The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-06-07
All Drivers and Helpers Went Out
This Morning andArangements
Are Made for Long Fight
MEN STATE THEIR POSITION
Claim That Knickerbocker Company
is in Charge of Business in Ke-
nosha and Should Pay Same
Wages as in Chicago

Twelve men who control the deliv-
cry of ice in Kenosha went on strike
this morning, and as result the
wagons of the two companies re-
manned in the yards, and the people
of the city who were not fortunate
enough to secure ice on Thursday
were left without. Saloons, butcher
shops, grocers and restaurants were
left without the frozen product, and
the managers OF the companies made
no effort to make deliveries. People
who secured ice today were forced to
90 to the depots for it, and it was
hauled to consumers in express wag-
ons, automobiles and bnggies. There
was no trouble in connection with the
going out Of the teamsters and help
ers, as the managers of the companies
informed the men that they were un-
able to meet their demands without
comforting with ''the old man." and
the men failed to hook up the horses
and the usual deliveries were done
away with.
A committee of the striking team
sters this morning stated their case to
a representative of this paper. They
stated that this strike was made in
dependent of the Transfers union in
Kenosha, and they insisted that this
institution was of no value to the
workmen on account Of the fact that
it fixed no scale of wages which had
been approved by the national or
ganization of teamsters. In brief, the
claims of the men are: That they are
working for the Knickerbocker Ice
company in Kenosha, and not for any
Independent concern. That the Knlck-
erbocker Ice company has monopoly
of the ice business in Kenosha, and
that it is charging to Kenosha people
the same rates charged IN Chicago.
That the Knickerbocker Ice company
in Chicago pays its drivers $50 a
month and helpers $40 month, and
that the same rate should be paid IN
Kenosha. The men insist that all of
these statements can be proven.
They state that the Knickerbocker
company sends to Kenosha the horses
which pull the wagons, the safes in
the offices of the alleged Independent
companies and the pay checks fn's I'll =
a---c-l4.~5- men. On account OF the
fact that they are working for the
same company they insist that they
should have the same pay. They
claim that this scale Of wages can be
paid in Kenosha just as we'll as IN
Chicago, as the company charges
just the same price for ice in both
cities. Chicago prices for consum-
ers, they claim, warrant their de-
mand for Chicago wages for workmen.
The men stated that they were
forced to work at decidedly hard
hours. They are forced to start work
st O'Clock in the morning, and often
they do not finish their work until
after II o. clock in the evening. After
the men have completed the work on
their routes they claim that they are
often called upon to fill large refrig-
orators.
These men claim that the managers
of the local companies are simply the
managers for the Knickerbocker Ice
Co., and that for this reason they
have no right to claim the sympathy
Of the people. The men say that they
are only insisting on fair treatment.
The managers today made no eff
fort to secure men to fill the places of
the strikers, but if such efforts are
made there will be no objection on the
part Of the men who quit work. The
strikers committee stated that they
had no desire to cause trouble, and
that they would not attempt any vio-
lence under any conditions. They
stated that if the Knickerbocker COM
pany would not pay them the wages
in Kenosha they would go back to
Chicago and 90 to work for the COM
pany there at the rate of wages de-
manded by them in Kenosha.
The men seem to be determined and
they claim that there are not enough
idle men in Kenosha to man the wag-
ons, SO it may be several days before
the ice industry in Keuosha gets in
working order again. If the men m
sist on the increase in wages it is
probable that the trust officials will
simply boost the price to Kenosha
consumers to an extent sufficient to
meet the increase in wages.