The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-18
FREIGHT HANDLERS
WILL LOSE OUT gu
Strikers Will Accept Advance
of 20 Per Cent instead
of 80 Per Cent.
UNION NOT RECOGNIZED
Advance Was the Same as Strikers
Refused to Accept at First
Union Would Not Hold
Together.

Chicago, July 1.-THE strike of the
freight handlers is v.A.ually settled.
Meetings of the strikers will be held
today to ratify the action taken last
night by President Curran OF the order.
but, as he stated last night, after a
conference with the general managers
of the railroads that he had agreed to
their terms because the majority of his
men We're going back on him, there Is
little doubt that the terms will be ac-
cepted by the mass meeting of the
strikers today.
BY the terms Of the settlement the
strikers accept the schedule Of wages
offered them by the railroads July l.
This schedule was emphatically refused
By the strikers at the time it was made.
1t offered an average increase of 70 per,
cent for all classes of labor connected
with the Freight Handlers union. The
demands Of the men would have made
an average increase of 80 per cent.
The railroads at the time of offering
the increase on July said that under
no circumstances would they recognize
the union of the freight handlers to the
extent of allowing the officers of the
organization to make terms for the
men with the officers Of the railroads
by which they We're employed. This
was one Of the chief reasons for the
strike, the men insisting that the union
should be fully recognized. j
Roads Win Their Point.
The railroads have won a complete
victory on this point. The attitude Of
the roads towards the Freight Hand
lers' union is the same as that main
tanned toward all local organizations OF
railroad men.
President Curran of the Freight Hand
lers' union, said after the meeting
with the general manager, last night
hot u nti w ha1 n,yy1 ttrafe,
by his own men to accept the terms Of
the roads. Two-thirds Of them would
have gone to work in the morning any
how, he said. and 1t was simply 8 ques-
ton OF doing the best possible under
the circumstances.
The railroads agree to take back all
the strikers who will apply for their old
positions by noon today. The settle-
ment of the strike came unexpectedly.
When the committees had reported
back to the executive council Of the
strikers, meeting of that body was
held. Several Of the officials Of the
Chicago Federation Of Labor. !nclud-
ing President Bowman, We're present.
The officers Of the federation used
every means to induce the strikers to
accept the terms Offered but without
avail. The meeting was at times ac-
rimonions and there was q sharp ex-
change Of words between President
Bowman, Of the Federation Of Labor
and President Curran Of the Freight
Handlers union, in which the former
was accused of playing politics" at
the expense of the freitht handlers.
Transfers Kept Out.
A proposition was finally made that
the matter Of an agreement with the
railroads should be left with President
Curran and President Bowman Of the.
federation. 4,
A meeting was then arranged with o.,
committee Of the genera! managers Of
the railroads, who had full power OF
settlement on their side.
The action Of the Transfers was a
potent factor in settling the strike.
They took strong issue with the freight
handlers, and intimated very plainly
that no assistance could be expected
from them.
The executive council session came to
q sudden termination and Presidents
Curran and Bowman left for the meet
Ing with the general managers. wnen
he left this meeting President Curran
was surrounded by crowds Of the
strikers who had been waiting to hear
the result of the meeting, and there
was great dissatisfaction when 1t was
announced that no settlement had been
reached. but that meetings would be
held this morning at which the re-
suits of lie meeting with the man
ayers would be made known. a
The displeasure of the men had a
marked effect In bringing about the
settlement of the strike.