The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
CHICAGO UNION BREAKS LOOSE
SEAS To EN.JOIN NATION w.
hoard FROM INTERFERING.
Tesmsiers stopped From HpeliNerin9 cots
10 western UnulOn Building Telephone
Girls OFFER 10 Help strikers Business
Of the Board Of Trade Tied tp.

ana one from SieHel n Cooper lOadsu WIN
cots destined for the Western Union we're
turned back by the operators pickets. An
appeal was sent to the teamsters TO put tho
ban on the Western Union and Postal build
ings and to refuse to deliver goods there.
IL is not known yet What action the team
sters will take. but the case with which the
wagons were turned bark is an unfavorable
indication. This move liz aimed especially
at the Western Union. as the Postal IL sup
piled with cots
SO serious did the local situation become
to-day that messages we're sent to Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, and President Small Of the
Photographers Secretary Edward Sockele,
Of the American Federation advised Presi-
dent Gompers to take the next train for
Chicago, and Wesley Russell Of the teleg-
raphers informed President Small that the
situation in San Francisco was ~unimportant
compared with that in Chicago.
An attempt was made to-day TO cripple
the long distance telephone service. This
service is operated at Kedzie avenue and
Forty-seventh street by thirty experts
These men are members Of the Commercial
Telegraphers Union and any attempt to
transmit a Western Union or Postal mes
sage over the long distance wires will be
the signal for an immediate walkout there
The ~telegraphers are incensed at Mayor
Busse for his order TO Chief OF Police Shippy
to look out for wire cutters. The Mayor
| was denounced by the men, who declared
that there were no wire cutters in the uni on.
The men who were denouncing the Mayor.
however, admitted hat their friends the
railroad men could accomplish the same
purpose as wire cutting wikhout fear Of de-
lection.
CHICAGO UNION REBELS.
A mass meeting was held this morning
in the open Board of Trade rooms. at which
the constitution OF the union was susnended
for thirty days, and it was announced that
a suit had been begun for an Injunction
restraining the national board from in
terfering in any way with the conduct OF
the local strike.
The significance Of the latter move was
not apparent. but il is supposed to be due
TO local dissatisfaction with the n
in which the national board handled the
San Francisco and Oakland strikes. At
the time OF the San Francisco strike the
local men made no secret Of the fact that
they hoped the strike would spread. The
HlutlCtlOh IN bbBBO"O w Wv oof'c VI VIZ
feeling Of evaporation with which the
terms OF settlement were met in Chicago.
Reports from pickets received at the
Offices OF the local union throughout the
day indicated that the Postal and Western
Union were in bad shape despite the ef orts
to import strike breakers. 1t was declared
that twenty-five %non-union operators
hastily recruited in New York yesterday
arrived this morning over the Lake shore,
the company having promised them double
ps Evo nickel. who made their wsv to the
main operating room on the ninth floor
Of the Western Union Building early In the
day reported that they had found only
four operators at work. Two men, they
said, were at work on the s~witchboards.
They were unable to get up to the tenth
floor, where the city and Wheatstone wires
are located. Officials Of the ompany
declared about the same time that they had
sixty-lve men on the ninth floor and thirty
five on the tenth.
The Postal is tied up completely" said
Secretary Ulerich OF the local union. -All
the day wire chiefs have gohe out and all
the night chiefs except two. The significant
part OF this 10 that the fourteen day chiefs,
with the exception Of three, are not MEM
bers OF the union. In fact. the strike has
extended right up to the chief operators
desk"
by MAIL AND TELEPHONE
Striking operators said to-day that the
Western Union was getting its piled up
messages out Of Chicago by the special
delivery mails. One man said he saw the
-telegrams' being mailed by tho bushel
basketful.
Another method OF the company to re-
lieve the telegram congestion was revealed
to the men when the long distance tele-
phone girls, who are not organized, told the
union officials that the Western Union was
a2-lsH- len fAIn1raKna 10 nAnrhU fnxzna hu
long distance telephone to be wired from
these towns by operators who had not
struck. The girls were indignant over
handling such messages, they said, and
decided hat II the union OFFICIALS cared for
their assistance they would refuseto handle
these kilograms.
General Superintendent Cook Of tho West
ern Union said to-day that his company
would absolutely refuse to treat with the
strikers.
.They are no longer our employees.'
he said. we do not know them.
The check boys in the Postal of1ces joined
In the strike to-day. all but two out OF the
force OF thirty-fve refusing 70 rsmain at
sent a delegation to union headquarters,
where It was received with a cheer.
Railway managers in Chicago do not
think their operators will take any part
in the strike. At places whore neither
Of the big companies maintained local ofioe
the railroad men handle commercial mes-
sages under contract between the roads
and the Western Union and Postal oom-
panies. The railroad operators are on
the payroll OF the roads.
lido not think we will have any trouble
said the president Of one of the big West
ern roads. 1T is not likely that the rail-
road men will be asked to aid the strikers
by refusing to handle commercial mes
sages. should our men refuse 20 do so I
hope we won't fnd. it out. 1 also hope
our operators will not inconvenience the
Western Union or Postal company by
opening their keys or otherwise interfering
with the sending OF commercial MESA GEES"
GRAIN BUSINESS TIED UP.
Members OF the Board OF Trade were
not in a happy mood to-day. A continue
ton Of the strike for any length Of time.
they said, would mean almost a complete
paralysis Of business.
Receivers who sent out bids over the
Postal wires after close yesterday had no
responses this morning, and IL is said that
shipments Of grain 10 this market will be
suspended until a means of prompt COM
munication with interior dealers and shippers
can be had. At The same time local ship
pers are finding IL almost impossible to
negotiate business with buyers in the East.
L. -