The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-16
.STR|KE SITUATION
| GROWS BETTER HERE
Both Companies Report
Marked Improvement
in Service.
FOUR MEN APPLY
FOR OLD PLACES
--------- --------
One Of the Former Operators
Taken Back-Associated Press
Service Greatly Improved.
No General Strike Order
Has Been Issued
as Yet.

CHICAGO. ILL, August 15.-s.
j.. Small, president of the CONNER
cinl TelcErnphcrs Union, mt 1880
O'Clock this morning issued Een-
crnl order to nll commercial teleg-
rnphcr. to ccuhc work immediatc-
ly where contracts with union
have not been signed.
While the volume of business to be
transmitted over the telegraph wires
from Richmond yesterday was far be-
low that OF normal times, 1t was han-
died expeditiousy and In manner
which Indicated that locally, at least.
tho backbone of the strike was broken. Z
/! There have been no importan t develops
ments within the past twenty-four
4 hours, the Western Union, however,
| finding It's main trouble due to the
/ fact that operators at junction points
have continued to open wires, thus ren-
| dering them dead and useless. These
men are employed by the railroads,
and at small stations they take care
| of railroad and commercial messages
Unless the practice ends to-day the
company will send linemen to the af-
/ fected points to cut out commercial
| wires, 6a
No attempt has been made to force
I an issue between the Western Union
ana tho railroad companies, although
/ Secretary Quick, OF the Order Of Rail
/ way Photographers, has issued formal
notice to tho men that they are to
4 as hnr n >vi roc rdH IA
| any strike of which they are not a
Epart.
Operators Apply for Work.
i Four operators who walked out of
4 the Western Union office on Tuesday
!. Eapplied for Reinstatement yesterday,
4 and one was accepted. Superintendent
4, Maxwell said last night that the forcl
/ Eat present was amply sufiicient.g No
: Others have quit, and the wires have
been kept clear, particularly with leads
ing cities East and West.
Superintendent Ribble, of the Postal
Company, reported that the business
. yesterday was two thirds normal, and
to-day he will, he says, have addt-
tional help.
Absolutely no disturbances occurred
yesterday or the day before, and the
a strikers have conducted themselves In
a clean and dgnifed manner. They
/, have used every effort to persuade such
working operators as they could reach
to quit--a fact which they do not at
tempt to deny. But they have met
with no success here. :
The one exception hereabout was
reported yesterday from Petersburg.
, the Associated Press operator in ths
:, |IndeXAppeal office having walked out
: The 1ndex-Appeal, however, did not
suffer serious Inconvenience, for the
operator on the Associated Press wire
! in The Times Dispatch office made two
z copies, sending one to Petersburg by
train and street car.
After midnight the service was cons
tnued by telegraph and telephones. The
Iprcss service is steadily improving, and
has about worked itself back to what
'Iit was before tho strike was ORDER
cd.
Pieces Quickly Filled.
! superintendent Maxwell was advised
> 'Iyesterday that the Office at Hot Springs.
I Iva, had been closed, but an operas
tor was sent there from Richmond
last night and 1t will be open for busi-5
, ness as usual this morning. The mar
ager at Anderson. s. c., quit yesterday,
? and that, too. when he was shortly to
: be promoted. Charlotte, N. G., sup
: piled substitute and he reached Ans
derson last night. N
r Excitement mt Hlucfleld.
: The most exciting Western Union
| story OF the day came from Blueheld
: w. Va, When the entire force, man
. aser and all. walked out, Superintend-
: ent Maxwell hurried an operator on
the first train and he wired back that
crowd had surrounded the build
Ing, threatening violence, a message
was Immediately rushed to the Mayor
. of Bnelield. demanding protection, and
: this was promptly assured. The oper-
ator relieved the feeling of his friends
here by telegraphing that he was
holding the fort and that he expected
3 to keep on holding it, without fear
of any attack.
strikers Silent Now.
For the strikers, c. S. Hervey, who
has been delegated to represent thcm,
gave a long statement to the after.
, noon papers yesterday morning Las,
: night he stated that he had nothing
further to add to it, and that the for.
mer operators would leave discussion
to other sources.
Position of Leased Wire Men,
All of the brokerage establish.
. ments, served by leased wires, wer,
open for business as usual. The hrok, !,
!, erage operators have not been ordered
!, out. the statement being made that
: the brokers employing them. who pay
the wages, have signed the seals,
: While Creed Haskins, president OF
the Commercial Photographers Union.
q Of Rchmcnd, Is sslll ut york, E:i
y friends want 1t understood that he Ia
d keeping faith with the union. They
: are afraid that q statement printed
9 In this newspaper yesterday may be
s confusing. hut 10 set the matter clear
it Is only fair to Mr.. Haskins To say
y that he Is preserving the rules OF his
II association.