The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-08
BUSINESS IMPERILED
Thousands of Freight Handlers on
Strike in Chicago.
MANY ROADS AFFECTED
The Business of Twenty.four Rail.
ways Is Paralyled.
NEARLY TEN THOUSAND MEN OUT
A Widespread Sympathetic Movement
Is Feared.
RECOGNITION OF THE UNION DEMANDED
State Arbitration Board Is Trying to Ar
range a Conference-PoIioe Are
Ready for Trouble.
A Widespread Sympathetic Movement
Is Feared.
ECOGNITlON OF THE UNION DEMANDED


Chicago, July Hopes OF a speedy set.
Element OF the strike OF the freight han
dlers, which was declared today, arc enter
tanned tonight by officials Of the union aud
members of the State board Of arbitration |
The officials OF union tonight told Chair.
man Jacob of the State board Of arbltra.
tlon that they were willing to permit en-
ployes Of the different companies to meet
officials OF the same to discuss the wage
scale, providing Joint conference
should be held at which officials Of
the union would be permitted TO act as sd-
vsers to the men. fhe arbitration board
is now working on the matter In an effort
TO bring about conference between the
railway managers and committee repre-
senting the men. As the railroad officials
have favored this step from the beginning
of the controversy, there Is little doubt that
the strike can he settled satisfactorily to
both sides. If the conference shall be ar
ranged.
FEDERATION OF LABOR IGNORED.
Lack OF unaninity already permeates the
strike. The Chicago Federation Of Labor
was ignored when the order was issued
for the men to quit work and its executive
officials are somewhat offended and are in
clined to let the freight handlers fight out
the battle in their own way. There are
1900 freight handlers in and about the
various freight houses of the twenty four
railroads centering in Chicago NJ this
number more than 5000 are now involved
in the strike. Some of the men who quit
work today did so under protest, Notably
was this the case In the freight houses of
the Lake Shore and Michigan southern rail-
way. The suddcn suspension Of customary
operations by the freight handlers today
occasioncd considerable tsr.f'e IN ana
about Thc various railroad warehouses and
dopots. hut the Inconvenience ana delay
were but a drop In the bucket to what
will happen tomorrow and later In the
week. II the strike shall not be settled
sooner.
SYMPATHETIC STRIKE FEARED
TO add 10 the present difficulties Of the
railroads the Transfers ard Truck Drivers
union threatens To Join In sympathetic
strike II this shall occur, it viii affect
all incoming and outgoing freight Of every
! kind Every railroad IN Chicago today nc
ccptcd all freight offered While It was
confessed by several railroad officials that
freight was not moved as eIpedltiously as
heretofore. yet It was said the largest part
Of It was being handled reasonably well
Tho various freight houses and yards,
however. disclosed considerable accumu'
| latlon Of unmoved freight and cars loaded
| with freight portion Of 1t marked "ner-
ishablc'' filed the sdetracks Of all the
| railroads.
Anticipating the possibilities Of such
| strike. the railroad companies had brought
| TO Chicago considerable number OF men
IN take the places Of the strikers. These
men were Intercepted by pickcts Of the
strikers and most of them were Induced
to Join the freight handlers union.
AT noon President Curren Of the union
reported that his mon were out and that
| # was all but impossible for any freight
to enter Chicago or TO leave It. Many OF
! the railroads had small forces Of men
previously placed on hand wncn the strike
was called and by adding 1t to men from
other departments managed 10 handle per-
ishable commodities
In the hiring Of nonunion men 1t Is said
| the railroads run serious risk OF bringing
| about n strike of the teamsters, who re-
Gently won their fight from the packers
| The teamsters It is said. will refuse alb
| solutcly 10 have anything to do Win
freight handled in any way by nonunion
men. The men called ont include foremen'
check rc-check, receiving, delivery clerks,
callers. weigbmasters. stevedores, coopers
! and elevator men.
Chief Of Police o'Neill, when notified
that a strike had been called, sent orders
| to this subordlnates to make every prep
aration TO preserve order. Two hundred
| and fifty men were called In from outlying
stations 10 form a reserve force to be sta
/ toned Mt the downtown stations From
| the stations the men went IN squads 10
the different yards. There was no marked
demonstration as they entered although
they had to remain quiet under a running
fire Of sarcasm and rough wit, w, c.
Brown vice president Of the Lake shore
and Michigan Southern. said to an Assod-
] ated Press representative Of the situation
on his road: about so per cent Of our
! men went out. The remainder with adj
ditionnl help which We have hired, are
handling our business as wen as could be
expected. Our business is not tied up and
/ win not be-"
| j. T. Harahan, second vice president Of
the Illinois Central, said that about half Of
mis- company's 45O men had struck, but thnt
he had men close al hand 10 take their
places"
! CAUSE OF THE STRIKE.
Mr., Harahan said he thought the strike
could have been avoided If the men had
been willing 10 consult with The roads
through their own committees instead of
I through their union.