New-York tribune., 1907-08-14

early in the afternoon but most of them gath
cred at the offices of the union the third floor
Of No JG Pine street, which was first intended
for the use OF the women strikers. Later it was
decided to engage regular headquarters for all
The strikers at Everett Hall. No. 81 East 4th
street where there will be mass meeting at
noon to-day. press committee will also be
appointed
The order for the strike of the Associated
Press telegraphers was obeyed in a struggling
way in this city, far as the day force was
concerned. During the day they dropped out
here and there two at a time and this
continued all day but there stampede
1t was explained afterward that many of them
decided to finish their days work and quit in
the evening. Others declared that they had not
received notice in time. but it was announced
that they would all be strike in the evening
Statements Of the strikers and The Associated
Press differed as TO the extent to which this was
carried out
Notwithstanding the announcement Mon
day that the brokers who had leased wires had
until 9 a. m. to-day TO agree 10 pay $50 week
to the operators for a seven hour wOrkday,
with 50 cents an hour overtime. failing in which
there was to be strike of their operators, moth
ing was done yesterday in the way of enforcing
this demand. The plan revised and a meet
ing of the Wall Street chapel of the union
House to frame a schedule which will be sub
mitted this morning
ENTHUSIASM AT THE MEETING.
There are about one thousand operators en-
ployed in the Wall Street district The meet
ing lasted about three hours and attended
with great excitement. There uproar
among the radical members when il pro-
posed to demand minimum wage scale of $50 a
week. The radicals wanted fiat wage scale of
$50 week and said they would agree TO nothing
less.
During the meeting a large crowd of the strikers
gathered at the Astor House, and waited for
news of fits decision. The men who were on
strike wished 10 get the others out. and were
ready to greet the announcement of strike
vote with cheers. Toward the close of the meet
ing the sidewalk in front of the Astor House
was black with people. and it required the ser
vices OF a policeman 10 keep the way clear for
pedestrians.
There was a hum Of disappointment among
the outside crowd when il was announced that
the demand would be presented to-day and that
the Wall Street operators were not to go on
strike at once.
The following statement made after the
meeting by Chester L. Hail. who presided:
It was decided after a long debate make q
demand for a contract with the union by which
the Wall Street operators to be paid minimum
a a
question Of overtime was dropped, as the agree
ments are be made with individuals and there
will be individual matters to adjust The de-
mands will be presented tomorrow, and those who
sign the contracts will be immune when the order
for the strike the eased wires, which we expect
ever yday. arrives. AS soon it comes the opera
of every broker who has not signed a contract
will quit work
He said that Bartlett, Fraser & Darlington
Miller & Co. Taylor, Smith & Co and one or
two other firms had signed these contracts ana
when that announcement made there were
loud cheers. Asked why the programme had
been changed and why the original demand for
S35 week was not adhered TO- he said:
The brokers have been our friends at all times
and anxious TO protect them as far as pos
sibe and give them every chance. As to the rate
demanded. il was thought better TO fix a minimum
rate rather than stick TO fat rate Most OF the
operators in the brokers' offices are getting az
least $50 week and many Of them are getting so
a week and more, while some are getting less than
$50 a week. The radicals wanted swift action. but
believe IN being conservative
Deputy Commissioner BeaIin and Michael j.
Reagan, industrial arbitrator of the labor de-
partment took hand in the strike and visited
the main offices OF the Western Union and Pos
tai companies and the headquarters of the strik-
ers and offered their services as intermediaries
to settle the strike The officers of the union
said that the result was that the companies said
there nothing to arbtrate, though the union
was always willing to arbitrate and gave the
officials OF the department all the Information
they wanted The following was Mr. Bealin's
version OF what occurred:
We saw vice-President c. c. Adams of the Postal
company and Superintendent Mulford Of the West
ern Union company. and then had talk with G.
p McInerney, of the New York branch OF the
union. Mr. Mulford said he too busy to talk
on the matter, ana gave US no ehcourageii@eIIt zen
The representative of the Postal company talked
with for little while, and said that the whole
situation illogical that he could not see
exactly what there was to settle or what the
strikers wanted. They had been striking here and
there throughout the country, he SAID, without
making any demands, without orders from any
one or saying what they wanted, and there seemed
to be no responsible head TO the whole affair." he
said.
mo statement OF claims has been made" he
said. land at loss to know what they would
arbitrate. They have been striking, II appears.
against the rules OF their union and disre-
garding the orders of their own national officers
There seems TO be kind of order discipline
among them. and. supposing they would put up
aanything to arbftrate. 1 do not see now they
could be bound in any way 10 abide by the result
After / talked with the representatives or the
Postal company / saw Mr.. McInerney, of the
union. who told what the grievances were.
Mr.. BeaIin said he had found that as far as
could be learned there were 1beO on strike In
this city against the Western Union Company.
of whom 400 were women and 1.150 men, and
600 on strike against the Postal company, OF
whom $50 We're women.
These figures differed from those given by Mr..
McInerney who estimated that $4,000 teleg
raphers were on strike throughout the country.
of whom the following were involved. among
others: New York, 5000: Boston 375; Chicago.
1900; San Francisco $50; Philadelphia. 225;
New Orleans. $50: Cleveland. 225; Washington.
225; ST. Louis $50: Norfolk, Va, so; Columbus.
35; Pittsburg. 175: Harrisburg, 30; New England
towns ESQ. There also 900 members on
strike throughout Canada and 100 throughout
Mexico, he said.
II WAS announced that a telegram came from