The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-07-30
A SYMPATHETIC
GENERAL STRIKE
Win Be the Most Extensive and
Expensive Ever Known.
so SAY THE STRIKE LEADERS
All Of the Allied Industries In the
Chicago stock Yards Took Part
In the General Exodus
From the Plants.

r
Chicago, July pa sympathetic
general strike at the stock yards, pre-
dicted by its leaders to be the greatest
and most expensive this country has
ever known, began at ten o'clock Mon-
day morning. when thousands OF
teamsters, cattle handlers and mem
bers Of the mechanical trades quit
work and made a grand rush for the
gates leading from the busiest square
mile Of buildings. yards and pens in
the world.
The first big detection came when
zoo men, including the scalders and
pen cleaners employed by the Union
Stock Yards and Transit Co., refused
to work further.
The First TO Go.
First to go were the handlers, and
this eliminated the usefulness of the
teamsters, and they followed. AS they
passed out of the big gates at Ex-
change avenue they were greeted with
cheers by the thousands of strikers
gathered in the vicinity,
Prior to this spectacular exodus
came small strikes in the various
plants, including carpenters, firemen.
elevator men, machinsts, ETC., but these
did not have the effect of tying up the
plants, since such action had been an
ticipated, and as often as a union man
stepped out a non-union man or UNI
ion who had deserted his organization
was there to take his place.
Some Who Hesitated.
The teamsters and cattle handlers as
a whole employed by the various indi-
vidual firms refused to join in the pre-
conference movement so much desired
and ardently urged by President Dom
nelly of the meat cutters union, but at
that large number of them quit and
quietly left the yards to attend big
mass meeting called for the benefit of
all who had refused to await results of
further conferences. While these
walkouts were taking place a confer
ence between strike representatives
and the packers was being held at the
offices of Nelson Morris & Co., at the
yards, and the delegates representing
the allied trades were in session at
Emerald avenue and Forty-first street.
Urged to Make 1t General.
Earlier in the day the allied trades
and the committee OF eight teamsters
chosen to seek peace anew before per-
hitting the teamsters to strike, had
been urged by President Donnelly Of
the meat cutters to declare the gem
eral strike and then seek a further
conference with the packers. There
was lively debate, President Golden,
for the teamsters' governing body, de-
claring his belief that common sense
campaign would end in peace. He
pointed out the danger of shutting up
the Union Stock Yards and Transit
Co., which, he said, would be detri-
mental to the strikers friends, the in
dependent packers, who were doing
the big packers almost as much dam
age as anybody else. He urged that
the stock yards company be permitted
to continue under some kind of agree
ment, but his argument had no weight
with President Donnelly, who said:
The time to strike is right now Let
us talk about the independent concerns
and about settlements later"
An Arrangement Made.
Then it was arranged that President
Schardt, representing the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor and Barney Cohen,
representing the butchers union,
should join the Transfers union COM
mfttee to which had been added John
Sheridan, business agent of the ice
wagon drivers. There are 1900 of the
ice wagon drivers employed by the
packers, and with these striking, it is
admitted the packers would have much
difficulty getting ice to their refriger-
ator cars. Before going to meet the
packers the committee of teamsters
had a joint conference with the allied
trades representatives and then, with
Messrs. Schardt and Cohen, went to
meet the packers. While this latter
conference was in progress the allied
trades meeting was continued, the del
egates being anxious to learn the re-
suit Of the latest effort to bring about
settlement
Could Not Waive Demands.
Under Instructions the representa-
tives Of labor told the packers that
they could not waive their demand for
reinstatement within 4S hours Of the
cattle butchers and meat cutters and
within ten days for all others and for
individual arbitration in all cases Of
alleged discrimination.
After the conference, a representa-
tive of the packers said no progress
had been made and that a settlement
seemed as far of. as ever.
Alleged Murderer Captured.