Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-07-26

work. Monday. 1t Is conceded that
large majority of them stayed away
thinking a general strike had been or
dered. However, the various packing
plants were estimated to have about
1900 men in all departments and of
this number it was said fully 5000 could
be called out by a general strike order
fully obeyed.
Before joining the packers in the yard
the teamsters went into joint confer
ence with the representatives OF the al
lied trades and there it was decided
that no change could be made in the
demands of the strikers.
About the time set for the meeting Oh
the packers the teamsters' committee
of eight, accompanied by Barney Co
hen. representing the butchers ana
President Schardt of the Chicago Fed
Grafton Of Labor, went to Nelson MOT
ris & Cos. offices where the situation
was explained. The packers were toio
that the union would insist on the orig
inal demands; reinstatements OF all
butchers within 48 hours and reinstate-
ment of all others within 10 days with
individual arbitration of all cases OF al
legged discrimination. One of the strong
est arguments offered by the opponents
of a general strike was that it would
prevent the big packers from doing
business and at the same time give
their small rivals the trade. The many
commission men and others active at
the stock yards endorsed this arsu-
ment.
II was urged that II the unions were
anxious to hit the big packers haro'
the way to do it was to refrain from
calling out the beef handlers and others
employed by the union stock yards ana
transit company. since by Calling SUCH
employees out of the strikers would de-
prive the big packers of only such pus-
mess as is lost during the strike. by
letting the handlers work and Keeping
off the stock yards and transit COM
NAMES. II was claimed, would enable
the little butchers to attend to his bus
mess. There was no question, 1t was
asserted that this increased business
would to a large extent aid the small
butchers.
All the big plants in the yards were
reported as killing cattle, sheep and
hogs. Monday.
without waiting for strike order
about 80 carpenters employed i'm the
various plants struck, Monday morn
ing. An effort was made to get the
millwrights to go out, in all cases. ex-
cept one. Armour & Co.'S. plant where
q are employed. rejected the instruc-
tions and remained at work.
Hope Of peaceful settlement of the
strike of the packing house employees
Al, % hn int
council of the Teamsters' Union, in re-
fusing to sanction a sympathetic strike
of the members of the union until one
more effort to secure satisfactory terms
Of arbitration has been made.
Upon the action of the teamsters
more than on any other outside organ
ization perhaps. the strikers depend
for victory. A refusal Of the strikers
to handle meat from nOn-union hands
is expected to be one of the hardest diff
ficulties the packers will have to meet
and this fact is expected to give the
efforts of the teamsters' committee to
secure concessions from the packers
more chances of success.
Practically all other workers en-
ployed about the packing houses are
|
and, Monday, these will all be out. IT
Ia expected that as soon as work with
non union men is begun the strike will
spread to railroad employees. the switch
men handling cars for the packing
houses being first affected.
| A mob Of 5000 strike sympathizers at
tackled a bread wagon of the Heusner
Bakery Co. that was returning from
making delivery of bread to the stock
yards and after beating the driver and
his companion. cut the horses loose and
set fire to the wagon.
| ]. C. Clark, superintendent of the
bakery. who was driving the wagon,
and Edward Smith, shipping clerk,
who was with him. were both painfully
but not dangerously hurt. The police
and fire departments were called and
the crowd was dispersed and the fire
extinguished. No arrests were made.
No further efforts were made to deliver
bread at the stock yards.