The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-15
4 HEAVY PoLLCE RESERVE
EaxIy Morning News of the Strike
Much Property Lost.

Much Property Lost.
Chicago, July 15.-Hundreds of freight
Gars loaded with perishable goods are
standing in the railroad yards and no eff
dort Is being made to unload them, owing
10 the freight handlers strike. Many OF
the cars ooItain fruits and produce. There
are oars of decaying tomatoes, watermel-
Ons, berries Of every description, butter
and the countless other farm products
shipped into the city on the expectation
of being quickly unloaded and transferred
TO the retail markets. Nor have the cars
been resupplied with ice.
A majority of the cars have been stand
ang SO long that their contents are wholly
spoiled and will have to be burned. The
aoss to commission, houses and farmers
will be very heavy. .,. -. T..' F
Hundreds Of tons of food, 1T is said,
, have gone to waste since, the tie-up be-
gan. The amount is estimated to have
been enough to feed the poor of the city
for twice the period of the strike.
Eight Hundred Policemen.
Eight hundred policemen were held In
geserve at downtown stations or at the
Taflroad warehouses this morning in an
ticipation Of a possible attempt ITO raise
the embargo on freight occasioned by the
freight handlers strike and the sympa-
thetic walk out Of the teamsters.J
The situation was regarded as even
more serious than yesterday, as the fall
ure of conferences scheduled for to-day
was believed to mean that the merchants
who are suffering over million dollars
loss every day of the strike would assume
determined attitude. At meetings held
yesterday houses in different lines Of
business but especially those handling
perishable goods declared their intention
of manning their trucks and attempting
Z TO take freight from the warehouses of
the railroads. After the meeting of tho
teamsters' after midnight last night, when
1t was arranged that the freight haEalers
should make one last proposition to the
railroad managers, the merchants changed
their plans to await the result of the con-
ferences. 49,
Few were found to express hope that
these meetings between the men and their
former employees would result in peace.
The men were Instructed, among other
things, to demand 171ac an hour for truck
ers and on this point the railroad have
taken decided stand. Secretary Dris-
col of the team owners association is
quoted as stating that eight Of the rail-
roads were willing to pay 171ac, but this
being true, there would remain eighteen
still pledged to pay NO more than tic.
The Crisis Is at Hand.
Any attempt of the South Water street
commission merchants to remove perish
able goods, scores of cars Of which lay
spelling on the tracks or in warehouses,
WAS regarded as certain to precipitate
conflicts between the police and pickets.
The tentative plan of the big whole
salers and manufacturers to deliver
freight would, it was judged certain, re-
Bult in similar conflicts. Said one whole
Saler this morning: eve are waiting the
result Of ,today's conferences, Should
they fail, as the others have failed, there
will be a fight to the finish. We have got
to do business, even If the militia has
to be called out. A few hours will tell
the story" Others expressed themselves
In a simi lar vein. One man said the
fight would completely crush the team
sters' union This union, he said, had
broken its contract made only few
weeks ago and as 1t could not be relied
on to keep a contract, nothing remained
but to crush 1t, If 1t persisted in stay
ing out, in violation of it's agreements.
HI Business conditions this morning were
the same as yesterday, only a little worse
feots Of the strike have been felt most
severely. The warehouses were almost
aeserted, except by thespolice.
Board of Arbitration Meets.
The full state of board of arbitration,
headed by Frederick w. Job, held a
meeting this morning at which it was
planned to resume active efforts towards
conciIiation as directed by Governor
Yates yesterday. # 2a@E ..-E-
A continuance of the strike threatens
to tie up building operations in the city.
Several cars of brick were on the tracks
to-day, where they have been for some
time. The supply comes in day by day
and 1t is said the present supply will last
only little time, possibly not more than
twenty four hours. Business Agent Hanks
of the brickmakers' union declared that
should the freight handlers continue to