Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-11
LABOR WAR BEGINS
Fight Originated by Teamsters Extends to
Number Of Trades.
FREIGHT AND EXPRESS MEN JOIN FORCES
strike r. Growing Rapidly and with
Recruits Promised To-day. Threat
ems n Ions and bitter
Contest.

BOSTON. March 10.-After nearly six
weeks OF skirmishing the dreaded labor
war between the organized teamsters,
freight and express handlers Of Boston and
the two great railroad corporations, the
New York. New Haven & Hartford and the
New York Central & Hudson River, the
latter locally known as the Boston & AL
bany. broke out today. Tonight the out
look is that unless powerful agencies are
speedily invoked to compel peace the
struggle will have a far-reaehing effect.
The strike, which 10 a sympathetic one,
already involves 5000 men in and about
Boston. Stopping work because of the dis
charge of union men who refused to handle
nonunion moved freight, the four organiza-
lions now on strike made every effort today
to extend their sphere Of influence to anil
ated bodies. while the corporations eneT-
geticslly tried to ill the strikers places
and to receive and dispatch goods offered
them. Both met with some measure OF sue
cess.
Express Employees Will Quit.
Tomorrow the local employees Of the great
express companies, the Adams and the New
York & Boston, two companies which handle
practically all the fast freight in southern
New England, will refuse to work, while
several smaller bodies Of organized labor,
such as the brewery teamsters and the
piano movers, as we'll as freight handlers
in East Boston, will be idle. On the other
hand the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad, after succeeding today in
moving considerable freight by Italian
labor, will augment the force tomorrow
and the Boston q Albany expects to have a
large number of new men at work In itH
freight sheds.
At both the New York, New Haven 4
Hartford and the Boston q Albany freight
houses gangs Of Italians engaged yesterday
to remove the freight which had accumu-
lated after the regular force struck Satur-
day we're still at work. There was no sign
Of disturbance about the freight yards dur
ing the early hours. Police details guard
all approaches, but there has been no dem
onstration calling for their intervention.
In view Of the threatening aspect of the
strike, the State Board Of Arbitration today
placed itself In touch with all concerned IL
the trouble. The members of the board
were not without hope that the opposing
parties could be brought together, although
the strike had come in spite of the fac
that the grievances Of the union had beer
before the board In various forms durint
the past three months. 1t was learned tina
the newspapers are exempt from the EN-
barge of the teamsters, and their pape
will be delivered as usual, the same Al
supplies TO hospitals and public institutions
Two propositions from the striking freigh
handlers presented to the New York, New
Haven & Hartford railroad this forenool
we're rejected.
OF the unions In session tonight only tw,
voted to strike In the morning. the ex
pressmen. already mentioned. numbering
700, and the General Team Drivers uniol
OF $50 men. The longshoremen are appar
emily held in check by their officers. TIL
local newspapers have not been affecte
by the strike and paper was delivered I
them as usuai during the day. This is b
order OF the Allied Transportation council
which considered them public necessities.
Nearly every labor union In this cit
met tonight to discuss the labor situa
ton. The predictions are that the longshore
men. numbering about 1000, would strik,
together with about 1000 Knights Of Laho
freight handlers employed by the Bosto
q Maine road, and 1000 men in other union
when their assistance is needed. II all thea
lsborers cease to work the striking fore
will be over $4,000 men.
FOPerunneF of Greater Trouble.
~PITTsBURG, March 10.-E. H. Heir
richs, the editor Of the Teamster, the ma
tional organ of the National Team Owner
published in Pittsburg, makes the follow
ing statement on the Boston strike;a
THE team drivers strike In Boston
merely the forerunner OF similar occur
rences all over the country and the eau
Of It l place mainly on the unfortunat
/ condition Of the teaming trade. The teal
owners, OF whom there are about $4,000
! this country, representing an investment
horses. wagons and stables of probabl
$50. 900. 900, lack organization, and hence al
unable to deal with any such trouble a.
strike. The trouble is the individual tea
owner in almost every city in this COUNT
makes his own prices and runs his busineI
without any organized business system"