The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-25
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VERY SERIOUS PHASE
Freight Handlers Strike In
cIudes the firemen.
TRANSFER BOATS TIED UP
Firemen Want Better Wages
and Better Food.


ran, president of the International Freight
| Handlers union, sent out teleSrams to-
night to the representatives of the union
along the line of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford, calling on them to
order out all freight handlers tomorrow
morning.
He said tonight that he would go to
Jersey City tomorrow to order out the
freight handlers of the Pennsylvania rail-
road. as he believes that road is giving
assistance to the New York, New Haven
and Hartford.
While President Curran was sending out
the kilograms, a conference between rep
resentatives of the Truck Owners as
sociation of this city and representatives
of the International Brotherhood of Team
sters was being held here. at which, after
a session lasting over five hours, an agree
ment was signed abolishing strikes and
lockouts for a period of one year.
1t is understood that the employers
agreed to the union scale of wages, the
matter of overtime being left for arbi-
tration by the civic federation.
The agreement affects over 26.oo0 drivers
they have decided not to cooperate with
the freight handlers will deprive the lat
ter of material assistance. All the big
Sound steamers left as usual this after
noon.
New York. May 24.-The strike which
began several days ago with the refusal
of freight handlers employed by the Fall
River line to continue work unless a nom
union foreman to whom they objected be
discharged and which has resulted ma
serious tie up of freight traff1c between
New York and many New England
points. assumed more serious proportions
today when a strike of firemen tied up the
transfer system of the New York. New
Haven and Hartford railroad company
across the East river between Motthaven
and the New Jersey shore was effectively
accomplished by strike of the firemen
on the transfer boats.
The firemen who are members Of the
Atlantic Coast Marine Ffremen's Union.
demand an increase in wages, shorter
hours and better food.
AS a result of this tie up many hundred
hremen. engineers and brakemen en-
ployed on freight trains in the Motthaven
yards were forced into idleness and 400
of them were laid off.
Hundreds of cars, many loaded with
perishable goods bound for points south
of New York. stood still all day in the
Motthaven yards and it was believed that
serious loss would result.
President Curren said today: THE
fight between the men and the railroad
company is now fight to the death. We
offered the management every concession.
fight it out Hhey would not listen to
our proposition and they seem to have
agreed not to take US into consideration
at all We were willing to settle the
strike because We thought the public
would be the sufferers
Mr.. Curren was asked If he would call
out the teamsters, but he declined to
make a direct answer, saying: NO team
ster will handle the companys freight af-
ter they understand the situation. We
are all union men"
Superintendent Shapard Of the New
York division of the New York. New Ha-
ven and Hartford railroad said that he
had no fear that the trouble would affect
the New Haven system in general.
Il do not believe the men are well
enough organized along the line he said
and what is more they are dissatisfied
as they are here. In New York
they will go out for nothing but else
where 1t needs real grievance to make
them quit work. Thsi they have not got"
Mr.. Shapard said that the strike of the
hrrmen on the transfer boats would not
interfere with the schedules of either the |
Federal or Colonial expresses from Bos-
ton 10 Washington, and he continued:
We now have all the freight handlers
that we need. and are engaging no more.
We are short OF firemen. but apparently |
there are plenty to be had"