The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-16
MAYOR HARRISON coNFERs
WITH BOTH SIDES.
ACTION IS BY REQUEST
Uses His Good Offices on Petition of
Retail Neutrality-suspicious.
Reopened.

Chicago, Aug. 15.-Mayor Harrison
will attempt tomorrow to settle the
row morning the representatives of
the strikers and hear their side of the
controversy. Later he will have a
meeting with the representatives of
the packers and listen to their state
ment, and he will then undertake the
task of reconciling the differences.
A large committee of the retail
dealers called upon him this after
noon and asked him to S his good
Offices in entling the strike. The
mayor said that he would gladly do
all that lay in his power to put an
end to the trouble, and a meeting
of labor leaders was at once arranged.
The mayor then set about arranging
a meeting with the packers, and they
promptly sent him word that they
would meet him.
There were a number of conferences
during the day, all having the settle
ment of the strike in view, but zone
of them resulted in anything.
It is asserted that the alleged Sc
cret meeting between the packers and
the strikers was arranged for by W.
E. Skinner, assistant general mana
ger Of the Union Stockyards and Tran
sit company, but that it came to
naught.
News Received With Joy.
What isl believed to be tantamount
to a reopening of negotiations for
peace emanating from the packers,
brought a session of the allied trades
conference to a Termination today.
The board had been in session sew
eral hours when a message arrived
bearing word from the packers. The
word spread that the way had been
paved for the %reopening of peace me-
gotiations. The nevis was greeted with
enthusiasm.
A committee from the conference
board was quickly selected and left,
ostensibly to meet the packers. The
utmost secrecy governed the steps that
followed the appointment of the COM
mittee. Adjournment was taken short
ly afterward, the conference being in.
structed to- remain within easy call
to receive a report from the commit
tee that was sent out.
1t was nearly an hour before the
strikers committee, headed by Presi-
dent Donnelly and Nicholas Gier, re-
turned to union headquarters. The
conference of the allied trades then
reassembled to receive the commit
tees report. The Importance with
which it was regarded was obvious
by the anxiety with which the return
OF the committee was awaited. A
long session followed.
Police Inspector Hunt today took
sweeping measures to stop the opera.
lions of pickets. He ordered the ar
rest of all pickets lettering about the
yards, and a dozen were taken into
custody.
The 1000 teamsters employed by re.
tail and wholesale markets will NOT
hereafter deliver n~on-union meat. One
exception will be made. To save the
dealers loss, meat already in cold
storage warehouses will be hauled.
President Donnelly and George F.
Golden of the Transfers union have
had an open clash, Donnelly declaring
that Golden had no right to go to the
mail carriers and get a big contribu-
tiOn.
THE teamsters have plenty of
money. They do not. need amy con.
t~ributions," said Donnelly.
President Donnelly started out to.
day nearly 100 solicitors to obtain
strike funds from stockyards bust
ness men.