The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-08-13
Chicago Telegraph Men
Leave Their Keys
SIXTEEN HUNDRED OUT
Western Union and Postal Office De-
scrtcd-Eyery Effort 10 BE Made
TO Pafaiyzc the Telcgrap pin Bust
ness 10 Force an Early Settle
Inent of the Issue.
Inent of the Issue.
(By the Associated Press.)


Chicago, Aug. 9.-The five hundred
Company struck tonight at six O'Clock.
This with the loo men out from the
Offices or the Western Union through
out the City make 1900 men now on
strike III Chicago. At a meeting Of
the operators held this afternoon a
resolution vas unanimously passed de-
clarlng that every operator in the city
having a union card should be called
out. a short time after the meeting
mad dissolved demands We're present
ed TO the officials of the Postal Tele-
graph Company asking an increase
OF rs per cent in wages, an eight hour
day and recognition of the union. If
these were not passed upon the strik e
was TO follow. it was the general
understanding among the operators
thai the demands could not be grant
ed at once. The move was evidently
intended to bring about the strike at
the present time in order to aid the
Western Union men If the demands
were not granted.
Under the wording Of the order all
the operators working for roker
and commission houses will be called
out in the morning and business gen
orally viii be badly handicapped. It
was said tonight by some of the OPP
orators who were present in the
iCtlllIS that Tie intention OF the
union was to cripple the telegraph ia
c1litieS of Chicago in every direction,
and to do 1T SO completely that public
sentiment would be brought to bear
heavily on the two telegraph COM
panies, and in this amer force a
settlement between them and the OPP
orators.
The strike at the Chicago office of
the Postal was attended by no sign of
disorder. When a whistle was blown
the operators rose from their keys
with a cheer and walked out There
was not the slightest evidence OF i'll
feeling on either side. The men,
after reaching the street, gave re-
peated cheers and then dispersed.
The strike throughout the day has
been marked by absence of trouble
of any kind. Chief of Police Shippy
Informed the leaders of the strike this
afternoon that he would not allow any
pfcketing or any violence, and he was
Informed that none was intended and
that an effort would be made to keep
the men peaceable.
The general situation throughout
day heightened.
With the strike of the Postal en-
ployes Chicago tonight is left with
about thirty-five commercial tele-
graphers, who are e~ndeavoring to
transmit the business of both tele-
graph whereas, under
normal conditions, fully fifteen hun
men are necessary to do the
work in Chicago.
Other Western Union offices which
became involved in the trouble today
together with the number of men who
quit work are:
Salt Lake City, Sc; Helena, 40; Kan
sas City, $50; Dallas, 105; Fort Worth.
46; Colorado Springs. 10: Denver, 83.
Postal, New Orleans. 60.
Western Union Will Fight.
New York Aug. 9.-The Western
Union Telegraph Company will fight
the strike of their operators in the
western cities, in the East or wherev-
or the men may go OUT. They expect
to win. as they won in 1888. A strike
among the 5000 operators of Greater
New York City is imminent though the
sentiment among the employees is said
to be divided.
The fore going is not an official an
nOUncenent, but is an expression of
opinion concurTed i'll both by men as
with the executive affairs of
the Western Union and representatives
Of the te~legrapher's union, and made
tonight.
The position taken by the company
Is that the men nave no substantial
grievance, but are, in some instances,
the willing, and in other instances the
unwilling victims of the prevailing
social unrest" interest.