The sun., 1907-08-14
Though Extended Largely and
a General WaIkout Is
Ordered for To-day.
HANDS OFF BY RAILROADS
No Pressure on Their Teisgra.
pliers to Handle Commercial
Messages.

The Western Union Not Inclined TO Force
an Issue which Might Lead the Railway
Nen TO Help by Striking as Well ss
by Contributing Funds Men In BOSTON
and Other Eastern cities Go Out Com.
panies Report They Are Taking Care
Of the Business Stock Market ana
other Exchanges Less Affected In
the West some improvement 10 ne.
ported. Although the Strike Fever Hits
More Towns Futile Conference In
Chicago Fifty Messenger Boys Here
Take a Few Hours on No Disorder.
Officers Of the Western Union and Postal
Telegraph companies in New York said
yesterday that despite the fact that tho
strike Of the telegraphers had spread in
| the last twenty-four hours the business OF
keeping the wires open at affected points
had progressed so far as to make the ac-
ceptance of the usual amount of business
| possible Between New York, Chicago
and points West and South there was con-
slant communication, these officials said.
and in all the main Offices affected by the
strike sufficient forces Of telegraphers had
been recruited to prevent anything like a
tieup
The union leaders announced at the same
time that a general strike was being called
at all points not yet affected and that by
Friday all Of the United States and the
major portion Of Canada would be within
the strike zone. These men also intimated
that at any minute the strike Of the COM
mercial telegraphers would be complicated
by a walkout of all the railroad telegraphers
in the country. This move. they promised.
would follow any attempt Of the commercial
telegraph companies to send their tele-
grams over railroad wires.
Grand Secretary Quick of the Order Of
Railroad Telegraphers sent out from Des
Moines, Ia. a general message to the mem
bers Of the union notifying them that any
earlier message purporting TO have been
signed by him and sent over the wires was
fake Quick's instructions to the railroad
telegraphers were to observe strictly the
unions agreement with the railroad COM
panies and to perform the same duties that
they did before the strike
Deputy President Percy Thomas of the
Commercial Telegraphers began sending out
early yesterday general strike order to all
the locals in New England. He announced
later in the day that he was extending tho
strike order over other points West and
South that had not yet gone out without
instructions.
Boston, which had remained firm through
four days Of strike fever, obeyed Thomas's
order at II o'clock yesterday, the operators
of both companies quitting their posts with
in an hour of one another. From Boston
the strike wave spread to Hartford, Port
land. Me-. and other centres of New England.
RAILROADS NOT INTERPRETING.
In New York the most significant devel-
opment yesterday was the test put on tho
railroad telegraphers. At the Grand Gen.
tral Station batch of commercial telo-
grams was sent upstairs from the Western
Union branch Office to be put on the railroad
wires. Three OF the railroad telegraphers
promptly refused to handle them and threat
ened to strike II any pressure was brought to
bear upon them. The messages were re-
turned and no further attempt was made
by either the telegraph people or the Of
ficials Of the New York Central to force the
operators to send the messages.
This incident developed delicate situa-
ton which the New York Central and other
railros Is in New York are meeting by a
well timed policy OF non-interference.
With most OF the railroads the telegraph
companies have contracts calling for the
transmission of commercial business over
railroad wires under certain conditions
In small towns the railroad telegraph offioe
handles commercial business over the rail-
road wire under contract. Under normal
conditions the companies are accustomed
to send night messages over the railroad
wires.
When the Western Union submitted COM
mercial kilograms yesterday to the telegraph
office P. Il. Crowley, assistant general
manager OF the Central lines, who has the
teegraphs under his supervision, took no
action. An Official OF the railroad, speak
ing for Mr.. Crowley. said last night
The refusal of the railroad telegraphers
in our Office to do the work which the New
YORK Central Is bound to do under contract
with the Western Union company developed
a situation which the railroad deems II best
to leave undisturbed. At this time when
the Order Of Railroad Telegraphers has
more or less openly pledged sympathetic
support to the commercial telegraphers it
will not be the policy OF the railroad 10
tagonize them by insisting upon some
thing they refuse to do.
"Mr. Crowley has been advised Of the
action Of the railroad telegraphers in our
offlce to-day and he has taken no action,
nor is IL probable that he will We do
not believe that. realizing our position,
the telegraph company will insist upon
fulfiirnens II the obligation the railroad
has under contract.s