The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1904-07-21
MEAT PACKING PLANTS ARE DE.
sERTEo eY EMPLOYEES
STRIKERS ARE EXPECTING A LONG FIGHT
Will Equal the Anthracite Strike Of
two Years Ago-Work All Cleared
Up Before Men Go out--Difference
In Wages of UnskiIIed Workmen

In Wages Of UnskiIIed Workmen
CHICAGO: AS result of a stub.
Oorn disagreement, chiefly over wages
Tor unskilled labor, one of the most
extensive strikes in the history of the
meat packing industry of the United
States began in Chicago, Kansas City,
omaha, st. Joseph and other cities
where large packing plants are 10.
Gated. II prolonged, the strike is ex.
peCted to cause widespread inconven.
lence, possibly equaling the anthra.
cite coal famine OF two years ago.
The unanimity of the strike was
complete. More than $4,000 employees
are directly involved. In Chicago
alone $4,000 men are on strike.
The effect of the strike on the food
supply OF the country and the price of
;heats Is being earnestly discussed,
Notwithstanding announcement that
the packing houses, contrary to some.
what general expectations, will con.
tinue operations without any close
down, employing whatever help may
be obtainable. How much alienation
In the furnishing of supplies to the
pubic this course may afford is a mat.
ter OF wide variation of opinion. The
packers declare that hundreds of men
who could not be provided with places
have been applying daily for work.
The walkout here was started by
the employees of the killing depart.
ments at the various packing houses.
The killers were followed by the
workers in the other departments as
fast as the current work left by the
slaughterers could be cleaned up.
Thus as the workers in each depart
ment disposed Of their part of the
work they threw off their aprons and
departed. This consideration was
shown for the packers, the labor Of
ficials announced, because it was not
employers any financial loss as re-
suit Of neglecting meat that was on
hand to be dressed.
Watched by cordons Of police, the
strikers filed briskly out of the pack
ing houses, carrying overalls, rubber
boots and knives, cleavers and steels.
The strikers were greeted by crowds
of women and children, many OF whom
joined hands with the workmen on
the outward march. There was abso-
lutely no sign of disorder.
picturesque scene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
reries were left by thir forces.
4 oirlS ,,,lO ~
these two departments of the meat
industry. Clad in the variegated garb
of factory girls, this army OF fcmin-
inc strikers trippcd blithely along the
main thoroughfares OF the stock yards
and were roundly chcered as they
emerged through the gates and dis
tributed themselves in the crowd OF
men who had waited their coming.
President Donnelly OF the Amalga.
mated meat cutters and butcher work.
men of North America, leader OF the
strikers, said in a conversation that
the strikers would have little difficulty
withstanding a seiSc or year with
the packing houses. In Chicago
thirty.five local unions are involved
in the strike.
Arthur Meeker of Armour & Co.,
said:
1--WE consider the demands OF the
union for an advance in wages OF un.
skilled labor entirely unwarranted by
unusual conditions. We could not con-
code 1t and proposed to submit the
question to arbitration. which the
union declined to do, and called a
strike. Every department is kept run
aing. however. We have had applica.