The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-09
Were Really Discharged.
All Struck at Midnight.

The grievance committee OF the union
called on Price and notified him that
unless every man was reinstated by mid
night every union man in the office would
be called out. This was refused and
ment whistle was blown and every OPP
orator employed in the main office with
the exception Of six wire and loop chiefs.
including Night Manager Price and his
two assistants, left their keys and with
a round of cheers filed out of the office.
The men employed by the company at
the various morning newspapers had been
notified of the contemplated strike, and
they also quit work.
Day Force Will Go Out.
The local officials of the union tonight
stated that the day force employed by
the company, most of whom belong TO the
union, would refuse 10 go to work in the
morning This will also include all
branch offices throughout the city.
SulIen for Weeks.
The national officials of the union spent
ali day today in an effort to prevent the
rank and file OF the organization from
taking matters in their own hands ana
calling a strike. The men for weeks have
maintained a sullen attitude toward the
company The Chicago force was dissat-
isfied with the basis of the settlement
reached al the time the strike in San
Francisco was called off. Ever since then
they have been visiting the office of Ma
tiOnal Secretary Russell seeking infOr-
nation. Today his office was crowded
all day long with operators looking for
news regarding the progress of the peace
! negotiations in the west. but were given
/ little satisfaction.
I am waiting to hear from President
Small. Until / hear further / can say
nothing he said.
Such replies. together with the fact that
the men believe, according to their own
statements that President Small submit
ted to defeat at San Francisco was what
prompted the executive board of the local
Trnipn q take QFfinn fOniCHf
1t was under these conditions that the
strike was called without the sanction of
the national officials.
After the men mad quit work Secretary
Russell refused to talk about the cOntTo-
versy except to say that the men had
taken matters in their own hands and un-
dOubtedly felt that they were capable of
handling their own affairs.
Conditions IntoerabIe.
Secretary UIrich of the local union,
said:
THE men were utterly tired Of the con-
ditions under which they were working
and could not stand il any longer When
the additional insult of asking them to
work with non-uniOn men in Los Angeles
was put upon them, they refused TO stand
il and quit work. We could get no in
formation of the situation on the Pacific
coast from our national officials, we
decided that it was up 10 us to take care
of ourselves
When General Superintendent Cook of
the Western Union was informed of the
strike he declared that ne was unable 10
say anything that would be of any inter
est and that he could not outline the
action the company would take until to-
morrow morning
Fearing that trouble might arise follow
ing the walzOur OF the men. an official
of the company a few minutes before
midnight telepboned to the central sta
ton and requested that several police
men be sent 10 the main office of the
company &c preserve order.
One lieutenant and five policemen were
ordered to report al the telegraph office.
Afr the 200 men and four women quit
work they gathered in front of the build
ing where the telegraph office is located
and for half an hour filled the air with
cheers and whistles but the police We're
given no cause for the exercise of their
authority.