The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-12
OUT AT new YORK
Operators Of Western Union
and Postal Join Strike.
Quit at / O'clock at Blowing OF
a Whistle.
CHEEREDASTHEYLEFT
Action Taken Over the Protest
of Local Officers.
Men Say They We're GOaded to
1t by Company Officials.
is STILL SPREADING.
Some Lines of Business at a
Standstill in st. Louis.
GOmpers Is in Chicago to Aid
With Advice.
Action Taken Over the Protest
of Local Officers.
Men Say They Were GOaded to
1t by Company Officials.
is STILL SPREADING
Some Lines of Business at
Standstill in st. Louis.
Gompers Is in Chicago to Aid
With Advice.

New York. Aug 12.-At 1 o'clock
this afternoon many of the operators
I'm the main office in the Western
Union went out. There had been ru-
mors that such move was in contem-
plation, but UP to a few minutes be-
fore the men quit work there were no
signs of the intended action. At ex-
actIy l o'clock a shrill whistle was
sounded through the big operating
room and a large part of the force at
work left their keys.
AS the men left the building they
were cheered by other operators who
had gathered in Dey street. The
cheering attarcted the passersby on
Broadway and in a few minutes
large crowd had gathered.
There was no disorder. however, and
the police soon put the crowd in mo-
ton.
one man disputed the right of the
police to compel him to move on and
he was arrested.
1t was stated by a general officer of
the company that out of 400 men on
duty on the day force, 2O1 refused to
obey the call to go out. These men,
the company's officers made the dec
laration that by o'clock this after
noon they would have full force of
operators at work.
operators dispersed to their homes
and by half past 1 o'clock there was
no sign of anything unusual in the
vicinity of the Western Union build
ing. Shortly agter 1 O'Clock most of
the Western Union men working on
the Produce exchange went on strike.
leaving only a few nonuniOn men at
work. The operators employed by the
Broad street branch office of the West
ern Union company also left their
keys.
No Order to Strike.
Secretary-Treasurer McInerney of
the local telegraphers union said that
the local men had walked out without
any order from the union officers and
had taken the matter in their own
hands. He said the officers of the
union, though, would stand by tho
strikers in their action.
Secretary McInerney said tina he
realized that the feeling of the men
was strong against the company, but
that the local union officers had done
all they could to prevent the men go
Ing out. He said:
The officers regret this action of
the men going out at this time. We
did all we could to restrain them, but
they were simply goaded into going
out. The last straw that broke the
cameIs back came today when three
men who had been discharged last
week for declining to work wires on
which strike breakers were employed
went to the main office of the West
ern Union TO get their time They
were told by one 70 the chief opera
tors to get out of the office and the
man accompanied the eJectment with
abusive language. The fault is with
the company for we have done all we
could to prevent this trouble. The To-
cal union will stand by tn men"
Secretary McInerney said that the
local union was we'll provided with
funds and that the order of railway
telegraphers had today assured the To-
a Ton fTNraF ,, II
a financial way.
The Western Union operators en-
ployed in the hotels also walked out.
Postal Men Quit.
Los Angeles, Cal, Aug 12.-Practical-
ly the entire force of the Postal TeIe-
graph company in this city today Joined
the Western Union operators in their
strike. Eighteen men left keys Man
ager Lewis stated that he would have
six men left including the day and night |
chief operators. The night force of six |
men will also go out this evening The |
walk out was caused by the refusal of |
a union operator to receive a message |
addressed to Chicago from a branch |
tion Manager Lewis Immediately dis |
charged the operator. The walk out |
followed.
Made No Demands.
Salt Lake. Utah. Aug. 12.-The en-
tire force Of operators employed by |
the Salt Lake office of the Postal |
Telegraph company, walked out this |
morning Fifteen men are involved
Manager McNichol of the Postal /
said the men made no demands and |
presented no grievances He said |
they walked out in a BODY without
saying anything to the oficiaIs in
charge and that their strike was
purely sympathetic one Superintend-
ent Hack. Manager McNichol and two
wire chiefs are taking care of the
Postals local business
The situation at the Western Unions
office remains about the same as n has
been ever since the strike. TODAY
Manager Long, Chief Operator Mo
Donald and one nonunion opera+or |
are working the wires 1t was said |
that the office was practically Clear
on all messages.
Business Suspended.
ST. Louis, Aug. 12-Business was
practically suspended in the ST. Louis
Merchants exchange today because Of
the telegraphers' strike When the
markets opened this morning there was
not an operator at key. After much
delec a few nonunion men We're found
to receive the market quotations from
Chicago aud the stock market quota
tNons from New York Ordinarily about
30 operators are employed to man the