Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-14
BOSTON AND ELSEWHERE.

Boston, Aug. Eat a signal given
with whistle at II o'clock today 40
operators ut The Postal Telegraph COS.
central office on State street Joined the
general strike OF telcgraphcrs. Tie
strikers comprised about onc-half OF
the regular force employed at the CEN
trail Office.
1t WAS learned that President J. j.
McGarty Of tEc Boston TclCgraphcrs
Union had received Il dispatch early to-
day from Deputy President Percy
Thomas Of the National Union, ordering
him to call out all Postal and Western
Unicn operators in New England. This
message WAS as follows:
"Ncw York, Aug. 13.
j.. j. McGarty, President, Boston:
Call out Boston Postal ana Western
Union Immediately ANA tell all YOU can
rcacn il New England to 80 out.
(Signed Percy Thomas,
Deputy President"
When this dispatch reached President
McCarty at his home at about 4 A. NJ,
he Immediately arose and went to the
office OF the Commercial Telcgr;tIlcrs'
I
held a conference with other officers Of
the union, who had been there all night.
At this conference it was decided to call
the men out.
During the forenoon there were per-
SiStcnt reports that the day men would
be given the signal to leave their keys
at sometime before noon and that the
night operators would join the strike
by failing TO report for duty at $50 p
NJ. the usual hour. The early morning
workers, it was reported. also would
not come on duty ut A. NJ, tomorrow,
their customary time.
Th" Boston offices Of the two COM
ranicS arc among the largest in the
! country, several hundred operators.
both mon and women, being employed.
In an curly forenoon interview, SHnt.
Nncs Of the Western Union Go. sail.
"Our office is not thoroughly union
| izcd. We are going to do our best tn
continue cur service. There may he in
+! tcrruptions, but they will not lac as Sc
rious us ono might suppose. We shall
| take care of any men who stay n,
and we shall stick to them through
| thick and thin"
| Suut. PilISbury Of tho Postal declined
| to make any statement, previous to the
| strike. other than that all his mon
| were working at that time. Mr.. Pills
bury held a consultation this forenoon
with police officials Of Station No ? &c
garGing possible police protection il
| clsC of Il strike.
| Tho whistle was blown ut the West
/ a - n'tl)f.k
J one hundred and four operators
! marched out, leaving about 80 al
| work.
| The operators employed at several
| branch offices in the city obcycd the
| call to strike Brokers and stock cX-
| change offices were not affected UP y
| noon.
| When the usual call was given after
| the lunch interval, il was found thai
| Associated Press operators at nv
| roirts in New England cities outside
| of Boston had deserted their keys
| The Western Union operators gath
| cred for few minutes in the street
| outside the offices and there WAS con-
| siderable confusion and some chctr-
! ing until 4 force of policemen clcarc''
n spacc for passcrsby. BY 12.3o o cl"ct
| state street had assumed its Eorfnh'
| conditions Many of the strikers went
| directly to headquarters. where a meet
| ing of TIC local union was called our
| ing the afternoon.
| The managers at both the Postal and
| Western Union offices stood near tho
| door as their employees filed out and
! in only few cases was any regret cX-
l pressed Operators who had served the
! companies faithfully for many years
| put on their hats and coats and left
| their Keys. Nearly all left with sad
1 dencd faces. President McGarty today
! made the following statement:
/ t'Our union in Boston will be stead
| fast for the unions cause at this time
j hnpnf:il that Il prompt adjustment oi
4 the differences between the companic:
and the men may be reached at tho
earliest possible moment. Men are on
now in some New England cities. OH
crs will follow without delay. AS W.
believe our cause to be just, we arc
satisfied that we will win"
| 4 cymDathetic strike of Boston DIS
trict messenger boys occurred during
the afternoon, about 10 marching out