Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-03-14
STRIKE is OVER.
Gov. Crane Has Active Hand
in Settling Trouble.
Promisesto to Do All He Can to Arrange
Satisfactory Terms.
Labor Leaders Then Recommend That
Strike Be Declared off.

united EFFORTS OF representatives OF the
great mercantile bodies of the city,
ably seconded by the chief executives
of city and state in conference with
the recognized leaders of organized
labor, the great strike of freight
handlers and kindred trades represent
ed in the Allied Freight Transportation
Council, was broken, tonight and the
men, fully 10000 of them, will resume
their respective occupations in the
morning.
This result was attained at a con-
ference, this morning, at the office of
Gov. Crane. The decision was at once
reported to the Allied Freight Trans
portation Council, at a special meet
ing, tonight, and unanimously endorsed.
The settlement was the result of an
expressed determination of Gov. Crane
and those representing the merchants
of Boston to bring all possible pres
sure to bear upon the New York, New
Haven & Hartford Railroad Co. to
adopt the rules in force upon the Bos-
ton & Maine Railroad forbidding
freight handlers to unload teams, ex-
cept at their own option and risk.
All of the old men for whom places
DS IIiduc VIII tdhCH DdCh Oy
the railroads, tomorrow, but owing
to the suddenness with which the
strike was ended, and the large num-
Der of new men who have been INSTALL
ed it is likely that many of the old en-
ployes will. tomorrow. find no vacancies
readyfor them. Eventually it is be-
lieved that they will again regain their
old positions.
Teamsters and longshoremen will
find an unprecedented demand for their
services, and traffic of all descriptions,
which has been virtually at stand
still for the past three or four days,
will be resumed, tomorrow, with a rush.
The Brine Transportation Co., the
unloading of whose non-union teams
precipitated the strike Of New York,
New Haven & Hartford freight hand
lers, does not appear to have figured
at all in the settlement of the present
controversy and as far as that COM
pany is concerned, the sentiment
against it on the part of labor unions
Is as bitter as ever.
The day was filled with conferences
between representatives of the various
labor unions and the city's business
interests, in which Gov. Crane, Mayor
Collins, Secretary Easley of the Ma
tional Civic Federation ad the State
Board of Arbitration took active parts.
Every one was fully impressed with
the gravity of the situation and felt
the absolute necessity of an immediate
settlement.
AS early as s o'clock A. NJ, Sec
retary Easley, who had arrived from
New York, met number of labor lead
ers at Young's hotel, where their side
of the controversy was explained to
him. This conference lasted several
hours.
At IL o'clock. those in attendance
proceeded to the rooms of the State
Board of Arbitration at the State
of the various mercantile bodies of
the city, the officials of the various
railroads and Mayor Collins, when a
free interchange of ideas was had for
more than three hours. Gov. Crane
personally had representative in at
tendance and was kept in close ouch
with all it's proceedings.
Among those present were: Mayor
Collins, j. Richard Carter and John
Mason Little, representing the Asso-
ciated Board of Trades; A. A. Law
renee, A. c. Farley, +. B. Wilson and
E. II. Walcott, representing the Mer-
chants Association; Jerome Jones and
GeOre II. Leonard, representing the
Chamber of Commerce; President
tLucius Tuttle Of the Boston & Maine;
Gen. Manager Barnes of the Boston &
Albany; Gen. Manager w. E. Cham
berlain of the New York, New Haven
& Hartford President Oscar F. Cox
of the Allied Freight Transportation
Council; President Hartnett of the
Transfers Union: and many other Of
ficials of the various labor bodies of
the city.
The outcome of this meeting was
the appointment of committee of
seven to devise some plan that might
be mutually be agreed upon as basis
of settlement in consultation with Gov. |
Crane. The committee, which consist
ed of Judge Warren A. Reed. chairman |
of the State Board of Arbitration; |
George II. Leornard |
and John Mason Little. on behalf of |
the merchants, and Thomas III. Can
ming. Geoffrey o. Powers and Thomas |
representing the unions, to-
gether with Secretary Easley then |
waited upon the governor, and were |
for two hours. Meantime a |
large number of labor leaders had ar
rived at the State House and they |
went into conference in the council
chamber.
The door between the rooms was |
open good part of the time and |
there was a general exchange Of ideas |
and propositions between the two
bodies. While there was unanimity of Il
sentiment that everything possible Il
should be done to bring the strike to a
quick termination there was a diver
sity of views as to how this much de-
sired end could be attained.
Gov. Crane. while impressing upon
hose present the fact that he had alb II
no authority to make pledges II
ior any of the interested parties, made
he following proposition
IF the strike is declared off and n
hose of the men who can will return
% their work, I Will, as Governor Of
he Commonwealth, use my best efforts
With the New York, New Haven &
Continued on page - 4