Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-08-09
TOday's Telegraphic News
The striking Telegraphers.


Chicago, Aug 9.-In response to q
hurry call from the Western Union of
ficials an extra detail of fifty policemen
has been rushed to the compsny's build
ing. II had been reported that plot
had been discovered to blow up the com
pany's switchboard. Police lines are
sharply drawn and every precaution i
being taken to protect the wires anC
switches. Officers are patroling shor
beats in the basement of the building
where the batteries are stored. Thous
ands of wires exposed to danger are
watched by armed officers ready to shoe
any striker approaching them. But
fifteen men are at the keys.
All branch offices have been CLOSED
and the strike is spreading through the
suburbs.
ave expect a general strike" de-
clared- General Superintendent Cook Of
the Western Union at $3.50 O'Clock TO-
day. Our operators were all offered the
alternative this morning OF handling
business coming from Los Angeles and
most of them struck. We Immediately
closed our branch Offices and brought in
operators from the suburbs.
"All messages will be handled from the
central Office until further notice. Al
present we are not seriously embarrassed.
There are enough chief operators and
superintendent to handle the bushes:
that has come in. We are employing
operators as fast as We can get them re-
gardless of their union or non-union pro-
| clivities."
New York, Aug. 9.-It was annouri-
ced today at the headquarters of the
local telegraphers' union that no meeting
of the executive committe or the board
of strategy had been called and that no
conference had been held or asked fol-
with the Western Union officials. KS
far as the union is officially concerned
here, it has no knowledge of the Chicago
strike. Among the members of the
union there is some talk of trouble re-
sulting if the company puts strike
breakers at work in the Chicago Offices.
In that event, it is said, the union men
here would refuse to handle Chicago
business.
Railroad operators who are members
of the Order of Railway Telegrsphers
are pulling out their Western Union
plugs as fast as they hear of the strike.
This prevents the company from get
ting service over the wires owned by the
railroad companies.
At $3.50 a mass meeting of the strikers
was held in the open board of trade
building. A hundred policemen sur
rounded the building and watched the
gathering of l, 500 operators. The men
were driven of the sidewalks to prevent
rioting.
The ticker companies are out Of ser-
vice. Brokerage Offices which depended
npon tickers were unable to transact
business. Telephones are being used,
but they are not satisfactory, and clients
have ceased buying. The brokers con-
trolling leased wires are able to conduct
business without interruption.
The mass meeting of operators held
today unanimously approved Of estriIEe.
Chicago, Aug. AT three O'Clock
this evening the Postal operators will be
called cut if the demand of the operators
to be framed and presented to the com:
pany are not met. The executive COM
mittee of the Commercial Union will
meet at l P. m. to draw up these de-
mands.
Chicago, Aug. AT the mass meet
ing of operators this afternoon, President
Perham, of the Order of Railway Teleg-
rsphsrs, aroused enthusiasm by pledgiDg
any part of the reserve fund Of 81 000,-
600 Of his organization to support the
local strikers.
San Francisco, Aug. 9.-It is the cur
rent report about the Office of the West
ern Union here that the men will be
called out at noon. The headquarters of
the union are crowded with excited
telegrsphers all advocating a strike.
President Email declines to make any
statement. Reports from Los Angeles
say the situation is unchanged there.
Kansas CITY, No., Aug. S.-0pera-
tors of The Western Union here have
notified the officials that they would
walk out at one o'clock unless the Chi
cago wire is discontinued. The men
have refused to send Chicago messages
all day, so the company had two women
on the wire.
Kansas City, Mo-, Aug. 9. All
Western Union operators here struck at
one o'clock.
Helena, Mont, Aug. 9.-In sympathy
of Western Union operators at Chicago
and Los Angeles, the Western Union
opesator. here went out today.