The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-08-19
PRESIDENT DONNELLY SAYS
THE STRIKERS
Will Stick Till the Snow
Flies.
PACKERS ARE OBDURATE
And There are No Signs Of Letup in
the Great Chicago Strike-Union
Men Make Serious Charges Against
Moral and Sanitary Conditions in
Stock Yards.

Moral and Sanitary Conditions In
Stock Yards.
Chicago, Aug. 16-Mayor Harrison's
efforts to bring the packers and strike
officials together in peace confer
ence were unsuccessful today and the
latter declare that the strike will be
carried on more vigorously than ever.
I'VE will stick until the snow flies,"
declared President DOnnelly as he left
the Office of the mayor. 1--WE have the
packers beaten now, but we can
stand out for months IL necessary to
secure fair settlement"
The packers just as vigorously de.
clare that the strike is practically end
ed and that no compact of any kind
will be made with the strikers.
At the conference between the la
Dor officials and the mayor the former
made several sensational charges
against the packers. They declared
that every law that stood in the way
CT the packers was violated with i'm
punity; that eight men had been kill
ed by the bursting of an ammonia pipe
in the refrigerating plant of Armour
& Co., and that the bodies had been
disposed of without notifying the cor
oner; that prize fights and gambling
were carried on in the stock yards
under police protection and that the
conditions existing among the women
strike breakers were so disgraceful
that it was the mayors duty to make
personal investigation. These
charges were made by President Don
nelly John ]. Fitzpatrick, organizer
of the Federation of Labor, and Mat
thew Carr of the Car Workers. They
had been called into conference with
the mayor to consider the strike stu.
alton. Previously the packers had in
formed the mayor that the strike was
practically ended and that no good
reason existed why any conference
should be held with the strikers.
"Our plants in Kansas City, st. JOS
eph, st. Paul and Fort Worth are in
excellent shape" the packers inform.
ed the mayor. I'm fact those plants
are doing more than a normal busi-
ness. In Chicago, East st. Louis and
South Omaha the situation is not SO
favorable, but this will be satisfac-
tory in a few days If we are permitted
to solve the strike problem our
selves"
Mayor Harrison repeated the state
ment of the packers to the labor off,
cials. President Donnelly denied the
claims of the packers. He said the
packers were in bad shape in all the
packing house centers except Kansas
City, but that in that place the union
had never had firm foothold.
1--WE thank you for your interest
in trying to bring about peace con-
ference" said President Donnelly,
"but when a settlemnt is made 1t will
be brought about by direct negotla.
| tions between the packers and strik-
ers."
President Donnelly then called up
on the mayor to make a personal in
vestigation of the conditions in the
stock yards.
Every moral law is being violat-
ed" he declared. "as well as the city
and state laws Go out to the Libby,
Mcneil G. Libby plant any night and
see for yourself the horrible condi-
tions which many innocent girls are
| forced to face. Watch the prize
fights and the gambling games. Po-
licemen guard the fighting ring and
prevent the crowds from interfering
with the fighters"
Then Organizer Fitzpatrick charged
that eight strike breakers had been
fatally suffocated by the bursting of
an ammonia pipe and that their bodies
had been spirited away and not bur-
| led.
How were the bodies disposed of
without the knowledge of the cor.
oner?" inquired the mayor.
"The packers do not permit the
laws to interfere in such cases." re.
piled Fitzpatrick. THE bodies were
dragged out, placed in cinder wagons
and hauled away. We can product
six witnesses to the affair"
The mayor did not intimate to the
union officials what action he would
take on the charges. but it is under
stood that he has asked the packers
for an explanation.
After the conference the mayor
said: 81 do not see how anything
can be accomplished now"