Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-12
TIE UP IS COMPLETE
Truckmen Join in Strike of
Freight Handlers.
CHICAGO IN BAD FIX
FERISHABLE GOODS FARE BADLY
IN WAREHOUSES.
Heavy Losses Will Result to shippers
and Commission Houses
Generally.
CHICAGO IN BAD FIX

CHICAGO. July 12-Nemhsre ~ 81.
Truck Drivers Union. as individuals. ia
sA mpathy with the striking freight han
dIers. refused to haul freight this morning
/ and every freight house in the ,ity WIS
ued up. The men took out their wagons
as usual in many instances. only ,o drive
lhem to the warehouses and block th. en-
frances and exits. Fully loo drivers Uarr
IN this way to the freight house OF ,ho Hi
nois Central this morning They backed
their teams up alongside the platforms and
proceeded 10 wait. They chaitad and
smoked. but would handle no freight. Most
Of the truckmen who visited the dep,.s
were from South Water street where yar-
etaDles, fruit. butter, eggs, poultry and he
Ike are dealt in by Wholesalers
The other truckmen. Il IS said I'm many
instances refused to take ont their tricks
at all. or having done SO, drove 10 The
headquarters of their union and begged Der
mission TO refrain from work. They plead-
ed as an excuse that they feared personal
violence at the hands Of freight handlers on
picket duty. such as befelI a number 4
teamSters yesterday.
j. Thompson, secretary or the union foid
the men that it was their duty to work as
long as work was possible but his argu-
ments We're not successful. The allegation
OF fear on the part Of the teamsters IS be
Iieved to be merely an excuse The real
reason. many Of the men admitted. was
1 that the truckmon desired to aid the strik-
ing lrtlght handlers, and would not deliver
or receive freight to or from the uuluu
men at present in the warehouses
II the freight handlers strike is settled
today TIE teamsters will at once r,-S4trra
work. Should a settlement fail. IT is said
commission merchants on South Water
street will lose $5OO00o through the destrr.c-
ton Of perisha bic goods today.
Meeting of the Strikers.
While the teamsters were making Tho sit
uation extremely embarrassing. the freight
handlers were holding meetings. at which
committees were appointed 10 Visit the rail
road managers in accordance with the plan
proposed by the Chicago board of aIbitra-
ton last night. So many plans of arbitra-
ton and compromise have failed that no
one could be found to predict the outcome
of these conferences
Police guards all of the depots were
reinforced this morning by bringing in
more men from the outlying districts The
policemen stand in pairs to increase their
efficiency and in order 10 protect each
other against sudden assault. The talk Of
the drivers was all one matter-"Would the
freight handlers strike be settled by noon?''
From their words 1t was evident they were
eager to strike officially in sympathy.
President Hugh McGee. and other officials
of the truckmen's organization. were i'm
portuned ceaselessly to call a strike but
they steadfastly refused. The calling If
strike, however, would merely make the
present actions of the drivers authoritative:
il would change the practical situation but
little.
Superintendents in a Dilemma.
The freight house superintendents were m
perpleXing fix. Most of them by bring
ing in men from other cities and towns 10
take the places of striking freight handlers
and clerks. had a sufficient force on hand
to handle the usual quantity of freight
but the detection of the truckmeu left
them with no freight to handle. The nom
union freight handlers found themselves
with almost as little to do as the tearlst-"s
who blocked the approaches.
The trGckmcn adopted a plan of cam
paign with the ease born of recent eNpe-
rence in the trouble with the packers. At
intervals along every street teamStvr.
with his truck drawn up to the curb, stood
picket. Whenever a truck approached
the driver was stopped and Informed that
the men We're not working today. lu Ihis
way cessation of work was brought about
almost quickly as ii would nave been
had the officials called a strike officially.
The determined attitude of the truckmen
during the forenoon was attributei 20
desire to furnish the railroad managers
with object lesson as to what would
ment with the committees of freight han
dlers who We're delegated TO meet them.
Speaking of the situation. Dan FuTmau,
secretary of one Of the truckmenS local
unions, said:
The men are out because the officials
could not hold them back. 1t is like trying
to stop Niagara to keep the teamsters
from going To the assistance Of the freight
handlers, with whom they have been
soc:ated in their work for years.
What Was Said al Headquarters.
At the headquarters of the teamsters
union it was said that 5000 teamsters were
out This, it was said, left less than 100
men in session, and those. it was stated
would drop their reins as soon as word
could be got to them. The addition Of the
teamsters brings the total of men GA strike
TO about 1900 men.
Twenty-one cars of vegetables and other
green goods" were taken fropl the ears at
the Illinois Central during the forenoon. but
none Of il reached its destination on South
Water street Butter, cheese and eggs i'm
immense quantities met like fate at other
freight houses. The arrivals, il is said
were unusually heavy. as the commission
men had attempted to get an extra supply
in anticipation of today's situation.
A number of teamsters were assaulted.
They Were dragged from their seats and
the horses either unhitched or the harness
posters announcing the teamsters' annual
picnic, was held up in this way by pickets
of the freight handlers before the mistake
was discovered
tween the strikers committees and the rai;-
road managers and superintendents had
been heard from. The delay was due to
the committees who waited to have their
demands carefully revised and typewriter.