strikers or railroads, and they say if
the strike is not settled within a week
many of them will be badly crippled
President Young of the teamsters ma
tional union arrived last night and the
commission men decided to await the
result of his conference with members
of the union before finally deciding to
go to the depots themselves and haul
away perishable freight. 1t is not be-
lieved the teamsters will obey the Or
ders of the union officers to return to
work. The Erie road has been prom
ised ample police protection should
the merchants make an effort to get
their goods out of the depots. There
were few cases of disorder yesterday.
Tarwell & Company attempted to take
dry goods from their warehouse to the
store, but the crowd cut the traces and
refused to allow the wagons to proceed.
Commission Men Wait.
Chicago, July 15.-Late yesterday
afternoon a meeting of a majority of
the produce commission men of South
Water street was held and it was de-
cided that because the freight hand
lers' strike was running business an ef-
fort would be made today by the COM
mission men to haul their own freight
from the railway yards. Fearing 9
general tumult in downtown streets
such as followed the moving of meat in
the recent packers strike, the commits
sion men called upon Mayor Harrison
and Chief Of Police O'Neil and were as
sured that police protection would be
given them.
Omaha, July 15.-Un'Lss the rail-
roads entering Omaha agree to the
schedule presented by the freight hand
lers there will probably be a general
strike. The men demand an increase
of half cent an hO1r and 2 recOopi-
ton of their union Several confer