Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-08-13
Messenger Boys in Both Telegraph
Offices Quit Work.
MANY MESSAGES TELEPHoNEr
Leased Wires Now the Only Ones in
Commission.
THEY MAY GO WITH THE REST
Only One Grain Brokerage Firm
Yields to Demands OF Their
TeIegraphers, Who Threaten
20 Leave To-day.

In the local once OF the AsSoClateu Iitsa
in the Board of Trade building covered
their typewriters and walked out to en-
force a demand made Sunday night for
what is known as the Hearst scale"
Another important feature of the days
development was a strike of every mes
senger employed by the two telegraph
companies, which practically tied UP the
telegraph delivery system. although the
two companies did their utmost to serve
their patrons by telephone during the
afternoon.
There now remains but one system of
leased wires in the country which have
not been put out of the business by the
strike. That is the grain brokerage leased
wire system. which was intact up to the
time the market closed Monday after
noon.t All day Monday there were wire
conferences" among the broker operators,
with the result that ultimatums were is-
sued to the brokerage firms all over the
country demanding an increased scale of
wages. One firm, Bartlett, Frazer & Co.,
is the only one known to have settled its
troubles by granting the demands of the
telegraphers, and 1t is possible that that
company's system of leased wires will be
the only one doing business Tuesday morn
ing. Most of the concerns were given until
Tuesday morning to settle with their men,
and many conferences were held Monday
night in the hope of reaching a settle
ment. II will depend on the result of these
conferences whether many leased wires
are open Tuesday.
Demands of Press Operators.
With the walkout of the Associated Press
operators, the strike really reached It's
climax This great system operates leased
wires from Toronto to the City of Mexico
and from coast to coast. II employed about
800 expert telegraphers, and was paying
the highest scale of any concern. with
I one exception. in the country The op-
orators on their various circuits held
conference Sunday night and decided to
present an ultimatum to the officials in
New York This was done by wire, prac-
tically the entire force Of that great sys-
/ tenn Joining in the demand. The scale de-
I manded includes a weekly salary of $50 for
day men and $S5 for night men, with day
extra at 60 cents an hour, and night ana
Sunday extra at 70 cents. The demand
was made OF General Manager Melville ID.
Stone, who was given until 1880 this even-
ing to comply with the demand.
In the afternoon Mr.. Stone sent long
telegram addressed to all operators ac-
knowledging receipt of their communication
and asking for further time. He said
that he had no power TO act in such an
important matter without the consent u
the board II dorectors.
The night force, which outnumbers the
day men almost three to one came on at
9 o'clock and did little work after they
! came on. A continuous conference between
officials and men over the wire was held
to get at the sentiment of the men and
the general managers telegram did not
I hold out sufficient inducement for the men
to remain for further parley Promptly at
1880 every man left his desk in every Office
in the country, and they were dead for
the first time In twenty-four years.
In the local Office Harry L. Swan, the
correspondent, and two messenger boys
were left to wait for something TO turn up.
Early in the day the Omaha operators
got busy and established headquarters in
the Patterson block. Within an hour they
had received and posted number Of bull
letins, organized working committees and
got down to business. Letters were gotten
out to individual members. many OF whom
reside in other cities, informing them
officially that the strike was on and CALI
ing them from duty.
The committees began work Immediately.
Within an hour $3.50 was in sight as the
nucleus Of a strike fund and the finance
committee began a systematic work Of
canvassing for money A grievance COM
mttee appointed the day before also began
the work of drawing up a schedule OF the
unions demands. which probably will 10
presented to the local managers Of -
telegraph companies Tuesday.
Messenger Boys walk Ont.
One fthe most important incidents Of
the day was the walkout at 1850 Of
every messenger employed by the teIe-
graph companies in Omaha A commit
tee OF telegraphers had been appointed
20 wait on the boys and found a great
majority OF them eager to take a part
In the strike. They held a curbstona
meeting at Thirteenth and Farnam
streets, where bunch OF the leaders v ns
detailed to round up all the Western
Union boys. Within ten minutes they
were all on the ground. and with a whoop
they climbed on their bicycles and
started for the Postal ofice half a block
away. Here they found most of the mes
sengers aroun dthe building. and one OF
the Western Union boys yelled that
everybody was out. The Postal boys
Joined In the chase. and before Cashier
Doyle could stop them half dozen Doys
mounted their bicycles and Joined tho
procession to the union headquarters.
The messengers held a meeting at
Washington hall, where committees were
named 70 wait on the telegraph ifhclnls.
During the afternoon the forces OF both
companies signed a schedule TO be pre-
sented. The following ultimatum was
presented by them 20 both companies:
We, the messengers Of your company
whose names are attached, having felt that
the compensation paid messengers u not
In keeping with the general conditions OF
prosperity, nor consistent with the steadily
increasing cost OF living. beg TO submit
the following schedule for your considera-
( tion.
That a rate OF 24 cents be paid for each
delivery, call or assignment, as a mini
mum wage.
That kilograms containing two or more
addresses shall be paid for at the rate OF
cent for each address the tslsgraA eopp