The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-07-17
'BREAK IN THE STRIKE
: CHICAGO FREIGHT HANDLERS
.. EN- AND FOUR RAILWAYS
:: =: r. il. COME TO TERMS.
BOTH MAKE CONCESSIONS

Men Return to Work Without Havinu
Obtained Recognition of the Union,
Time and a Half for Overtime or
the Abolition Of the Probation Per.
iod, but Obtain an Increase Of the
Wage Scale. =
Chicago, July 16-With agreements
reached betweens four railroads and
their employees the great strike of the
freight handlers and transfers that
has paralyzed the industries of Chi.
cago for week is apparently broken.
A majority of the strikers are ex.
pected to return to work. BY Thurs.
day, according to the present outlook,
there will be few evidences of the
strike. Some of the more radical
uniopists may refuse to accept the
terms accepted by representative com.
mlttees, but apparently they will be
able to WELD but little influence with
the majority of the strikers. It is pos
sible, however, that the radicals may
prevent the strike from being called
off at a mass meeting of the freight
handlers to be held in the morning.
Upon the action, taken at this meet
ing will depend the attitude of the
striking transfers. Their national
president, A. L. Young, ordered them
back to work, but if the freight hand
lers refuse to declare the strike off
officially some of the transfers may
refuse to work. It is conceded that
their officers exercise little absolute
authority.
The four railroads that entered into
agreements with their men were the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, the
Chicago and Northwestern, the Nickle
Plate and the Illinois Central Of the
four the Northwestern and the Illinois
Central accepted the proposition made
upon advice of the teamsters board of
arbitration. The Nickles Plate and the
Lake Shore succeeded in getting their
men to sign the scale presented by
the railroads July l.
Consequently neither the freight
handlers nor the railroads claim vic
tory AS the employees of the Lake
Shore were the first to sign, however,
the railroads are expressing the great
est satisfaction over the y
Break in the Strike.
The freight handlers return to work
without having obtained recognition of
their union, time and a half for over
time. or the adjustment of the proba"
ton period. On the other hand the
freight handlers have obtained l. in
creases in pay, the smallest one being
rs cents a day procured by the truck
ers:
While the signing of the agreements
breaks the strike<it does not end it..
It is still in progress as far as twenty
OF the twenty-four railroads in the city
are concerned. President Curran and
few OF his supporters are still un-
reconciled and state they will not
recognize any of the agreements =
The fact remains, however, that the
majority of the freight handlers are
seemingly tired of the strike and eager
to return to work. It is probable that
they will be given an opportunity to
do so, for all the railroads are ready
and even eager to sign agreements
similar to that obtained by the en-
ployes of the Lake Shore and Mich
igan Southern railroad.
This agreement was signed after all
hope of break in the strike appeared
to be at an end All Of the railroads
had refused to accept the demands
originally made by the committees of
the strikers who had waited upon them
in the morning. Business men were
meeting and determining to deliver
freight under police protection.
Mayor Harrison had called a confer
ence of railroad officials, strikers and
labor leaders for morning. Manufac-
turers and merchants were declaring
that unless the police could afford pro-
lection to drivers, the militia should be
ordered out, and the strikers situation
appears to be more serious than it
ever had been before
Railways Invited Discussions,
While affairs were thus apparently
reaching crisis several of the COM
mittees appointed by the freight hand
lers had accepted invitations issued by
some of the railroad managers to re-
turn and enter into discussion of
the strike situation. In six of the Of
fees, those of the Michigan Central,
the Wisconsin Central, the Illinois
Central, the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern, the Nlckle Plate and the
Chicago and Northwestern, the confer
ences were in progress.
The executive committee of the
Freight Handlers union was meeting
with committee of the officials of the
Transfers union, who were attempt
ing to compel them to settle the strike.
Chairman Job of the state board of
arbitration was still endeavoring to
bring the railroad officials and the
strikers together.
| Then came the unexpected an
nouncement that committee of the
employees of the Lake Shore and Mich
igan Southern railroad had accepted
the scale offered by the railroads on
July 1. .-.
For time the officers of the Freight
Handlers union refused to believe the
news Of the signing of the agreement
with the Lake Shore. . =
A meeting of the men gathered in
the vicinity of the hall was immedi-
ately called by President Curran. He
addressed the men and practically
told them that the strike was lost.
| While the meeting was in progress
| tho ooropoiffoo fhof hod 1,ic;&oa ~, -