The San Francisco call., 1904-06-07
CLERKS REFUSE
STRIKE APPEAL
Freight Handlers Fail to
Get Office Men to Join
in Their Fight for Wages
POLICE ARE on GUARD
Change Is Made in Con-
troll of Sheds and Nom
Union Hands Are Working

All is quiet along the Southern Pa
cifc freight sheds. and that fact is due
10 the orderly manner in which the
freight handlers conducted themselves
after going out on strike and the pres
ence Of Captain Spillane and squad
Of seventeen policemen.
During the afternoon OF yesterday ef-
forts were made to get the billing
clerks 10 declare a strike in sympathy
with the freight handlers, but that
movement failed. Checking clerks were
next appealed 70. but they also refused
10 stand by the men that load the cars
In the latter case a vote was taken
and resulted in eighteen being in favor
of going out and twenty-eight reIus-
fng.
Special policemen guarded the yards
while the men that were supposed TO
load the cars were sleeping IN the sheos
or in tourist cars, which were sloe
tracked for their benefit
Each special officer was armed with
a nick handle and was supposed 10 use
Ct in the event Of any attempt on the
part Of the strikers 10 take the men
from their berths. No such attempts
were made. and the men that have
gone out say that there viii be no at
tempt at violence
The company made q change in the
mana cement of the sheds yesterday
which is taken by the union men as
AGAINST them. Edward f Gerald,
11bor77. the strikers say. was the man
that did so much against the railroad
men during the strike in Oakland. su-
perse6ed Jack Downey, who has been
n charge Of the sheds for years.
SIX CARS LOADED.
Only six cars were sent out last
night As a usual thing there are over
JO0 cars loaded each night and sent oIt
from The Townsend street depot Men
were ca1nped in the sheds, but they
were not in sufficient number to per
form the work required Freight IS
rongested in the sheds and on the
Tr-ivewavs. There are not enough men
TO handle the goods offered for ship
ment- z
Members Of the union were around
watching the work being done yester-
dav and from time to time commented,
but beyond that they offered no inter
ference. hence no arrests were neces-
Farlv last night Captain spillane
sent two Of his men back TO the sta
rfon. as there was no indication OF dis
order though there were number OF
the strikers congregated in groups on
the different corners.
STRIKERS DEMANDS.
When asked what they expected and
what they wanted. the men who are
out SAID the only thing they were after
was an increase from 221z cents an
hour To % cents and If the company
did not see fit 10 pay the amount they
required there was likely to be tie
I'D Of the entire system When asked
what the action Of the bill clerks and
The shipping clerks meant the strikers
said that action was simply tentative
and would be followed later by action
which would result in every bill and
checking clerk employed at the Town
send-street depot quitting work unless
the demands of the freight handlers
were recognized
Bill and checking clerks say that is
not a fact and that the action taken
yesterday afternoon was final
Stories are in circulation TO the effect
that the teamsters are to join the
freight handlers. That is not correct,
according TO the officers Of the Team
sters' Union. When their strike was
settled last year an agreement was en-
tered into which prevents any posi-
bility Of going on strike, even in sym
pathy, for a period Of one year.
Freight handlers do not make the
claim officially that the teamsters are
70 join them in the event Of their not
reaching an agreement with the COM
pany. but individual members Of the
union do make that claim.
Officials Of the union and officials Of