The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1902-07-18
VICTORY FOR THE ROADS.
The Striking Freigh: Handlers Re-
turn TO Work By Almost
Unanimous Vote.
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY A6AlH RsIGsS.
Merchants Express Inbounded Re-
lief at the Termination of Hos
Utilities. But They are Scarcely
Less Happy Than the Men Them
selves-Currsn Charges

Chicago. July 1.-THE Association
Of Railway General Managers. EN-
bracine every road which enters Chi
cage. have issued the following signed
statement:
All Of our old men not before on
hand for work. reported at the
freight houses at noon Wednesday
and were put TO work. No confer
enee was held with any committee or
otherwise since Tuesday. aud no
agreement vas made Yith Il p union
or with any committee. The men
simply reported for work. and they
doubtless expect. and viii rec i've the
pay offered July /. and which the
railroad companies have been willing
al along To pay"
After ten days Of strife the Chi
cage freight handlers strike ter
minated Wednesday in an unqualified
victory for the railroads. \ meet
ing Of the strikers. presided over by
President Curran. resulted in an al
most unanimous vote to return to
work, leaving the wage scale and 9TH
er questions for settlement between
the men and their respective roads
Vt the conclusion Of the meeting
tie strikers went By hundreds 10 the
warehouse To apply for their old po-
sitions. and the transfers. who have
remained ont. again took up their
reiuS. By noon immense quantities
81 freight. which had been held back
for days were being rushed 10 the
railroads or taken from warehouse
ami cars Where staQnafion had ruled
commercial activity again reigned.
Chicago merchants expressed un-
bounded relief at the termination Of
hoStlities. but they were scarcely less
happy than the men themselves. al
thought the strike i estimated 10
have cost them Sf0.s0o.0uo. 70 say
nothing OF The trade that has been
permanently lost TO them.
The little hall where the meeting
of the strikers took place was iammed
t. Suifocation. and thousands were
unable 10 obtain entrance Il was
brief meeting only long enough for
an angry speech by Curran. and the
vote which followed
Men said Curran. we came out
like men; we have acted like men
| and we should not 90 back like sheep.
but there has been treachery in our
camp. Tuesday. when | was about
70 use the telephone. the wire got
| crossed. and | heard one of the mem
/ berS of our executive committee talk
ing with a railroad manager. He was
encouraging the manager to hold out,
| for he told him that the strike was
almost broken. This is a sample of
the faith that has been kept with
me. The officials of the Truck Driv-
ers union have not kept faith. eth
! er, and it seems useless to continue
the strike further. Shall we go back
and ask for our old jobs ,"
Mr.. Curran, in the course Of his adj
dress To the men. said: Il am going
to organize the freight handlers all
over the country. and when we de-
eide 10 fight again il will not be a
struggle between the freight handlers
in Chicago and the railroads. but be-
tween the railroads and the freight
handlers all over the country"
In this simple form the matter was
put to a vote, and almost immediate
" great chorus of ayes" has
brought to peaceful end one of Chi
cago's most serious and threatening
labor situations. II was believed the
roads generally will allow the truck
ers Il cents an hour and minor con
cessions granted by the proposition
of July l.