The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-25
THE / | STRIKE
At AN END,
CONTINUED from First Pase,)sa

flces necessary. Men with wives and
families lived on q mere pittance, and
cheerfully endured all the hardships incl
dent to their self-lmposed determination.
The strike. 30 far as the men are con-
cerned, had been conducted With dignity,
and when It was yielded 1t was likewise
with dignity. The result has been long
foreseen, and this made the blow harder
TO bear. Hoping against hope day after.
day, the men had seen the last vestige OF
the hope OF victory disappear. 1t was a
bitter experience for many who chung to
their organization. but they bore 1t quietly
and manfully, and the men separated
finally in the hall where they nave con-
gregated day after day.
In ending the strike the men present
commended President Wilbur J. Gr!ggs
and other officers for their services and
altogether tho meeting ended with good
feeling.
MR.. GR1GGs' VIEWS.
President Griggs, after the acton mad
been taken, stated that he regarded the
action as a lost victory He declared
the men had the fight won twice. but that
desertions among their men at critical
period lost them a victory almost within
their grasp. Mr.. Griggs took occasion to
tender his own and the thanks OF the men
to the labor organizations 80 those OF
the public who have stood by the men
and shown them such substantial sym
pathy, and in this connection ne especially
thanked the ladies. who have contributed
so handsomely and at such sac!lIice:
This declaration was warmly commended
by ~ !.
meeting at old Market Hall on The night
Of June 10th. after midnight, ana pesan
the morning of the 18TH For three Weeks
It was hard and bitter struggle. Str!ke-
chit nv the COM
pany and determined effort made TO
operate the cars. This proved futile IN
til the military, two-thirds OF the entire
establishment, were ordered on duty
here, and under their protection cars
were operated for more than three weeks
II was then that the backbone Of the
strike was broken. since then It has
dragged along, with OCCASIONAL disturb
ances, stonIng Of cars and firing explo-
sives and occasionally q shot at the
car nen, but daily the travel Increased
until with the feeling OF security IN rid
ing patronage grew steadily. For three
or four weeks. the end has been seen to
be Inevitable by all save the men enlist
ed In the hopeless battle. 80
WHAT ORR ADVISED.
Now that the strike Is over It Ia said
that General Organizer Orr. who was
here counael!ng tho men for week or
more before the strike, on the night be-
fore the decision to strike was mac, CO.
yised the men that In the event OF a
strike they could not hope for much from
the national organization, for owing to
the fact that there were several other
strikes on, the treasury WAS almost de-
pleted. It was too late then to stem I've
torrent OF strike enthusiasm. The men
had made up their minds and were eager
for the struggle Had they been told
the condition Of the national organIza-
tion's treasury earlier In the negotiations,
the strike might have been ohv!ated. but
despite the tardy declaration, the men
carried the motion to so out with enthu-
sissm and practical unanimlty.
The loss Of the strike Is generally re-
garded as meaning the dissolution OF the
union, and even the men admit this, The
men may so into unions In other yoca-
lions, but the street railway union Is no
more. n,
The strike has ben an expensive one
all round, but 1t has cost the company
heavily. In the aggregate the strike has
cost all parties concerned about s260 900,
This sum includes the expense Of guards
and employees and strlke-breakers and
the loss OF normal revenue by the Fassen-
ger and Power Company, estimated N tho
aggregate at about s125,ooo, add 70 that
the sllrn lost by tho men who went out,
which amounts to nearly sixty thousand,
and the expanse Of the military to the
State Of about sos, 900, with an expense
upon the city for extra police and other
axnansaa OF Sk0n0 or $4,000, Theftre-