The Washington herald., 1907-08-13

strike OF telegraph operators was carried
into effect this afternoon, and resulted in
Gripping. operations for hours. Men and
women in the employ Of the Western
Union and Postal left their keys with
only the briefest notice.
whistle Sounds Signal.
At l O'Clock this afternoon a man stood
on the landing outside the operating room
on the seventh floor OF the Western Union
Building. al 195 Broadway, and blew a
police whistle.
Immediately three other whistles sound
ed, one from the gallery Of the operating
room on the seventh floor and two on the
floor Of the operating room above.
This was the signal agreed upon by
the union telegraphers employed at the
Western Union central offices earlier in
the morning, and Immediately all OF the
affected operators quit their keys. There
were at the time approximately 500 men
and women IN the building on the day
shift working az the various instruments
on the two floors
AS the union operators left their keys
cheering. they made fer the elevators
One OF the elevator men was told not
to take the striking operators to the side
walk and he promptly INDUCED in a
sympathetic individual strike. Then the
union men and women trooped down the
stairs to the street.
The first 10 pass through the street
doors started cheer. and as every group
OF men Joined the crowd az the doors
more cheering was INDUCED in. Then,
with men and women linking arms IA
some instances. the crowd bore up the
street on the Offices Of the Postal com
pany. at 253 Broadway.
Waiting for Postal.
The strikers began to congregate abou,
the doors Of the Postal Building at about
1I5 They expected that the Postd tel
egraphers would be on the street by that
time. but there was no sign Of affected
operators from the twelfth floor of the
big building.
The Western Union people ebbed about
the corner Of Broadway and Murray
street their leaders taking council on
how best 10 notify the brethren On the
top floor OF the turn OF events.
While one man hurried over to the once
Of an afternoon paper 70 get on a short
wire leading TO the Postal operating room,
another. with a whistle in his pocket, be-
gan to make a reconnaissance into the
elevator facilities.
Vice President Charles Adams, who was
Standing on the floor Of the main ofice
downstairs. spotted the scout and for
several minutes there was a lively game
Of hide and seek between the telegTapher
and the vice president
Since nobody without a pass can get
into the operating rooms Of the Postal
company, the Western Union striker was
unable to blow his whistle on the top
floor.
Police Reserves Summoned.
With the gathering Of the crowd on the
corner Of Broadway and Murray streets.
a call for reserves was sent into the
Church street station by the policeman
on post at the park entrance. sergt.
Higgins. with thirty reserves soon arrived
at the congested corner, and Inspector
Higgins took command Of the work Of
pushing the crowd of waiting telegraph
ers back into the broad avenue leading
in front Of the City Hail.
There the strikers gathered in knots.
waiting for some sign Of the Postal NAL
contents. The word was passed around
that 2:30 O'Clock had been set as the
hour for the walkout from the Postal
building.
Promptly to the minute Of the hour a
man with a blre cross union badge in his
lapel walked through the front door of
the Postal b'Iilding and threw Up his
hands
The Western Union men and women
massed across the street in Park avenue
set up cheer. They continued cheering
as the striking operators struggled
through the doorway in groups. The
police moved the Postal strikers back into
the park as fast as they came through the
door
When al the strikers had appeared the
TWO companies moved across the Park
and took up position in front of the
newspaper offices, there to see the union
newspaper men quit their posts in the
telegraph rooms. But these men had al
ready left their keys and the crowd was
disappointed of another demonstration.
After drifting down to the union head
quarters az 56 Pine street the strikers
FOUND no other event 20 slake their ex-
citement and went to their homes.
BustIe at headquarters.
The two little rooms that constitute
the headquarters Of local 16 were bub-
bling with excitement meanwhile. Presi-
dent joseph Ahearn, Of the local head
quarters quit his key in a brokers' Office
on Wall street and hurried I'D to the
union Offices.
Percy Thomas. the deputy national
president, appointed last Friday by Presi-
dent Small to represent the officers. Of the
union IN New York was on hand early
to take In the situation which had sud
denly upset the policy Of delay agreed
upon at the Sunday meeting of the local.
The officers Of the local composed a let
ter copy Of which was sent 10 every
member Of the union in greater New
York. The letter read as follows:
To the members Of Local, No. l6. Commercial
TelegTaphers' Union:
The national body and local officers and mem
eers oi the union win support every woman ard man
who joined in the walkout from the various ofices
throughout Greater New York to-day Go To vntr
h9mes and remain quiet Commit no acts Of vio-
lencs.
we have won already. Right and justice are on
our side. The public Is with us
lSigncd.) JOSEPH 4 AHEARN prsS;den.
c. P McINERNEY, Secretary
GEORGE T. KEARNEY,
Chairman Executive Board.
Immediately after the\strike officers of
the two telegraph comp3nies took stock