The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-05-30
LUMBER TRANSFERS OUT
Serious Development in the Chicago,
Ill, Strike Situation.
BUILDING TRADES ABE HIT

Fear Expressed OF Lumber Famine !
Struggle Was Not Arrested Governor
Declares That Troops Can Be Readl
At Two Hours Notice-Eighteen Hun
dred Men Quit.
Chicago, IlL--All the lumber team
sters in Chicago, ILL.,. struck, 1900 Of
them shutting down the lumber indus
try absolutely for the time being al
least.
At the same time active preparations
were under way for the possible order
ing out Of troops to keep down the
wave Of rioting and anarchy that may
sweep the city. Adjutant- General Scott
was in Chicago from Springfield, ILL.,,
under orders from Governor Deneen,
and everything was in readiness for an
instant call to arms. Two hours would
be sufficient to see the soldiers on the
streets.
The lumbermen's association, deter
mined to force the issue upon its driv-
ers Immediately, began early in the
day to order the lumber teamsters to
deliver supplies to Montgomery, Ward
& Co., Sprague Warner & Co., The
Fair, and Marshall Field & Co. AS
fast as the orders we're issued the driv-
ers dropped their reins and were dis
charged. AS quick as the discharges
were ordered the strikes in the various
concerns went into effect
The first lumber concern to be affect
ed was Francis Beidler & Co. This
company has enormous yards and en-
ploys 100 drivers. 1t has on hand co.
100000 feet of lumber. Many of the
yards Of Chicago get their supplies
from this establishment.
Following the strike in the Beidler
yard came the following in quick sue
cession: Acorn Lumber Company,
John z. Burns, Chandler Lumber Com
pany, Deacon & Co., Gillespie Lumber
Company, Hettler Lumber Company,
Marsh & Bingham, North Side Lumber
Company, Pilsen Lumber Company,
South Side Lumber Company and John
Spry Lumber Company
Already the workers in the building
trades feel the effect of the strike. At
many buildings where lumber was
needed the carpenters were obliged to
stop work
Negotiations had been resumed be-
tween the unions and the employers,
and a long conference ended at mid
night in the apartments Of Levy Mayer
in the Annex.
At the meeting in the Annex were
President @. P. Shea, OF the Transfers
James Barry, Jerry Mccarthy, Peter
w. Reitz and John Smyth, for the
unions.
The union committee left the Team
sters' Joint Council headquarters at
BIO o'clock. The meeting with Mr..
Mayer was held behind closed doors,
and did not end until midnight Then
Mr.. Mayer made the statement for
both sides. President Shea added this
remark:
81 am always on the lookout for
peace while negotiations are on"
Mr.. Barry, of the railway express
mems union, said: Il think we will
get together"
The transfers committee later re-
ported progress to the joint council
and it adjourned to meet again in
special session.
That the city government was pre-
pared Tor the worst was evident from
the fact that Mayor Dunno received as
surances from the Governor at Spring
field that troops could be ready for SER
vice at two hours notice. The per-
sistent endeavor of the employers to
deliver to buildings now under con-
struction would, it was feared, cause
spread Of the strike among the con-
struction unions.
1t was feared, too, that the trouble
would be increased by the determina-
ton of the lumbermen to stand pat and
lock out all those who refused to de-
liver goods to the firms tabooed by the
strikers.
The more hopeful wera Of opinion
that the conferrees would be able to
come to some working conclusion and
formulate a scheme Of compromise.
Nevertheless, in order to be prepared
for the worst, men from all over the
country began coming into the city
and stood ready to take the places
of those who were to go out If the
strike should spread any further. In
the lumber trade 1t was feared that if
the strike conditions continued for any
length Of time the city would suffer
from O lumber famine