Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1904-07-14
$4,000 EMPLOYEES
ARE NOW ON STRIKE
Butchers Union Makes War or
the Packers.
NINE CITIES ARE AFFECTED

Public is Beginning to Feel the Effect
of the Great Strike Now In Force
In Scarcity of Meat and Advance in
Prices-Arbitration Ray of Hope.
Chicago, July 13.-W1th no sign of
weakening on either side, the only
ray of hope in the butchers strike
situation today was the possibility
that arbitration may intervene to pre-.
vent a labor war fraught with suffer
ing and privation to the strikers.
Nor is the effect OF the strike con
fined to the employees and packers in
the nine cities where the fight will
be centered. The consuming pub,
lie will bear large share OF the
burden in higher prices for meats.
Reports already have come from
various cities that prices of the prod.
uct have been raised. This advance,
too, was said to be but a forerunner
OF others, if the conflict continues
long. In addition to the $4,000 EN-.
ployes already on strike, upwards of
10000 more are involved indirectly
and most Of them probably will be
made idle before tonight =
In addition to the slaughtering de.
partments of all the plants being tied
up, the strike affects other branches
of the industry in which articles as
butterine, soap, buttons and combs are
manufactured. The canning depart
ments where beans, soups and all
kinds Of meats are put up, are also
hit hard, the union employees having
gone out in a body Forty thousand
persons, approximately, find employ
ment in the big packing houses in
Chicago, and this number already has
been reduced one-half The effect of
the strike upon the mechanical and
other departments, it is declared, will
increase this army of unemployed in
Chicago before the end of the week
to nearly $4,000.
Arbitration is looked upon as the
only means to avert a prolonged strike.
The strikers declare that they will
be willing to consider any reasonable
proposition submitted from the other
side.
The detail Of police at the stock
yards has been increased in num-
Der, and all night long the officers
patrolled the strike district and the
streets adjacent to the yards in pairs
There was considerable speculation
as to whether the packing house
teasters would go out on a sympathet
lc strike. George Golden, business
agent Of the union, set all doubts at
rest at a meeting Of the teamsters
joint council by announcing that the
teamsters Will remain at work as long
as there is work for them to do
A crowd Of men and boys numbering
more than 5000 for the most part
striking employees, gathered in squads
today about the entrance to the stock
yard and discussed the situation. Most
of them were in holiday attire. In
general, the greatest good nature pre-
vailed. The only activity specially
noticeable within the great gloomy
and desert looking buildings was at
the Swift and Armour plants. In
the canning department of the Swift
establishment number of men were
at work, while at Armour's a gang OF
men were busy loading provisions into
a string of refrigerator cars.
With a seeming certainty OF a meat
famine, should the strike last more
than a week, both the packers and
the strike leaders took a serious view
of the situation today. Each side
thoughtfully considered the arbitration
channel of escape from the entangle-
ment. Indeed, predictions were ven
tured that an armistice might b9 ar
ranged within "A hours. Such opti.
mistism, however, was received with
q good deal of incredulity President
DOnnelly, Of the Butcher Workmen's s
union, expressed regret that the pack
ers' offer to arbitrate had not been
made earlier Had it haan. 40 eosd