The Washington times., 1907-08-15
MERCHANTS HIT
BY WIRE TIE-UP
OF QUOTATIONS
Commission Men Af-
fected by Strike of Tel
egraph Operators.
Impossible to Get Pro-
duce Prices From
Western Cities.

That the telegraph strike IS seriously
Gripping the business Of Washington
commission merchants was developed by
a Times reporter this morning who
made a canvass Of the commission dis
trict Many merchants claim that they
are unable to obtain any quotations
from Western markets. while those who
say they occasionally receive quotations
declare that they are 50 badly delayed
as 90 greatly inconvenience and prove
practically valueless 10 the trade in gen
eral.
Capt James 7. oyster summed the
situation up as follows;
"Our quotations are coming IN nearly
day late from the West The quota
lions on butter. cheese and eggs are
fixed by the Elgiu. Ill. board or trade
and the quotations which generally ar
rive here on Monday afternoon did not
come in until Tuesday. ! believe that
the strike IS inconvenienciag the com
mission merchants generally and the de-
lay in the messages leaves us AT sea al
the close OF the days business as 20 how
we should proceed on the reNt day
Tie-Up Almost Complete.
Manager .Saks. Of Golden s Co. who
are among the most important Louisiana
avenue merchants. said: The tie-up
Is almost complete. so far ss We are
concerned. and both receipts and pur-
chases are being greatly curtailed in
consequence. 1 endeavored on Monday
20 order & solid car Of eggs from an
Iowa point and the telegraph company
refused 10 handle the message at all
4 number OF the quotations which
never reached US. and. as a consequence
! the commission business in Washington
| Is being conducted almost entirely by
mail The strikes g effect upon our bust
ness IN general must be apparent. Cui
New York quotations are coming X
fairly well. but quotations from the cen
( ters In the West. as well as the butter
cheese and eggs markets are not 10 b.
had by either telegraph line"
G. Taylor Wade, another large com
mission merchant. said today: Il offereC
one Of the companies a telegram earll
I in the week 20 one OF my Western con
/ nections. They wanted TO take ny
/ money. and said they would keep IN
| tolls but would not promise TO deliver
I the nessag ge within any specified time
I ] could not even get them 20 place
I liTit on the delivery by days. much les
/ hours, for they would make no prom
I ises whatever. except that an erfor
! would be made ! did not send tn
I message. and my business. 80 far a.
Z telegraph quotations is concerned. Is be
I ing run without them The merchant
are doing the best they can with N,
present mail and telephone facilities"
Nc Service Fror, West.
| II G. Coburn & Co. made simIla,
| complaints. stating that the service from
/ the West was or no service whatever
| other merchants stated that quotation
/ were being received by mail and tina
! the telephone was being used for tn,
nearby points. Altogether not a singh
! merchant seen had a cheering wor
| about present telegraphic conditions. a.
/ OF them prOnOuncing the tie-up as com
/ plete 60 far AZ Il affected the commits
/ sion business.
! Vice President Beattie Of the Inter
! national Union, was jubilant this morn
l ing at the manner in which the Wash
/ ington operators were meeting the situa
F. ton.
Not man has returned 10 work. n
| said. but on the other hand, we ar
/ gaining recruits. AS soon as Presiden
Small arrives in Chicago and issues
| general strike order. I believe that
/ number of those operators who are noy
I holding on awaiting such general in
| structions. will walk out, further Grip
| ping the companies. Some disapoint
/ ment was felt in local circles at the de
! lay yesterday in the PRONUNCIATION u
! this general order. caused by PTesiden
| planned. but I believe by night a gen
eral wall.out will be in progress all owe
] the country