The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-15

Chicago. July 12.-As the result of
a stubborn disagreement, chiefly over
wages for unskilled labor, one Of the
most ems strikes in the history
of the meat packing industry Of the
United States began today in Chicago,
Kansas City, Omaha, st. Joseph. No.
and other cities where large packing
pats are located. If prolonged. the
sRi &c is expected to cause widespread
Inconvenience, possibly equaling the
anthracite coal famine of two years
ago.
The unanimity of the strike was
complete. More than 45, 900 EMPLOY
ees are directly involved II Chicago
alone $4,000 men are on strike.
The effect of the strike upon the
food supply Of the country, and tn.
price of meats is being earnestly dis
cussed, notwithstanding the
ment tonight that the packing houses,
contrary to somewhat general expect
i. alton, will continue operations with.
out any close down, employing what
ever help may be obtainable. Hov
much alienation in the furnishing of
supplies to the public this course may
afford is a matter of wide variation of
opinion.
The packers declare that hundreds
of men who could not be provided
with places lave been applying daily
for work.
The here was started by
the employees Of the killing depart
ments at the various packing houses.
The killers Were followed by the
workers in other departments. as
fast as the current work left bv the
slaughterer could be cleaned up. Thus
as the workers in each department
disposed Of their part of the work.
tney threw off their aprons and de-
parted. This consideration was shown
the packers, the labor officials an
it was not the de-
sire Of the men to cause the emploI.
ers any financial loss as a result of
neglecting meat hat was on hand e,
be dressed. -
watched by cordons of police. the
strikers filed briskly out of the pack
ing houses, carrying overa1ls, rubber
Doots n knives. beavers and steels.
n strikers We're greeted by crowus
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 today alb
solutely no sign Of disorder.
"A picturesque scene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
ner1es were left by their force. There
are 1000 girls employed in these two
departments Of the meat industry.
Clad In the variegated garb of fac
tory girls, this army Of feminine strik-
ers tripped blithely along the main
street through the stock yards, and
were roundly cheered as they emerged
through the gates and distributed
themselves in he crowd of men who
/ had awaited their coming.
We're with you till the last" the
{; girls exclaimed, smiling as they stood
around and talked ver the situation
with their male companions in the
movement.
President Michael Donnelly, of the
Amalgamated Meat Cutter and Butch
er Workmen of North America, the
leader of the strikers, said in a con-
~versation this evening that he be-
lieved h strikers would have little
difficulty in withstanding a, siege of
more thai a year, with the strike
funds h unions " on a n
In Chicago there are thirty-five To-
cal un1OnS involved In the strike.
President Donnelly and the presidents
of the various locals assembled at the
headquarters this morning, thinking
they might receive a notice of surren-
der from the packers. But no word
came. The packers tool the position
that they had replied ~decisively to
the workers demands, and had notlI-
ing more to say except to emphasize
a refusal to pay the wage scale asked.
Arthur Meeker, of Armour & Co,
said tonight:
I'VE consider the demand OF the
union for an advance in wages of un-
skilled labor entirely u~nwarranted by
Industrial conditions. we could not
concede it, and proposed to submit
the question to arbitration, which the
! union declined to do ana called a
strike today at all our plants Every
:, department is kept running, how
ever. We have had applications from
, hundreds of unemployed men for Do.
: sitions at less age than We have
been paying, and every cay expect tc
increase our output"
President Michael Donnelly, the
: strike leader, said:
at wish to make 1t clear that we arr
{ not fighting for any increase Of wages
but against a decrease. Our origfna
demand was for a minimum Of 2,
cents an hour for laborers- This de