Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-07-20
Fifty thousand People Walk Away
From Their Situations
FOOD SUPPLY MAY BE AFFECTED
Employees Numbering $4,000 Quit
Work at Chicago, Kansas City,
Omaha, ST. Joseph and Other Cities
as tie Result of Stubbon Dis
agreement, Chiefly Over the Wages
for UnskiiIcd Labor.

Vase l-i Nlah-ltcU laDCr, one OF the
most cTtonsive strikes in the history
Of Tie meat packing industry began
Tue Gag morning in Chicago. Kansas
Cit. Omaha St. Joseph, No, and
other cities whore large. packing
plants are located. If prolonged the
STRIKE is expected to cause wide
spread Inconvenience. possibly equal
ing the anthracite coal famine OF two
years ago. The unanimity of the
strike was complete More than 10.
600 employees are directly involved.
In Chicago alone $4,000 mon are on
strike.
The effect of the strike upon the
food supply of the country and the
cussed, notwithstanding the announce
ment that ths packing houses con
uary to the somewhat general eXpec-
tatiCn will continue operations with
cut any closed door. employing what
ever help may bo obtained. How
much alienation in the furnishing of
supplies to the public this course
may afford is a matter of wide vari-
alton. The packers declare that hun
dreds OF men who could not be provid-
cd with places have been applying
daily for work
The walkuut hero was started b.
tLe employees OF the killing depart
ments ~ various packing houses
The killers wore followed by tho
workers in other departments as fast
as current work left by the slaughter
ors could bo cleaned up1 Thus as
thn workers in each dopar, ,ment dis
posed OF the their part of the work
they threw off their aprons and de
parted. This consideration was shown
the packers. tho labor officials an
ncrlccd, because it was not The de-
sire of the men to cause the employ
crS any financial loss as result of
neg!ecting meat that was on hand to
be dressed
Watched by cordons of police, the
strikers filed briskly ont 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 work
men on the outward march. What
ever the future may have in store in
the way of riots. there was absolutely
no sign of disorder.
y picturesque scene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
neries were left by their forces.
There are 1000 girls employed in
these Two department: OF the meat
industry. Clad in the variegated garb
OF factory girls. this army of feminine
strikers tripping along the thorough
fare of the stockyards. were roundly
cheered as they emerged through the
gates and distributed themselves in
the crowd of men who had awaited
their coming. Were with You to
the last" the girls exclaimed. SIN. ing
as thcy stood around and talked over
the situation with their malu com
paniOnS in the movement.
Arthur Mceker. OF Armour & Com
pany. said: I'VE consider the demand
OF the union for IN advance in wages
of Unskilicd labor entirely unwarrant-
ed by industrial conditions. Wo could
not cCnccde il and proposed to submit
the question to arbitration, which the
union declined TO do and called n
strike today at all our plants. Every
department Is kept running however
Wo have mad applications from hun
dre1s Of unemployed men for posi-
tions a less wages than we have
been paying and every day expect to
increase our output"
President Donnelly. the strike lead.
or, said: II wish to make il clear
that We are not fighting for an in.
crease of wages. but against n de-
crease. Our original demand was for
minimum or 20 cents an hour for
.aborers. This demand was amended
after our second conference with the
packers in June. We then agreed to
scale OF 1872 cents an hour, except
in Omaha and Sioux City, where the
scale is 10 cents. The packers. on
tno other hand, refused to pay more
tnan 171a cents an hour and declined
ID sign any agreements at all except
With small proportion OF the work
men. The question OF wages to
sulied men was not discussed To
unskilied workmen the average wage
was 1872, but when we asked that this
be made the minimum wage they cut
" TO l7h and 10 cents. man could
live on 10 cents if he could get steady
work, but at some plants the men
have been able to make Just Is hours
r week at this wage scale. They
could not live on It. No one could