The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-16
Great Freight Handlers Strike
Comes to an End.
Strikers All 30 Back and Ask
For Their Jobs.
NO CONCESSIONS MADE.
General Managers Announce
Their Victory.
Business is Again Going For
ward in Chicago.

Chicago, July 16.-The Association of
Railway General Managers. en- bracing
every road which enters Chicago, has
issued the following statement:
All of our old men not here on hand
for work reported at the freight houses
at noon today and were put to work
No conference was held with any COM
mittee, or otherwise, since Tuesday, and
no agreement was made with the union
or with any committee. The men sim
ply reported for work, and they doubt
less expect and will receive the pay
offered July / and which the railroad
companies have been willing all along
to pay"
After 10 days of strife the Chicago
freight handlers strike terminated to-
day in an unqualified victory for the
railroads. A meeting of the strikers,
presided over by President Curran, re-
suited in an almost unanimous vote to
and other questions for settlement be-
tween the men and their respective
roads.
At the conclusion of the N Getting the
trikers went by hundreds to the ware
houses to apply for their old positions
and the teamsters who have remained
out in sympathy 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 mer-
chants expressed unbounded relief at
the termination of hostilities, but they
were scarcely less happy than the men
then selves, although the strike is eSti-
mated to have cost them $10,000,00O, to
say nothing of the trade that has been
permanently lost to them.
The little hall where the strikers met
was crowded to suffocation- 1t was a
brief meeting, only long enough for an
angry speech by the president and the
vote which followed.
"MQn txx-o
like men; we have acted like men. and
we should not go back like sheep, but
there has been treachery in our camp.
Yesterday when I was about to use
the telephone, the wire got crossed, and
/ heard one of the members of our
executive committee talking with rail-
road manager. He was encouraging
the manager to hold out for he told him
that the strike was almost broken. That
is a sample of the faith that has been
kept with ne. The officials of the truck
drivers union have not kept faith
either, and it seems useless to con-
tinue the fight any longer. Shall we go
back and ask for our old job?''
In this simple form the matter was
put to a vote and almost Immediately
great chorus of ayes had brought to
a peaceful end one of Chicago's most
serious and threatening labor situations.
1t is believed the roads generally will
allow the truckers II cents an hour and
minor concessions granted, by the pro-
position of July I. 7s1% = g 70 ssa
The proposition accepted by the men
was in effect the one given to President
Curran by the state board of arbitra-
ton earlier in the day. although the
proposition in it's proper form was not
placed before the men.
The railroad managers, when told of
the vote to return to work, said that
wherever possible the old men would be
taken back A small percentage of the
new men, however. will be retained for
time at least Nowhere was the news
of the settlement receivd with more