The Washington herald., 1907-08-15
Companies Deny Claims of
Gains by Operators.
AWAIT ORDERS FROM CHICAGO
TeIegraphers WIZ Not Take Farther
Action Until Result of the National
Omcers' Conference Is Known.
PicISets Made First Capture and
Persuade Breakers Not TO work.

graph operators claim TO have made gains
yesterday, the two companies insist that
/ they are holding their own. and have no
/ difficulty in handling their business.
! The manager Of the Western Union
/ Company said last night that his Office
was in better shape yesterday than it had
been at any time during the strike, and
his statement was supplemented by a
/ similar one from the Postal. but. accord
/ ing to the strikers, both OF these state
ments are false.
The operators say that there is abso-
lutely no surety in getting messag ages
I either TO or from Washington. and that
/ the companies make no pretense at secure
| service when they know that they are
| dealing with business men who viii In
vestigate the CELEBRITY with which tele-
| grams are received at other points.
( President Groves Relates IncidxRt,
In substantiation Of this. ;ssnt
! Groves said last night:
/ L was anxious TO get a message TO
Richmond yesterday. Il was o'clock in
! the afternoon when 1 found that / could
not reach my man on the telephone, and
/ Immediately sought for some other
method In view Of the statements that
/ the company managers have made.
wrote my message. which was in no way
/ connected with company business. and
/ signing another name, had a business
man, IN no way connected with the strike,
/ to try 10 have il sent.
"He went TO both companies, but neither
| could assure him that the message would
/ arrive in Richmond az 9 o'clock. which
/ was the latest time that it would be OF
any service . me. The managers told
/ him that they would try it, but could give
4 him no assurance. A little later one OF
my men took the message, and the man
/ ager of the Western Union told him that
/ he could get II through IN half an hour
which seems TO indicate that they are
! trying to blum US"
TeIegrams Via 4. ;. Mail.
Mr.. Roger. employed with Griffin. Hal
stead & Co., said yesterday that in one
/ case a message from New York which
was important to the company did not
reach him for tWenty-four hours and that
/ the sender Of the message. getting no an
swcr. was forced to use the ng-distance
/ telephone In several cases. il is said
/ teIegramS have come through the mails
70 business men.
The op. -ators were much elated yester-
Y day when one Of their number reported
I that man with a large valise had en-
tered one of the local offices and that
soon after number of messengers be
gan TO distribute kilograms. The strikers
claim that the man was an emuloye Of the
4 Western Union and that he had brought
kilograms TO New York by train which
they were unable TO send by wire.
/ On the other hand the companies say
that they have no difficulty in handling
messages. and point 10 the number of
dispatches they are sending out as a re-
suit Mr. Prosser. Of the Postal offered
to reach any point in the country yester-
day afternoon. and said that in g reason
/ able course Of time an answer could be
/ procured. The foTce OF men at the Pos
tai according 10 Mr.. Prosser, was eigh-
teen men. At the Western Union they
claimed about thirty-six last night.
Mr.. Taft. Of the Western Union, said
yesterday:
We are working the normal number Of
men for this season. and are having no
trouble"
Associated Press Normal.
Harry A. Colman a day manager Of the
Associated Press. said yesterday:
Conditions IN the Associated Press
Office here are normal We are maintain
ing our regular daily service, and work
ing two trunk lines between New York
and Chicago. with every immediate point
now on that has been on all year On
our Southern circuit we are working a
leased wire to Richmond and Norfolk
with our own men az the keys.
Last night we had two trunk lines
working and two leased wires 20 the
/ South. The othe: cities received COM
plete reports by Western Union. and we
got them off promptly We are working
seven men day and night. whereas we
usually worked nine. One OF the men
who left US at the time OF the walk-out
/ offered TO come back last night but we
refused him. as his place had been filed.
/ A veteran operator who has been out Of
the business for some time will assist
Us at night hereafter"
Manager Kain Not at Work.
Vice President Beattie said last night
! that he wished 10 correct the general i'm
! preston that N. J. Kain. night manager
/ OF the Postal. had remained at work.
! He characterized Mr. Kain as among the
most enthusiastic Of the union men. and
said that he had counted on his support
/ from the first
/ " was rumored al strike Headquarters
| that the railway telegraphers have made
/ Up their minds that IL the strike goes
| against the unions they will leave their
4 keys. bat no confirmation Of the report
| could be obtained. as the railroad men are
awaiting orders from their leaders
PicIets Make Capture.
The first capture by the pickets yes
/ terday comprised three strike-breakers
4 who are said to have been brought here
by the Western Union officials 10 fill some
Of the places left vacant by the strikers.
There were six Philadelphians in the
party, which reached here early Tuesday
morning.
/ It IS said that the strike-breakers were
taken to clearinghouse quietly so that
they might not be approached by the
union men, and it was the intention of
the companies TO put them to work yes
terday morning, but the Western Union
strikers were aware Of their presence in
the city and were warned to keep a
Sharp lookout
Early yesterday morning the strikers
who were on guard In front Of the office
saw three Of the Philadelphians approach
ing They halted them and inquired
where the other strike-breakers were.
The Philadelphians informed them that
the other three had gone into the West
ern Union office and were at work. hav-
Ing eluded the vigilance Of the pickets.
After a long argument the strike break
ers agreed to remain out with the union
men, and were royalty entertained for the
rest of the day.
Pay Fare Back Home.
When the day shift had finished work
yesterday afternoon President Groves
sent for the three men who had worked