Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-07
Nine Thousand Freight Hand
lers Quit Work.
RAILROADS TIED UP
FEARS THAT THE TRANSFERS
MAY JOIN STRIKERS.
Business Men All Alarmed at the
Situation-Some Non-Union
Men Hired.

| CHICAGO. July IA strike of 1900
| freight handlers in Chicago was called to-
| day and every freight house of the twenty
| four railroads concerned is practically tied
up. Business men fear that the strike will
| be. the most serious which has affected
| their interests in years.
| The strike was called by committee ap-
| pointed at q meeting of 900 freight hand
lers held last night The committee was
| instructed TO call strike within forty
| eight hours unless the railroads should
meet the demands Of the men at once for
an increase in wages, extra pay for over
time and holidays and recognition of the
| union.
Action on these instructions was taken
sooner than had been expected The COM
mittee went first to the men in the Michi-
gan Central. Illinois Central and Wisconsin
Central houses on the lake front. The men
walked out with cheers and marched across
the vfaduct on Randolph street with their
union cards tucked in their hats.
Freight at Standstill.
BY messenger and by telephone according
to the strike leaders, all other members OF
the Interior Freight Handlers and Ware
house Mems Union were called out. At
noon President Curran Of the union re-
it was all but impossible for any freight to
enter Chicago or to leave it. Many of the
railroads had small forces of men pre-
viously hired on hand when the strike was
called, and by adding to it men from other
departments managed to handle perishable
commodities.
In the hiring Of non-union men it is said
the railroads run serious risk Of bringing
about strike Of the teamsters who re-
Gently won their fight from the packers.
The teamSters. it is said. will refuse abso-
iutely to have anything to do with freight
IN any way handled by non-union help.
The men on strike include foremen, check,
receiving and delivery clerks: sealers. call
ers, weightmaSters, stevedores, coopers and
elevator men.
Chief Of Police Notified.
Chief of Police O'Neill, when notified that
strike had been called. sent orders to his
subordinates to make every preparation to
preserve peace. Two hundred and fifty
men were called in from outlying stations
to form a reserve force to be stationed at
the downtown stations. From the stations
the men went in squads to the different
yards. There was no marked demonstra-
lions as they entered, although they had to
remain quiet under a running fire of sar-
casm and rough wit.
w. c. Brown, general manager Of the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, said to
the Associated Press of the situation on his
road:
About 80 per cent of our men went out
The remainder, with additional help which
We have hired, are handling our business
as well as could be expected. Our business
is not tied up. and will not be-
j. 7. Harahan, second vice president of
the Illinois Central. said that about half
of his company's $50 men had struck, but
that he had men close at hand to take
their places" Mr.. Harahan said he thought
the strike could have been avoided if the
men had been willing to consult with the
roads through their own committees in
stead of through their union.
No Trouble With Other Employees.
I'VE have no trouble in adjusting differ
employees" said Mr.. Harahan, but the
freight handlers presented a document
through the officers of their union, and we
of course, could not deal with them through
third parties"
In reply to a question Mr. Harahan said
that the railroads We're unit in refusing to
deal with the strikers through their union,
but all Of them were ready at any time TO
discuss and adjust grievances if presented
by their employees.
He did not think there would be much
difficulty In supplying men to take the
strikers places.
Although officials of the teamsters' union
have declared that no Instructions have
been given the teamsters as to backing up
the freight handlers. the sympathy of the
: transfers was made apparent today. When
the men walked out of the Illinois Central
warehouse the transfers who were receiv-
ing or unloading freight Immediately took
their trucks away.
That the railroads are expecting a stren-
uous struggle was made evident today
when the chief detective of an eastern road
bought 100 billies, the entire stock of a
prominent firm.
Chairman Job of the state board of arbi-
tration said today that he would make
every possible effort to bring about peace
between the men and their employers.