Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-18
EASTERN WIRE MEN
WAITING FOR SMALL
They Put in the Time Issuing
Manifestoes and Orders.
ORGANIZING MESSENGERS
Women Strikers Succeed in Interview
ing Female Operators.
SAY WORK IS BEHIND HAND
Little Prospect That the New York
Commercial Companies Will Ac-
cept Mediation.
ORGANIZING MESSENGERS
Women Strikers Succeed in Interview
ing Female Operators.
SAY WORK IS BEHIND HAND

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. August 1.-THE striking
telegraphers of the New York local today
moved part of their office force into two
rooms OF the Aston House in anticipation
of the arrival Of President Small of the
Commercial Teegra piers. There Deputy
President Percy Thomas, President Ahearu
of the New York local and Dan Russell.
chief strategist and ring general of the
strikers. established themselves with a view
TO the opening Of possible negotiations with
the telegraph companies when Small's ar
rival shall have transferred the center of
the mediation endeavors from Chicago.
Strategist Russell said today that Presi-
dent Small would be in New York within
the next two three days He did not
know whether Gompers and Labor Com
missioner Neil would come with him or
not. Nor would he confirm the report that
Smalis presence here meant the reopening
of the negotiations that had been futile in
Chicago. Both of the telegraph companies
have been firm in their statements that as
there was nothing between them and their
striking employees 10 arbitrate that move
ments In that direction would not find
support from the companies
Pending the arrival of the Commercial
photographers head. the board of strategy
of which Russell is the leading light spent
today in getting out manifastues and giving
approval to the strenuous efforts that are
being made by their chief organizer Harry
Leroy. to organize all the messenger boys
1t has been the custom of the Postal COM
pany 10 lodge some Of the women who are
working their keys in the central office
down in the Aston House at such times
that the women quit work late knowing
this fact. Miss lIilda Svenson and Mrs
May Goodwin. two of the striking operators
went TO the As.or House late Friday night
When the two nOn-uniun women from the
Postal appeared at the hotel about mid
night Miss Svenson and Mrs Goodwin
rang them up on the house phone and told
them that they were Western Union strike
breakers. and that they had just come from
Boston that day. and could they come in the
girls rooms and cry there?
Work in Bad Shape.
"Of course. they could" said the Postal
girls. so Miss Svenson and Mrs. Goodwin
went in the Postal girls room and talked
with them for hour. The Postal girls
told them that they had to work sixty-1ive
out of the last seventy-two hours in the
UP at a tremendous rate. and that all the
operators We're about dead.
EdWard j. GaVegan. an attorney who was
sought by the strategy board of the strik-
ers for an opinion on the legal aspects of
the delay presumed to characterize the
transmission of messages over the West
ern Union and Postal lines during the
strike. today returned an opinion which
held the companies liable to prosecution on
the charge of violation of contract Pre-
Stunning that both Of the telegraph com
panies were refusing TO receive messages
unless subject To delay. and were forward
ing the same by mali and express which
the strikers claim they have afidavits to
prove, the attorneys statement proceeds:
Companies Are Liable.
The telegraph companies are liable to
penalty of S1o0 to the sender for every
such refusal under section 1903 of the trans
portation corporation law OF this state.
which provides that messages should be
received and transmitted with impartiality
and In good faith"
The attorneys statement further stated
that the intent of legislature in providing
charters for the teleg -aph companies was
TO facilitate the rapid transmission by
electricity of messages and that the law
does not recognize as excuse for delay any
purely individual ComplCat Ous in the
companies operating stan. II such is the
cause for delay then the state has the
right to dispose of the charter rights of
Attorney Garegan stated today that the
authority for portions Of his opinion was
drawn from the decision in a case tried
before the late Judge j. r Angel sitting
In the district court Of New York I'm An
gust. 1873. during the great telegraphers'
strike of that wear. Judge Angels decision
holding the Western Union liable to a fine
of 500 for its failure to transmit messages
by wire was not appealed from and stands
rs precedent ON the old district court
records
Pickets Sent Home
National Vice President Percy Thomas
Of the telcgraphers said tonight that he
had received n" notification from President
Small that he was coming 10 this CITY. The
executive committee Of the union met and
approved OF circular which will be sent to
all brokers and business men who do a
large amount OF teiegraphing This week
giving the union side OF the conditions in
the Western Union and Postal offices
For the last three days the pickets have
been assembling in large numbers near the
offices OF :he Postal and Western Union
companies. President Ahearn OF the union
sent them home tonight TO report Sunday
morning. instead OF remaining through a
good part Of The night, they have been
doing previously.
There were few developments today One
Wall street brokerage firm refused demands
made by its operators. and when the latter
quit. Immediately filled their places with
non Union men. The Western Union and
Postal Telegraph companies reiterated to-
night that they were doing business without
serious lnCOnVenlen e. The strikers for
their part SIN insisted that the situation
was satisfactory. The press and other
a Y.f...