The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-25
ALLIED TRADES
TO QUIT HERE
But Such Action Will Not Seri-
ously Embarrass South st.
Paul Plant.
Strikers Plan to Prevent the
Sale of Non Union
Meats.


dent Willis of Butchers union, No.
365, today made all preliminary ar
rangements for a sympathetic strike
of all the allied trades in South St.
Paul. These consist Of the engineers
fremen and railroad switchmen, and
when they go out Swift & Co. will be
unable to ship any meat except with
improvised gangs of inexperienced
men. The company expects to be able
to handle this part Of the work with
out difficulty, however.
In the interim President Willis is
taking other steps to make the tie-up
of the Swift plant complete. He in
tends to prevent, 50 far as possible,
the handling of the companys meat in
the large cities of the northwest. AL
ready he has obtained the promises of
ten of the largest meat dealers in ST.
Paul that they will not sell meat that
doesn't bear the union label, and he
will continue the campaign With this
end in view In Minneapolis Wednes-
day.
The Swift products have never
borne the union label, and cannot now
until the striking union gives per-
mission. This will not be done until
there Is a satisfactory settlement Of
the strike.
Helping "Independents.'
In the meantime the independently
abattoirs in the twin cities and vicinity
are supplied with union labels, This
means that If President Willis is sue
cessful, the products of these houses
will be sold in the majority of mar
kets hereabouts instead of those of
the Swift company.
The union officers will appeal first
to the proprietors, and If they refuse
to fall in with the scheme, the meat
cutters, their employees, will be asked
to walk out,
Manager Bangs Statement.
General Manager Bangs of Swift &
Co., however, declares that work will
be continued at the South st. Paul
plant. In a statement this afternoon
he said: .aas@ a.fe g&,ssE
Our working forces are increasing right
along. Every department is in operation.
This plant Is going to operate no, matter
what the Chicago situation. We are in a
position to care for all normal shipments.
Today's shipments were heavier
than they have been for a. week.
p There was also heavy buying. Today's
receipts at the plant were forty-one
cars of cattle, twenty cars of hogs,
two Of sheep and nine mixed.
The Plants Losses.
Work In the plant continues at a
loss. Altho there are about 500 men
the capacity is considerably less than
half Of normal. Because of the fact
/. that unskilled workmen are employed
' In every department except the beef
the waste Is great In three hours
which usually are sent to the sausage
house, had to be dumped into the
" fertilizing plant, making them almost
total loss.
Skilled workmen usually go over
the big piles E Of m meat every day re- re-
strikers. AS a result, there are large
piles Of meat that haven't been
/ touched for nine days. In many Of
3, these the preserving salt has soured,
making the meat worthless.
Strikers Spirits Sink.
A heavy rain falling in South St.
Paul this morning served to dampen
= the already low spirits Of the strikers
The men surged about the strike
headquarters, but being unable to get
inside because of the crowd that filled
the rooms to suffocation, they re-
treated to the shelter Of sheds and the
railroad station, where they stood
around waiting a cessation Of the
downpour. Some Of them were seek
ing work elsewhere.
| The force at work in the plant and
-" the number of strikers are the same
as on saturday-about 500 of the
former and $50 of the latter. Only
about $50 of those at work left the
plant over Sunday, altho Swift & Co
! had told them that any who wished
! might leave. They seemed not to fea1
violence, but disliked to hear the
; jibes and jeers of the strikers. Thi:
! morning all those who left re-enteret
the plant without interference. NJ
new men went in.
The picket line has been practically
J done away with. Only a few picket
were on duty today. They were de
tered from active work by the rain
and only presented themselves wher
the trains came in. Then they scru
! tinized the passengers who alighted
but sought to prevent none entering
! the plant.
Politics in 1t.
There appears to be some politics II
the strike at South st. Paul. 1t |!
merely incidental, but 1T is developed
may precipitate a clash between
Mayor Lytle and the Great Western
railroad and perhaps the officials Of
-; Swift & Co.
I The Great Western owns the build
ing which is occupied. on the frs
floor by the South ST. Paul fire com
pany, and, on the second, by tn,
Butchers union, which is on strike
The city holds it under ninety-nine
year lease. The Great, Western
J has given nOllCe 10 Mayo
INtle that the strikers uniol
shall vacate the part they oc
cupy, and 1t is presumed that tn
! order is the result Of pressure brough
to bear by Swift & Co. The rail
road company holds that the buildin
was let for municipal purposes only
and that the presence of the union a
a tenant is a violation Of the agree
ment.
Mayor Lyle has ignored this OF
der President Willis of the upio
said this morning that the union ha
received no request from the mayo
to move.
The mayor does not charge tn
union any rent for the rooms the