The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-31
Chicago Faces a Serious Short
age in Butcher Wares.
Striking Teamsters Stop Deliv-
cries and Cut OF Supplies.
MANY SHOPS CLOSED.
Cattle Market Goes to Pieces
and Closes With
Many Choice Head Still Remain
ing UnsOld.

Chicago, May S1-All the outlying dis
tricts of Chicago felt seriously the ef-
fects of the teamsters strike at the
union stock yards yesterday. Some
proprietors of the small butcher shops
were forced to close until the strike is
settled, others closed of their own free
will. and still others sent word to the
distributing stations Of the big packers
that unless d supply Of meat is forta-
coming today they, too, will cease do
ing business. It was the beginning Of a
m eat famine that threatens to deprive
the city of all but canned goods.
In the district southwest of the union
stock yards over 200 of the meat men,
of their own free will, decided to shut
their doors, give their clerks vacation,
and not attempt to do any business un-
til Monday Over in the Ghetto. the
kosher merchants. shut off from their
slaughtering house in the Armour plant,
organized and notified the strikers that
they. too would cease doing business
when their present supply gives out
In Lake View and the Northwest side,
the distributing agents of the packers
notified the merchants that their supply
is out and no more meat Will be sold
until temporary settlement is erected.
Out at the yards a few loads Of meat
got past the picl1ets of the strikers, and
several train loads were sent out, but
the supply was too small to meet the
demands Of even a suburb the size OF
Evanston. The slaughtering houses out
side the yards and outside the present
fight ran until 2 o'clock last night try
ing to meet the demands of the trade.
but failed. As it was, they charged
double prices and found all willing TO
pay them. It was not a case of money
/ but of supply in every portion Of the
city
So demoralized has the market be-
come that the yards are unable to han
die the receipts Of cattle and yesterday
commission men and packers sent tele-
/ grams to all parts Of the country tell
ing the shippers to hold back all the cat
/ tie. hogs and lambs possible until the
strike is settled. Under ordinary condi-
| tions this alone would cause a stringency
| on the market, and the commission men
believe it win aid in making the next
/ seen.
Early yesterday morning the strikers
/ discovered that many OF the butchers
I We're abusing the passes given them in
the fore part of the week. These passes
| were for goods they had purchased weeks
/ before and had not taken to their shops,
and instead of handing them in when
the meat had been obtained they con-
| tinued to use them Tor the benefit os
entire neighbOrhoods. When this be-
| came known to the pickets all retail
wagons were prohibited from going into
| the yards under the penalty Of having
| their ice supply cut off
All day long The headquarters Of The
to Keep their trade and in every case they
were refused. The butchers begged and
offered money for the privilege but the
firms had signed the union scale and these
/ would do all the business the strikers
| would allow Not single exception was
The strikers picketed every plant and
| distributing station of every one Of the
| firms that have refused to sign the scale.
| and all day the strike leaders and Presi-
| dent Albert Young Of the Teamsters' un-
ion were kept acquainted with conditions
FIRST TROUBLE WITH BUTCHERS.
Just at daybreak the first open trouble
Al any OF ensse Staslons 4 oeeurre9 81 sil9Ss
streets and it was the first portend of the
wagons Grew up al the stations OF ar
| mour and Swift and the drivers We're told
that II they returned again their ice would
pc smut on. When they arrived IN the Of
fees of the station they were told to get
as large a supply as they could carry. for
no more meat would be sent out during
This was told to every man who came
for supply. and some were told that the
station would close until Monday. when
past The ice drivers for the various big
ice firms told the superintendents at the
1 more would be delivered them. These two
the merchants were in a state of panic.
Purchasers of goods were told that their
orders would have to be cut down. as the
supply was limited and all had to be
/ served with at least some meat None of
were going to close down. but many OF
| them told their customers that
SPREADS To DEPARTMENT
STORES.
Chicago, May 31-The teamsters'
strike today spread to the department
stores. Eighty-nine men working for
the Fair struck and it is stated that 400
more men employed by other big down
town stores would be out by tonight.
The effect of this would be to practical
ly shut down the delivery Of goods to
customers and the bringing Of new
stock The department store teamsters'
union was recently formed and is affili-
ated with the National organization on
the same footing as the one at the stock
yards. The men make the same de-
mand as do the packers teamsteEs. for
better hours. higher wages and recogni-
tion Of the union.
Police were called to guard the Fair.
Jacob kessner. the manager of the es-
tablishment, attempted to address the
tearnsters this morning. Their business
agent. however, told Mr.. Kessner that
he would have to talk to the mems
/ agent and that he could not talk to the
men.
I don't recognize you said adr.
Kessner.
At this the business agent blew the
whistle and the teamsters to a man
quit work. leaving large guards OF pick
cts however, to look after their inte--
ests-