The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-10
Complete Paraly sis Of
Telegraph Service is
Aim Of Operators.
THEY THUS HOPE
TO FORCE RAISE
Total OF Sixteen Hundred Mer.
Go Out to Enforce Demand
for Wage Increase, Eight
Hour Day, and Recog
nition Of the
Union.

CHICAGO. August 9.--The five hun. II
dred operators of the Postal Telegraph 4
Company struck tonight at o'clock.
Ihls. with the 100 men out from the
offices of the Western Union through
out the city. makes 500 men now on5s
strike in Chicago.
At a meeting of the operators. held
this afternoon. a resolution was unani-
mously passed declaring that every
operator in the city having a union
card should be called out. ~
A short time after the meeting had
dissolved demands were presented to
the officials of the Postal companw.
asking for an increase of IS per cent.
In wages. all 6eight-hour day, and
recognition OF the union. If these
were not passed upon the strike was
to follow. twas the general under-
standing among the operators that the
demands could not be granted at once,
and the move was evidently Intended
to bring about the strike at the pres
ent time in order to aid the Western
Union men, If the demands were not
granted.
Under the wording of the order, all
| the operators working for brokers
and commission houses will be called
out in the morning. and business gen-s
orally Will be badly handicapped.
TO Cripple Telcgrah Service. 81
1t was said Tonight by some OF the
| operators who were present at the
meeting that the intention Of the
| union was to cripple the telegraph
! facilities of Chicago in every direc-E
tion. and to do II SO completely that
| public sentiment would be brought
to bear heavily on the two telegraph
companies and in this manner force
| a settlement between them and the
/ operators.
The strike at the Chicago Office Of
the Postal Company was attended by
no sign of disorder. When a whistle
was blown, the operators rose from
tEeir lSeys5with, a cheer and walked
4 out, G 1t n n t4sss.S Ss q
i There was not the. slightest evidence
of i'll feeling on either side. Then men,
after reaching the street, gave res
Ipeated cheers and then dispersed.
i The strike throughout the day has
4 been marked by absence of trouble
of any kind. Chief of Police Slippya
Informed the leaders of the strike this
afternoon that he would not allow
any picketing or any violence, and he
was Informed that none was intended,
and that every effort would be made
! to keep the men paaceable.
i The general situation throughout the
| West became more serious as the day
| l|lengthened
Only Thirty-nve Mt Work.
with the strike of the Postal ems
sIployes, Chicago tonight is left with
about thirty-hve commercial telegra-
/ piers, who are endeavoring to trans 9
init the business OF both telegraph;
companies. whereas, under normal con.
ditions. fully 1900 men are necessary.
to do the work In Chicago 3s3S
Other Western Union offices which.
| became involved in the trouble to-day
together with the number8of men whr,.
quit work are: Salt Lake City, ss:
i Helena, 4O Kansas City. $50; Dallas
los; Fort Worth, 40: Colorado Springs.
/ 10; Denver, SO. Postal: New Orleans
l 90. ai5
! Under orders from National Presi-
! dent Small. of the telegraphers' or
sanization. National Secretary Rus
sell tonight telegraphed to the sec
retaries of the various locals through
out the country to keep the men at
work until further orders. Mr.. Rus
sell. in explanation of this action,
said:
Broker Operntors nlny Work. &
we don't want to use up all our
ammunition in one charge"
The understanding tonight is that
\ the broker operators will be allowed
to remain at work as long as the
commission houses handle only the
regular brokerage business over their
leased wires,
, Secretary Russell added: THE
local union in Chicago took the bull
by the horns and ordered the strike
without authority from the national
officers. We are perfectly satisfied
however. with the movement, and all
are working In unison"
!, . . x b