Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-13
PRESS men Join.
News Service Crippled and 1t Is Feared
That All Branches of Telegraphy
Will Be Tied Up.

New York, Aug. 12.-All of the eight
operators in the New York Office of The
Associated Press, with the exception Of
the chiefs are out
Many of the telegraph operators en-
ployCd throughout the country by The
Associated Press went out on strike at
$50 O'Clock eastern timc) tonight
New York, Aug. l2.-Thc strike of the
telegraph operators which has affected
many cities throughout the country
was extended to New York today when
men employed by both the Western
Union AMI Postal companies quit work.
The Postal strikers said that 90 rcr
cont. Of their men were out. The West
crn Union officials; declared that 80 per
cent of their day force left their keys
Extra police were called out to preserve
order in the vicinity of the telegraph
buildings but there was little or no
occasion for their services.
President Ahcarn i'll answer to queS-
ton as to whether the strike would al
feet operators on leased wires, said:
1T is likely that all operators VIII be
called out before tomorrow.
General Superintendent Brooks Of the
Western Union said:
Il understand that the action OF the
operators in walking out from our Of
fees was not approved by the officials
of the local union.
NO one knows who blew the VIII
which caused the men To leave thCir
keys. 1t appears that someone blew the
| whistle in the hallway and that VAS
| taken as q flash for the men To Gun,
work
Att O'Clock the operators in the man
Office of the Western Union went out
| There had been rumors mat Such y
lmovc was in contemplation hut up 70 q
few minutes before i o'clock there were
| no signs of the intended action.
II was stated by n general officer OF
tho company that out of the 4oo men on
| duty on the day force pol refused 10
oErv thc call 10 90 out and reInained on
| du;y Thcs, men it was said, are now
III their Keys and the company's OIL
| rcrs made the declaration that before
) o'clock this afternoon they W"uiu
have II full force Of operators on dhtS'
| Within 4 short while the striking OF
1 ii''.''''
half mast ono o'clock there was Il" Sli':i
of anything unusual in the vicinity Vi
the Western Union offices.
| Western Union strikers declare" 'h''
| not more than 10 operators oi J-o com
lpnsing the night force of the man %
fee of that company reported Tor uutE
ri The usual hour this afternoon.
| A number Of the operators on M
Postal Telegraph Co. went OH sum
Iat 90 this afternoon. There WIS II"
ldisordcr. When The Postal c'ip'S
learned that the operators o. thc
,-ai,, had gone out they dccid"d
| ,,;I,o t :, ~ O'Clock. Promptly III
1.-The appointed time the operators '''"0
ltboir kcvs and left the bulldiiG'
Icrowd Of Western Union strikers cicti
oil the Postal mon as they lclI 'i'
thuiIdinr The men claim that y" pei
! cont Of the Postal operators struck.
| AZ the Western Union men LETT the
Ihu,Idinr they were chccrcd by other OPP
Iarators who had gathered in Dcy street
The cheering soon attracted the paSs"rs
an broadway and in a few minutes 7
large crowd gathered. There was T.
disorder. however, and the police OF tn.
traffic SQuauS Sooil put 'iiS ''o'
in motion.
II Secretary and Treasurer Mclnerny o
the local union said that the local hiei
had walked out without any order iro',
the union officers and that they too'
the matter into their own hands III ~
Ii ing ont. He said the officers OF t'lc uii
ion though will stand by the strikers II
their action. \ few minutes alter CIV
strike while the police were ciearii'
, thc sidewalks around the Western "
. ion building one man disputed the rish
If the police to compel him to move o'
and he was arrested.
Secretary McInerny SAID that ne rea'
tied that the feeling OF the men va
strong against the company put th',
The local union officers had done al
they could to prevent the men from 50
ling out. He said:
..The officers regret the action OF IN
men in going out at this time. We di
all we could to restrain them but the
were simply goaded into going out. -
last straw that broke the Gamers bac
care to5ay when three men, VINO ma
/, ibeen discharged last week for deeun
ling to work wires on which strike
a rsH Il <xt