Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-14
Freight Handlers in Chi
CagO Let Loose Bar
reIs of Trouble.
STATEMENTSARE MADE
By Both SideS---Team-
SterS in Regardless
of Leaders.

Chicago, July 1.-THE second week
of the freight handlers strike began
today with 10000 idle. Shipping is at
standstill. President Curran, of the
freight handlers union, appointed Ii
committee to visit the various rail-
roads, but his proposition had re-
verted to the original one. and the
latter has hope of a settlement to-
day; at all events. this week. Busi-
ness on North Water street is eX-
ceedingly dead. Thirty cars of per-
ishable stock are reported on the
tracks. of which only three cars were
cared for promptly. These contained
live poultry. and it was reported the
| humane society secured a permit to
allow them to be delivered to con-
signees.
President Field, of the Knicker-
booker lee company stated today the
| icemen were hauling ice everywhere,
including the depots and cars. This
was denied by some of the strikers.
All Conferences Fail.
At 1870 p. m. President Curran. of
the freight handlers. gave out a
statement in which he said: ''AH
conferences today have failed, al
though we sent committees to the
managers as they had requested.
Hereafter the managers will have to
confer with the officials of the union.
If they want to waste 100000 day
over the question of half a cent in
the wages, we will let them try it
Previous to the meeting. commit
tees OF railroad managers and super
intendents had a meeting among
themselves. They remained of the
mind that Il cents is a proper COM
promise between 16 and IS cents,
originally asked by the truckers.
This unanimity of opinion among the
managers is taken in explanation of
the failure o. the conferences follow
ing.
More Serious Than Ever.
Chicago, July 1.-THE strike con-
ditions confronting Chicago are more
serious than ever The committees Of
five of the freight handlers were I'M
able to reach any agreements with the
railways. and this plan of settlement,
of which much had been hoped by
those working for peace, was aban-
doned. AS result of this situation the
following are the developments: Seven
thousand truck teamsters started
sympathetic strike. Business houses
We're tied up ana traffic about the rail-
road warehouses practically suspend
ed. Freight handlers sent committees
to railway switchmen and requested
them to strike. Ice wagon drivers re-
fused TO handle ice for the railroads.
Dock laborers refused to handle
freight they believe diverted by the
railroads. President Curran issued an
appeal to dock laborerS, switchmen
and all teamSterS to join the freight
handlers.
What the Entertainme Is Costing.
The end of the first week of the
strike has been taken as an occasion
for computing the cost to date, which,
together with the number of men in Z.
volved, IS as follows: Freight handlers
on strike, 100; truck teamSters, 1000;
dock labOrerS, 30; commission drivers,
800; men likely to be involved, 10000;
cost to freight handlers each day $15,-
600; cost to freight handlers for the
week, $4,000; loss to merchants each
day (estimatedJ, $40O,0OO; loss to mer-
chants for the week. s., 100000; loss
in traffic to railroads for week, $780,
600; total loss for first week of strike,
$5,990,000.
Where the Negotiations Stick.
When the negOtiatorS met the de-
mandS of the men We're IS cents, time
and one-half for overtime, and no pc
riod of probation, all men to receive
full pay from the start The North
western road offered 1112 cents an
hour, single time for overtime for men
employed by the day. but not for men
whose wages are paid by the month.
The Erie offered IL cents, single time
for overtime. and no period of proba-
ton. The Illinois Central declared that
it had made an agreement with its en-
pIoyes since the Inauguration of the
strike, and that it would do no more.
The men must accept that or remain
ON strike.
Not According to Conditions.
One of the conditions of the negoti-
atiens-so stated by the board of arbi-
tration-was that the committees of
the unions must have power to decide.
But after the conferences were con-
cluded each union committee an
nounced that it did not possess this
power, but must report back to the
union.
ANTAGONIsTIC STATEMENTS
What the Railway Managers say aud What
the Union Replies.
The railroad manage have issued