New-York tribune., 1907-08-15


forced TO depend upon quotations cabled from
the Liverpool Exchange. II WAS reported thaI
the Western Union had detectives out trying 10
find some of these railway operators and cause
their arrest Mr.. Brooks. when asked aeoul
this, said: Il cannot say as TO the detectives
but il any OF these operators who interfere with
our messages are caught they will be prose
cuted." No official opinion could be obtained
from the railway operators organization last
night as to its attitude should one Of its men be
discharged for this reason
ABOUT 1900 OPERATORS OUT
The strike yesterday had become general, and
with 22eo0 operators out, according TO union
estimates General Secretary Russell sent
circular letter presidents Of Boards OF
Trade, Exchanges and Commercial Bodies in
the United States and Canada" in which he
warned those bodies that -ithin twenty-four
hours every operator mot under union con-
tract would be strike in both countries Al
the same time the Chicago Board of Trade sent
its appeal 10 President Roosevelt asking him to
use his influence in effecting settlement
Other organization Of merchants alarmed by
the notice. added their appeals, but all the let
ters were turned over on receipt at the execu-
tiev Office 10 Commissioner Neill.
The situation in this city yesterday
marked by an improvement of service by the
companies The strikers who reported no de-
fections from their ranks told all sorts of stories
regarding the companies. To judge from the
union men. both the Western Union and the
Postal were virtually out of business and de-
pending upon the weak efforts of students
and incompetent down and-out'' operators.
But the fact remained that the companies were
receiving and sending messages. The only
serious Inconvenience that remained was in the
communication with nearby places
A P SERVICE IMPROVED.
The Associated Press was giving its usual
service having lost ne more than half dozen
men from both its day and night shifts" Other
corporations supplying quotations reported an
increased efficiency in their work In the fnan-
c.al district the service furnished the exchanges
by both the Western Union and the Postal was
very poor. and some brokers who depend upon
out-of-town orders said they might as well
shut up shop for the time since they could
neither receive nor send messages in time TO do
effective business. The operators in the finan-
cial houses who had voted on Tuesday TO sub
nit contract calling for salary of $50
week to their employers. were all at work yes
1erday. Ten Of the large wire houses had signed
the contract and others had expressed their in
rention TO do so. Nevertheless. the strikers.
who seemed to wish to tie up all lines Of com
rnunication until they got their demands.
brought up q resolution at the union meeting
yesterday 10 call out the financial operators
This resolution was tabled, but viii come up for
further consideration to-day.
AS far as the general public was concerned
there might have been strike yesterday, for
the police stationed in front of the telegraph
buildings in lower Broadway had nothing TO do.
The pickets, men and women worked at & dis
tance, quietly addressing strike breakers as they
came from subway and elevated stations. Sew
eral converts to the cause were made. and
few women strike breakers said that they were
bothered py the exhorters On this account
complaint was made by the Western Union and
Postal officials 20 Inspector McCsfferty. of tbs
Detective Bureau, and he detailed twenty-five
men IN plain clothes TO keep watch near the
buildings. They had no occasion to make
rests.
STRIKERS HOLD MEETINGS.
The local strikers. who now number some
thing less than five thousand, with about four
hundred women. seemed confident yesterday.
At noon a thousand of them met in Everett
Hall. No. 35 East Fourth street and after music
and speeches behind closed doors gave out the
statement that they had considered means OF
replenishing their chest and continuing the
fight to victory. Another meeting was held
about ( O'Clock. and q committee appointed
TO look into the legal aspects of the manner in
which the two companies, as public service cor
porations, serving the purpose for which
they were created. The committee will report
the meeting to-day Should the body de-
eide an appeal viii he made 70 Attorney Gen
eral jackson TO start investigation. Mr.
Jackson. by the way, has already before the
courts . petition for permission investigate
the two companies to prove they have entered
into an Illegal combination and constitute a
monopoly.
vice-President Brooks who is superintendent
Of the Eastern division Of the Western Union
1nied that his company had been trying to
overload the railway telegraphers. He said
there was no truth In the story that William J.
Ackerly. superintendent at the Western Unions
Office in the Grand Central Station, had tried to
persuade the railway telegraphers in the build
ing 10 take commercial messages and had been
turned down by them. Mr.. Brooks showed
the reporter signed statement from Mr. Acl-
erly denying that he had made such re-
quest OF the railway operators.
MR. BROOKS ON RAILWAYS
II want it understood" said Mr Brooks that
not trying to antagonze the railway
operators. but shall insist that the railways
live up 70 their contracts with We shall call
upon them to handle commercial business with
us Just as in the past. no less and no more We
have regular contracts with every railroad in
the country, except the Pennsylvania In those
towns where we do not maintain an office Of
our the railroad operators receive and
transmit our messages under the contract made
the railroad with them. 1t is not true that
there IS any strike clause in contracts. We
have had 10 trouble worth mentioning as yet
OF course" he continued, ''we know that
some Of messages interfered with by