Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-07-19
TWENTY THOUSAND IDLE
The Second Week of the Freight
Handlers Strike Opens With
Shipping at Standstill.
NO HOPE. FOR AN EARLY SETTLEMENT.
One of the Worst Strikes in Chicn~
gO's HIstory-WhoIesnle Houses
Closed Down, and They Stand TO
Lose MilliOns-The Situation is
Admittedly Very Grave,

Admittedly Very Grave.
Chicago, July 15.-While the whole
sale business Of this city is almost
completely paralyzed, and while its
business men are standing loss OF
s1,0O0,O0O a day. the striking freight
handlers and the railroads are in
deadlock and announce their deter
mination to fight to a finish over the
question of one-half a cent per hour
per man, or total of $500 for every
"a hours, this being divided on one
side between "a railroads and on the
other between 10000 men.
The situation tonight is more seri.
GUS than at any time since the COM
mencement Of the trouble, and at no
time since the walkout have the
points at issue been so obstinately
maintained. Three times to-day the
freight handlers sent committees to
meet the general managers, and
three times they came back without
results, The first call was made with
out giving warning to the managers,
and when the committees arrived
they were unable to find many Of
them, for the reason that the man
ayers were having a meeting Of their
own and were not at their Offices.
The second call produced more cf-
feet, as several of the committees
saw the managers, but nothing def
mite resulted. The last committees
were sent out by President Curran Of
the freight handlers at the demand
of the teamsters, who wanted some-
thing toward a settlement. This time
the committees were started so late
in the afternoon that it was n fore
gone conclusion that they would not
find many Of the general managers
at their offices. All the committees
reported, as before, that they had
failed Of any result, The committee
that went to the Milwaukee q St.
Paul road came back bearing the in
formation that they had been re-
fused admission and were informed
that their former employers did not
care to receive them, that they had
all the men necessary in their busi-
ness, and that hereafter no deputa-
tions would be received from em-
ployes who had gone on strike. The
officials of the road declared later
that they would maintain this posi-
tion.
VIII Be Fought to a Finish.
After 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 oyertures
to make, or wished to do any bust
ness with their employees, they would
be compelled to transact such busi-
ness through the officers of the
Freight Handlers union. Both sides
now declare that they have reached
the limit and that absolutely nothing
will be conceded. The men demand
| 17b cents; the managers say that
they will not under any circum-
stances pay more than II cents.
Business Men VIII Drive Wagons.
The business men of the city, par
ticularly those who deal in perisha-
BILE goods, are growing restive and de-
clare they can endure the situation
but a short time loEger 1t is costs
ing them more than either the strik-
ers or the railroads, and they say that
if the strike shall not be settled with
in week many of them viii be badly
| crippled. To bring about an end to
! the blockade which is maintained t.
the strikers and their friends, th>
teamsters, the commission men of
| South Water street met this after
noon to take matters into their own
hands. II was out of the question for
the employers to look TO the team
sters to drive to the depots, and they
therefore decided to drive their own
wagons to the depots tomorrow and
remove from them all of the goods
that had been consigned to them,
much of which is being rapidly ruined.
A message was sent to Mayor Harri-
son asking If police protection would
be Afforded just at this time, how
ever, word was received that Presi-
dent Young, of the Teamsters' Ma
tional union, had arrived in the city
and that meeting of the executive
officers of that body would be held To-
night to consider the advisabilitv of
ordering the men now on strike to
return, or of calling out every team
ster in the city who is affiliated with
the union. The merchants decided to
await the results of this meeting,
and if the teamsters should be or
dered back they would go for their
own freight