Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-14
WIRESWORK IN GOTHAM
RAILROAD MEN REFUSE COM
MERCIAL MESSAGES.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK August 14-Most 81 the
strike news today comes from the compa-
great significance was the announcement
early in the day that the Western Union
company would hold the railroads to THEN
contracts, which require them to send com
mercial messages when called on to do so.
AS the signs pointed this afternoon. the
railroads are in accord on the proposition
that commercial messages shall not be sem.
for the Western Union. Should a press OF
commercial messages suddenly pour in on
the railroad operators they would not be
sent The men would refuse to do 1t. and il
is believed the railroads would not try to
compel them to send them.
II the companies insist upon their and
and the railroad officers force the issue il
is likely to precipitate a strike of the 10000
telegraphers who are member of the rail
way telegraphers' order in this country.
a representative of the New York Cen
trail railroad said this morning that the
company would not force its men 10 take
commercial messages; that for the sake OF
dispatching a few commercial messages IL
would not jeopardize the business of its
whole system
The Pennsylvania railroad is the only
railroad which has a contract with the
POSTAL company. and in this contract there
Is no clause which compels Its operators to
take messages from the Postal
representative of ba Lr,;a rou-o., 1890
their operators are employed primarily to
do railroad business and have nothing 70
90 with commercial messages. The Erie
had heard nothing officially of the CONNER
cial telegraphers strike 1t was said. and
no Instances had come to its attention Of
refusals to deliver messages. nor was n
known that any commercial messages had
oeen sent to the railroad for transmission
Not Pressing the Point.
Ihere was report that Erie's contract
with the Western Union had expired In
"hich case the Western Union could not
well insist that 1t be held to it's contract.
Daniel RUSSELL chairman OF the hoard
OF strategy Of the local Commercial Telee-
raphers' Union. said this afternoon: I'VE
are assured by the Order Of Railway Telep-
raphers that its members are experiencing
no trouble in handling commercial mes ges
oeeduse there are none to handle They
are not being offered in New York Out
sde OF this city patrons refuse to file mes
sases because operators are not able to
livery"
/. 1t was reported at strike Headquarters
that all the brokers In the financial dis
trlct had agreed to the scale Of wages pre-
sented by brokerage operators and that
there had been no refusals
l. II was also said that In cases where pa =
tients In hospitals were In a serious or
aylns condition messages could be sent to
friends or relatives over leased wires with
messages. N'''
Vice President and Manager Nally of the
fostai said this afternoon jubiantly: LAS
lar as we are concerned, the strike is about
over. We are hiring new men and every
thing Is in good order.'
Officers of the Western Union said today.
when asked what they thought of the pos
sibility of federal interference In the strike.
that the Western Union was handling its
business all right, and that there was no
ground for the government to step in. They
declared that they thought the Chicago
Board of Trade to kaction yesterday that
was unnecessary In appealing to President
Roosevelt to settle the strike.
Government Interference.
For the first time since the commence
ment Of the strike trouble, President Glow
ry Of the Western Union Company was seen
personally this morning, he having spoken
hitherto through the medium of type-writ-
ten statements given out by his secretary
Today Mr.. Clowry was seen as he was on
ms way from the elevator to his private
ONCE, and a question concerning the proba-
bility Of federal Interference was put to
him.
AS far as l can see there is now no
reason why the government should take
action replied President Clowry There
Is nothing for 1t to do. The company is
handling its business all right"
In New England the strike was in force
this morning at Boston, Providence, Wor-
cester, Bridgeport, New Haven, Newport.
Hartford: Portland, Me-; August. Me:
Waterville, Me; Lowell, Mass, and sec
ondary cities.
In this city many of the branch Offices
have been stripped bare of men to fill va
cancles, which crippled the work of the
companies more or less at the main Offices
Cities Now Affected.
Secretary McInerney of the local union
estimates hundred cities are now affected
and that there are 22,OOO telegraphers on
strike in the United States and Canada. or
these he puts 5000 in this city, $40 in Bos-
225 In Philadelphia, 2JO in New Orleans. 125
in Cleveland, 225 in Washington. $50 in ST
Louis, 60 in Norfolk, Va; 80 in Columbus.
Ohio; 175 in Pittsburg, 20 in Harrisburg nd
20 In New England towns
In this connection the estimate of John
j. Bealin, deputy labor commissioner. is of
interest. Mr.. Bealin's figures place 1900
western Union operators on strike in
Greater New York, instead of 200, as al
legged by the union men. Mr. Bealins thinks
that there are 115O men and women out
from the Postal company, whereas union
leaders in charge of the strike have made
an estimate of 200
If Mr.. Bealn Is correct, about 81 per
cent of the Western Union operators are
on strike and 25 per cent of the Postal.
Consular Glorkc EvayninoI