New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-14
5000 HEN STRIKE HERE.
Leaders Say They'll Force Famine
or Higher Wages.

The striking meat cutters and butcher worImen
held meeting yesterday forenoon at Turtle Bay
Hail, No. $50 Second-ave. at which the various
shop delegates made their reports. The different
locals involved in the strike include cattle butch
ers. hog butchers, sheep butchers, calf butchers,
carriers. cutters drivers and several miscellaneous
trades connected with the meat industry Joseph
Masterson the business agent of Local No. D. said
that there were from 1900 to 5000 in the diff
ferent locals of New-York and vicinity, and OF
these $500 had been ordered out.
THE strike.' he said, is not against any one
of the twenty-five independent firms. but against
the packers in the so-called Beef Trust All the
men ordered out have gone on strike"
Henry L. Eichelberger, Of Baltimore tho general
organizer, who is here and has been put IN charge
Of the strike. estimated that 1900 out.
meeting Of the general executive board which
ordered the strike was held at No. S27 First-ave.
which will be Eichelberger's headquarters during
the strike. 1t attended by James Holland
business agent OF the Eccentric Firemen's Union
and Joseph Hammil. business agent Of the Stand
ard and Eccentric Engineers Union. After it was
over Echelberger said that the hremen and engi-
neers employed by the packers had agreed not to
work with non-union He read the following
telegram. received from Nj Donnely, president Of
the union, who Is in Chicago
The te-up here Is complete. The butcher work
of Chicago send congratulations your peo-
pie Our battle is on. Let every man and woman
do their duty.
No women are employed IN the packing houses
mere, OUT tleTe Is a local OF women VINO
ployed in the canning department of Chicago. After
giving out this telegram Eichelberger made the
following statement:
+ win remain os on STRIFE until we are notified BY
settled The strike was ordered bv instruciions
Of the national officers. and could call 1t off
are sorry. but the fault is with the Concerns in
Chicago In the Beef Trust When it proposed
cents hour, it evidently the beginning of a
movement TO cut wages all round Ii was then
strike. n hRa0 off bis
ment. The strike is complete, and all the men
excuse, they. had plenty Of warning that there
would be a strike If they carried out their policy.
the shop delegates of the different esta bshments
when the strike was declared, and they called the
men out.
Eichelberger denied a report that Homer Call
the national secretary-treasurer, was coming here
from Syracuse TO lead the strike. He was asked
what position the Benchmens Association of Butch
ers, which is composed of employers and employees
in the retail stores and markets. would take in the
strike.
We don't consider the benchmen' he said "They
Will not strike. but that will not affect US"
As E!chelberger was talking a slight sensa ton
was caused by the news arriving that a load OF
strike breakers had arrived for Stewardship suz-
berger & Co. on the toWboat Charles s. Keyser.
consisting principally Of The towboat came
in at the pier at East Forty-sixth-st.. adjoining
schwarzschild. Sulzberger e. Co.'S main packing
house. 1t contained twenty men. who went TO the
packing house without molestation
Herman Pfahler organizer and treasurer OF the
Benchmen's Association of Butchers was seen yes
terday and said that his organization which has
1900 members. could not strike and could not
affiliate with Eichelbergers organization He said
Ours is not a regular trade union We how
ever. have unfrendly feelings toward the union.
We cannot strike. constitution forbids it,
but. though official action was taken by u.s. II is
generally understood that We viii not act as strike
breakers. If the packing houses do not deliver
meat will not send for IT.
II the strike lasts week New-York will have TO
face its biggest meat famine. If the present con-
fresh meat. There will be nothing but such things
corEed beef salt meats and poultry. Poultry,
witch is scarce, Will rise TO 25 and 30 cents pound.
as 20 the dealers. there is of us who
would care if his place closed up. People will
/ have nothing but choice cuts in summer, and the
Coarser part CT meat we lose At the time we
are paying So 30 hundred more for meat than
! We did year ago. and getting the same prices
E2cheberger said last night that the engineers
and hremen in the big plants would not be called
out unless It necessary TO do so TO win the
strike.
/ We do not wish to Jeopardize property by stop
/ ping the refrigeratins plants" he said: land,
though the delegates OF the fremen and engineers
matters are more threatening.
Eichelberger said that the had been ordered
on strike in the hog killing establishment OF Van
( Wagner & Schickhouse, Newark because the firm
was connected with the National Packing Gem
pany.