Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-05-03
Pressure on Various Lines Of Business
Strains Pow,r Of Endurance.
OAL SUPPLY SHUT OFF ALL OVER CITY
Trade and Commerce Suffers as Well al
People in Their Homes.
SERIOUS CONGESTION or FIR. lGHT
Despite EraNe Condition Ranks of
strikers Increase ana More Dis
content il Apparent-Bakers
Want Concessions.


fects of the strike hourly multiplying
! Omaha is confronted by a serious problem,
! the gravity of which is increased by the
numerous channels Of trade and industry
anected. The fact that so many lines Of
business have been seriously congostcd by
the wide scope the strike has taken. seems
to indicate the imperative necessity Of an
early settlement of some sort crisis
and probably the beginning Of favorable
negotiations for peace is anticipated within
a day or two. Monday is expected to bring
about some vital development. The army
OF strikers reached nearly or quite 240O
and unless some heroic measures are
adopted forthwith this number will be in
| creased
The latest recruits to the ranks of strik-
ers are forty drain layers and about forty
teamsters who were in the employ OF the
! city. They Joined the army yesterday. The
/ drain layers struck for an increase in pay
from 20 to 30 cents an hour and the teams
| ters responded TO call of their union,
| which practically controls the strike situa-
| ton. The teamsters had remained at work
! for the city when the ether $50 struck be-
cause the Board OF Public Works signihed
! its approval of the scale but upon more
| deliberate investigation it was ascertained
that the new charter conferred discretion
precluded the Board OF Public Works from
raising the pay of any city employees Con-
| sequently the teamsters considered II was
time for them to quit work.
Two More Unions Debating.
Two other unions that are liable 70 fall
in line with the idle procession are the
freight package handlers, who have been
on the ragged edge of strike for some
he hulro
night and decided to present a proposition
to their employers for ten, instead of
eleven hour day. What will happen II their
demand is turned down may be conjectured
with some degree of safety by the conduct
1 OF other unions similarly treated The bak-
ers number only about 90 or 100. They
seem to have had no general trouble with
their employers thus far but evidently
have been quietly at work. Some days ago,
however, the proprietor OF the New Eng
land bakery on North Sixteenth street was
asked to sign the union scale for new
man who had applied for membership in
the union. The demand was rejected. This
baker had been at work for the New Eng
land-and is yet-but he was a nonunlon
man and induced by his fellow workers to
apply for membership in the union. The
proprietors OF the New England heard moth
ing" further Of the case until the general
rumor OF trouble last night.
Another Element of Danger.
Outside of the matter Of hours or the
recognition Of the union there is another
element OF possible trouble to be en-
countered by the bakery proprietors should
, the restaurants declared to be unfair" re-
open and go to buying bread from these
bakeries. 1t is understood that in such an
event the union bakers might strike in
sympathy with restaurant workers
One Of the union bakers who attended
, the meeting last night at Labor temple
said that they did not want or expect
trouble. bakery proprietor stated, how
ever, that they proposed TO stand firmly
against any demands of the union and as
sert their rights" as members of the BUS
, mess Mems association.
The most fearful condition that looms up
) on the tumultuous horizon, however Is
the serious effect of the teamsters' strike
Although it Is only three days old it's
effect is most severely felt II has shut
, on the delivery Of coal and freight, thus
putting check on business that cannot
long be survived. This Is the condition
( which makes some sort OF change in the
situation seem so imperatively necessary.
Aside from the many residences throughout
the city that are needing coal. some OF
the big business houses, hotels and ONCE
buildings are facing a serious proposition
. The extraordinarily cool weather naturaIIv
increased the demand for coal and with
the means OF delivery shut OF the sItua
tlon easily becomes serious. great many
OF the large concerns were ill-prepared for
such condition Of affairs, not having an
over supply Of coal on hand when The pinch
came. il has become necessary already ,or
/, certain concerns to make every retrench
ment possible in the use OF coal
Dealers Are Impotent.
As showing the utter impotency OF the
= coal dealers and the completeness ~ tho
tleup one dealer has 100 orders for large
supplies Of coal and is absolutely unable
TO touch them. Another had carload OF
coal on the tracks yesterday and made an
n appeal to the union to move II for him Inn,
y was turned down. All Of them are be-
sieged with the most pressing demands sor
= coal and as Indicated by a statement glva,
. below they are at the mercy OF the strik-
ers.
, The wholesale houses are not better OF
and worse II anything The have freight
u congested in tremendous volumes and nusf
i. do something soon. All the transfer com
+; panies are tied up and no hauling is being
= done. Shipments are overdue and while
n the wholesalers and jobbers are exertInr
" commendable efforts in the interests OF
their patrons they naturally are the prey
to a vexRtious situation.
m As some Of the jobbers said yesterday.
!: This condition Of affairs simply cannot
u go on; something must be done and that
a at once"
II is known that certain OF the whole
+" salers are ready to take the initiative IN
,r negotiations for a settlement. Two OF them
are quoted as saying that unless the trans
W fer companies would unite In a plan TO ad-
. just matters they would buy their own
teams and do their own hauling sign up
N the scale and "cut loose" from the trans
4" fer companies. How determined the trans
m fer men are cannot be exactly decided. but