The Washington herald., 1907-08-14
CONTINUED FnoM PAGE ONE.


In this connection Grand Secretary
raphers, is reported to have sent out
| from Des Moines general message TO
the men of the union. notifying them
that any. earlier message purporting to
have been signed by him and sent over
the wires was bogus. Quick's instruc-
/ tons 10 the railroad telegraphers were
to observe strictly the unions agreement
| with the railroad companies. and to per-
/ form the same duties that they did be-
| fore the strike of the commercial telegra-
pliers.
! At l O'clock this morning. Deputy Pres
! ident Percy Thomas, OF New York, be-
| gan sending out a general strike order
/ TO all the locals in New England and
| to-day he announced that he was ex-
tending the strike order over other points
/ West and South. that had not yet gone
out without Instructions
Boston. which had remained firm dur
/ Ing the four days OF strike epidemic,
obeyed Thomas order at II O'Clock this
morning, operators Of both companies
/ quitting their posts within an hour OF
one another. From Boston the strike
wave spread to Hartford. Portland, and
Test Railroad Operators.
In New York the most Significant de-
| velopment to-day was the test put on
/ the railroad telegraphers by tho COM
merclal telegraph companies In their at
tempt TO send their messages over rail-
road wires. At the Grand Central Sta
ton a batch Of kilograms was sent up
stairs 20 be put on the railroad wires. but
three Of the railroad teiegraphers prompt
/ " refused to handle them. and threaten
ed strike II any pressure was brought
TO bear upon them. The messages were
returned and no further attempt was
made by either the telegraph people or
the officials OF the New York Central
to force the operators TO take them.
The incident developed a delicate sitIa-
1 ton. which the New York Central and
| other railroads in New York are meet
ing by a well-timed policy Of norinter-
/ ference. With most of the railroads the
| Western Union has contract calling
/ for the transmission Of commercial bust
ness over railroad wires under specific
/ conditions. In small towns where the
railroad telegraph Office handles CONNER
/ cial business as well. the telegraph COM
/ pany transacts all It's business over the
/ railroad wires under contract Under
normal conditions the Western Union is
/ also accustomed 20 send night messages
over the railroad wires.
Railroad Operators BaIk.
When the Western Union submitted
| commercial kilograms 20 the New York
Central to-day. as II had a right to do
4 under the contract il has with that rail-
road, P. E. Crowley. assistant general
manager Of the Centrars lines. who has
the telcgraphers under HIS supervision,
took no aetion. An official Of the railroad
/ speaking for Mr.. Crowley tonight said
The refusal OF the railroad telegraphers
! in our Office 70 do the work which the
New York Central Is bound to do. under
contract with the Western Union Com
pany. developed a situation which the
railroad deems 1t best 10 leave undisturb-
ed. At this time. when the order OF Rail-
road Telegraphers has more or less open
I ~ pledged sympathetic support TO the
commercial telegraphers. it would not be
the policy Of the railroad TO antagonize
them by insisting upon something they
refuse to do
'Ar. Crowley has been advised OF the
action of the railroad telegraphers In our
Office to-day. and he has taken no action,
nor is It probable that he viii. We do not
believe that. realizing our position. the
telegraph company VIII insist upon full
hllment Of the obligation the railroad has
under contract"
Not Considered Serious.
Mr.. Belvidere Brooks. superintendent Of
the Eastern division Of the Western
Union lntimated to-day that the COM
pany did not consider seriously the re-
fusal Of railroad telegraphers to handle
their wires He said
There have been sporadic Instances Of
railroad operators in small towns refus-
ing to handle commercial kilograms Of
this company: The cases that have come
under our observation have been so in
significant that we have paid no atten-
ton to them. OF. course, railroad opera
tors in small towns handle commercial
stun every day, but IL they feel that they
should discriminate under the circum-
stances Il the existing strike the West
ern Union is not inclined 10 embarrass
the railroads and cause a possible COM
plicatiOn by insisting that these few who
have rebelled shall be discharged"
President Joseph Ahearn. Of the New
York local Of commercial telegraphers.
announced to-day the receipt of a tele-
gram from President Small of the na-
ti0nal organization, embOdying the prom
lse By Master Workman Perham, of the
Order OF Railway Telegraphers. that his
unioQ would render financial aid to the
commercial teiegraphers. perham had
also assured President Small. the tele-
gram went on to state. that if any rail-
road insisted upon the transmission of
commercial kilograms over railroad wlres-I
there would be a general strike called of
all the railroad telegraphers.
May Strike in Sympathy.
II was freeiy stated by the striking
telegraphers of the New York local To-
day, that if the telegraph companies do
not come TO terms and grant the demands
Of the strikers there will be a sympa-
thetic strike Of the railroad telegraphers
anyway. The consequent decentralization
of the railroads and The man service
would force Federal intervention, the
union men say. and they would favor
such.
The Western Union people reiterated
the statement to-day that no arbitration
would be held with the strikers here, and
that it lay entirely within the province
of General Superintendent Cook, at Chi
cago, to determine whether he would lis
ten to the representations of the medi-
ators who have gathered in that city.
Charles Adams, vice president of the
Postal Company, said to-day that the
traffic report at 3 p. m. showed that the
days business would be cleared up by s
O'Clock. At o'clock there were two hun
dred messages waiting TO go TO Chicago |
open by five duplex wires, and three op-
orators were working on them: 40 operat- /