The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-07-18
VICTORY FOR THE ROADS.
The Striking Freigh- Handlers Re-
turn to Work by Almost
Unanimous Vote.
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AGAIN REISSS.
Merchants Express Unbounded Re-
lief Mt the Termination of Hos
Utilities, But They are Scarcely
Less Happy Than the Men Them
seIves-CUrran ChargesTreachery.

Chicago, July 1.-THE Association
of Railway General Managers, EN-
bracing every road which enters Chi
cago, have issued the following signed
statement:
"All of our old men not before on
hand for work, reported at the
freight houses at noon Wednesday
and were put to work. No confer
ence was held with any committee or
otherwise since Tuesday, and no
agreement was made with tie union
or with any committee. The men
simply reported for work, and they
doubtless expect, and will receive the
pay offered July l, and which the
railroad companies have been willing
all along to pay"
After ten days of strife the Chi
cago freight handlers strike ter
minated Wednesday in an unqualified
victory for the railroads. A meet
ing of the strikers, presided over by
President Curran, resulted in an al
most unanimous vote to return to
work, leaving the wage scale and 9th
er questions for settlement between
the men and their respective roads.
At the conclusion of the meeting
the strikers went by hundreds to the
warehouse to apply for their old po-
sitions. and the transfers, who have
remained out, again took up their
reins. by noon immense quantities
of freight, which had been held back
for DAYS. were being rushed to the
railroads or taken from warehouses
and cars. Where stagnation had ruled
commercial activity again reigned.
Chicago merchants expressed I'M
bounded relief at the termination OF
hostlities, but they were scarcely less
happy than the men themselves, al
thought the strike is estimated to
have cost them $10,000,0e0, to say
nothing of the trade that has been
permanently lost to them.
The little hall where the meeting
of the strikers took place was damned
to suffocation, and thousands were
unable to obtain entrance. 1t was
brief meeting-only long enough for
an angry speech by Curran, and the
vote which followed.
Men, said Curran, "we came out
like men; we have acted like men,
and we should not go back like sheep,
but there has been treachery in our
camp. Tuesday, when | was about
to use the telephone, the wire got
crossed, and l heard one of the mem
bers of our executive committee talk
ing with a railroad manager. He was
the manager to hold out,
for he told him that the strike was
almost broken. This is a sample OF
the faith that has been kept with
me. The officials of the Truck Driv-
ers' union have not kept faith, eth
er, and it seems useless to continue
the strike further. Shall we go back
and ask for our old jobs?"
Mr.. Curran, in the course of his adj
dress to the men, said: Il am going
to organize the freight handlers all
over the country, and when we de-
eide to fight again it will not be
struggle between the freight handlers
in Chicago and the railroads, but be-
tween the railroads and the freight
handlers all over the country"
In this simple form the matter was
nut to a vote, and almost immediate
" great chorus of "ayes" has
brought to peaceful end one of Chi
cago's most serious and threatening
labor situations. 1t was believed the
roads generally will allow the truck
ers II cents an hour and minor con-
cessions granted by the proposition
of July l.