Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-13

10 0uVU nanCS are Idle because tHe Coii-
Germs for whom they work have been
compelled to shut down. This condi-
| ton is the refusal of the team. drivers
who were the first to join interests with
the freight handlers, to work, and
some industries dependent upon daily
supplies of material have had to sus-
pend until the strike is over.
The various lines directly reached by
the strikers, Wednesday morning, in
Guided freight handlers, team drivers
and expressmen, coal team drivers and
drivers connected with building trades,
wool handlers, longshoremen and rail-
way switchmen. If the threats of the
strike leaders are we'll founded, this
| day will see the movement extend to
| the unions connected with the foreign
steamship traffic.
The business men of this city find
| themselves staggered by the strike and
thus far unable to determine what to
do. Many conferences have been held,
| the influence of the Civic Federation
has been invoked and the state board
of arbitration has tried to find a
ground for agreement between the
parties at war, but apparently there is
| little confidence that the desired result
will be reached by these means.
After two days it is seen that nearly
every branch of business is suffering
| from the strike more than the railroads
| against which the force of the contest
| is directed. The N. Y, N. II. & H.
Road and the Boston & Albany system
of the n. Y. Central have forces ade-
quate to handle all traffic. There is no
trouble over the movement of outgoing
freight, but the inward merchandise
has accumulated to a formidable guam
tity. The Boston & Maine has not yet
lost its regular force of freight handlers
and clerks, but with teaming tied up
their freight houses and yards are be-
| coming congested like those of the
other lines. Arrangements have been
made for the transfer of through
freight so that no delay is experienced
here.
At the docks of the steamship lines
doing Il coastwise business, Wednesday,
no work was being done. Great guam
| titles of merchandise are piled up and
| the wharveS are checked, but the long
| shOremen are out and the material
| could not be moved. The express COM
nanies are tied up and there Is a threat
| that the hack drivers will join the
| strike if an issue is made because they
| carry passengers with trunks, large
| parcels or matter which should go by
! express. The strike of the coal team
drivers presents one of the most alarm
| ing features of the trouble as it
menaces not only many industries, but
| also the welfare of many householders
and especially the people in the poorer
quarters of the city.
The orderly conditions which thus
far have marked the progress of the
strike still prevailed, Wednesday,
| though the early crowds about the
headquarters filled the streets in the
vicinity of the halls. More noticeable
| than before. owing to the large addi-
lions to the strikers ranks, was the
absence of traffic from the thorough
fares usually crowded with teams.
Practically the only firm doing any
| business is the r. S. Brine Transporta-
| ton Co., the non-uniOn concern over
whose teams the trouble originated.
They have augmented their number of
teams to the greatest limit and yet
cannot meet the demand of business
men. The other transfers whose men
have Joined the strikers declare that
the trouble could be settled and the
strike ended in an hour if the mer-
chants would agree not to deal with
the Brine Co.
The arrival at T wharf during the
forenoon of fleet of 90 fishing smacks,
bringing between 100000 and 100000
pounds of fresh fish, further compli-
Gated the situation that confronts the
fish dealers of Boston. The fish is I'M
loaded by the fishermen so that the
fact of the lOngShoremen going out,
yesterday, made no particular differ
ence but the inability of the dealers
to obtain teamsters to handle the fish
is causing considerable complication.
During the forenoon some of the
steamship companies secured small
gangs OF. Italians in place of the strik-
ing longshoremen, who were put at
work behind closed doors, while the
premises were guarded by police.
The pressure brought to bear upon
the Union men at the Boston & Maine
freight yards, which was resisted, yes
terday, began to tell, today, and by 10
o'clock only about 70 men were at
work. Vacant places We're promptly
filled by men who had been secured
in anticipation of trouble, so that an
ample force was maintained. The rail-
road company claims that it has been
prepared for the trouble, although it
wished to give the men every chance
to remain at work. Thus it will be
possible for all to return if they wish
to do so by Thursday morning and
be reinstated.
In this connection, phase was in
PRODUCED into the situation which is
not considered reassuring in strike
circles. The officials of the Boston &
| Maine, today. sent out the following
circular to all their agents:
please endeavor to obtain as many
men as possible to work in our BOs-
,, ton freight house. using care in Sc
Letting them and make an earnest eff
fort to obtain good, young men who
will be sure to stick. The pay will
be $1.G5 per day for laborers to work
in our freight house."
The offer Of SLICE per day is a reduc-
,, ton of 35 to 60 cents day under the
price paid to those who have left the
road and is taken by some to indicate
the basis on which the railroads will
make an ultimate settlement. In fact
it has been said that the strike, If it
shall fail. will put the labor movement