Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-16
Some Of Most Radical Nay Refuse, but
Their influences is Small.
TEAMSTERs ORDERED BACK TO PLACES
Possible that Officers Will Not Be 0bey,d
Unless Strike Ends
NEITHER SIDE CLAIMING A VICTORY
Freight Handlers Given but one
Point for which They Contestec,
while Their Union is
Not Recognized.

| CHICAGO, July 15.--with agreements
reached between four railroads and their
employees, the great strike OF freight han
dlers and teamsters that has paralyzed the
industries OF Chicago for a week is appar-
entity broken. majority of the strikers
are expected to return to work tomorrow.
| Some OF the radical unlonists may refuse
to accept the terms accepted by the repre-
sentative committee, but apparently they
will be able to WELD but little influence with
the majority of the strikers. mass meet
ing of the freight handlers has been called
for tomorrow and upon the action taken
at this meeting will depend the attitude OF
| the striking teamsters Their national
president, Al Young, ordered them back Ia
work tomorrow, but II the freight handlers
refuse to declare the strike off ofhcially.
some Of the teamste-s may refuse to work.
! 1t is conceded that tneir officers exercise
| little absolute authority.
The four railroads that entered into agree
ments with their men tonight were
the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, the
Chicago & Northwestern. the Nickel Plate
and the Illinois Central. Of the four the
Northwestern and the Illinois Central ac-
cepted the proposition made upon advice Of
the teamsters board OF arbitration. Ths
Nickel Plate and Lake Shore succeeded In
getting their men to sign the scale pre-
| sented by the roads July 1.
| Consequently neither the freight handlers
nor the railroads claim a victory. As the
employees Of the Lake Shore we're the nrst
70 sign, however, the railroads are express
ing the greatest satisfaction over the break
in the strike.
The freight handlers return to work with
out having obtained recognition OF their
union, time and half for overtime or the
abolishment OF the probation period. On
the other hand the fNsIght handlers have
obtained increases in pay, the smallest
increase being 25 cents per day gained by
the truckers.
Break, hut Not an Ending.
While the signing of the agreement
breaks the strike it does not end It. II
is still in progress so far as twenty Of the
twenty-four railroads in the city are con-
cerned. President Cufran and a FEW Of
his supporters are still unreconciled and
:, state that they will not recognize any OF
the agreements.
The fact remains, however, that a ma
} jority OF the freight handlers are SEEM
ingly tired Of the strike and eager to re-
turn to work. 1t is probable that they will
be given an opportunity to do so tomorrow,
; for all the railroads are ready and even
eager to sign agreements similar to that
! obtained by the employees of the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern railroad.
This agreement was signed tonight after
all hope of a break in the strike appeared
to be at an end. All OF the roads had re-
fused to accept the demands originally
made by the committees of the strikers
which had waited upon them in the morn
! ing Business men were meeting and de-
termining to deliver freight under police
protection tomorrow. Mayor Harrison had
called a conference Of railroad oficials,
strikers and labor leaders for tomorrow
morning. Manufacturers and merchants
were declaring that unless the police could
AFFORD protection to drivers the militia
: should be ordered out, and the strike sit
uation appeared to be more serious than
Il ever had been before.
While affairs were thus apparently
reaching a crisis, several Of the Commit
I tees appointed by the freight handlers had
: accepted invitations issued by some Of the
: railroad managers to return and enter into
n a discussion of the strike situation. In six
J. Of the Offices, those OF the Michigan Gen.
a tral, the Wisconsin Central, the Illinois
It Central. the Lake Shore & Michigan South
ern, the Nickel Plate and the Chicago G.
= Northwestern. the conferences were in
o progress
/. The executive committee of the Freight
= Handlers union was meeting with a COM
Il mittee of officials OF the teamsters' unions.
n who were attempting to compel them TO
o
II State Board OF Arbitration was still en-
l. deavoring to bring the railroad officials and
It the strikers together.
is Acceptance Unexpected.
Then came the unexpected announce
% ment that a committee Of the employees OF
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern road
had accepted the scale offered by the rail-
/, roads on July /, For time the oficers
of the Freight Handlers union refused to
believe the news OF the signing Of the
A, agreement with the Lake Shore. The CON-
N mittee which signed the agreement failed
to report back at union headquarters
Gradually, however, the strikers became
convinced OF the authenticity OF the report
OF agreement. A meeting Of the men wal
called by President Curran. He addressed
a.. the men and practically told them that the
- strike was lost He INFORMED them tha
ha the teamsters officers had ordereS theli
N men back to work and annou I'd tha
they were responsible for the .a.lure o.
al the strike. He then asked the men presen
10 at the meeting TO stand by him and an
,n nouneed that he would try to maintain
the battle. While the meeting was il
progress the committee which had visited
Is the Chicago Northwestern ofncials re
ported. They declared that the Chicago 4
M Northwestern would pay 17h cents pc
hour to truckers do away with the proba
tlonary period and pay straight time fo
overtime. This was what the COMMITTEES
had asked for, and the acquiesoenee Of tn
OF officials was considered a victory. Presi
! dent Curran put the question Of wages L
al a vote and the TN cents An hour was &C
VT cepted
Two meetings Of the freight handlers wer
l 'n to be held tonight. and before these meeting
III had been convened the tS1ckel Plate an
~.
made an agreement similar with that o
ls. the Lake Shore, the latter one identioa
with that OF the Northwestern. Notice o
y" the agreements were impaired to tn
I'm strikers at the two meetings and there wa
considerable grumbling. They declare
that there was q conspiracy to break th