The San Francisco call., 1909-12-03
Police Chief Holds Entire Force
in Readiness TO QueII Pos
SibIe Clash
Shortage of Supplies Causes
Great Mills and Factories
to Shut Down
SwitChmen Confident of Wiz.
ming; Railroad Managers
Also Optimistic

n T. PAUL. Dec. 2.-Chief John ].
- O'Connor OF the police depart
- ment virtually admitted that he
considered the strike situation serious
today when he ordered that all mem
bcrs OF his day force stay on duty at
the central station until 1890 o'clock
tonight
The order goes into effect tonight
and viii continue until all danger of a
clash between strikers and' strike
breakers is ended
The chief also issued orders re-
calling all natrolmen and officers ab-
sent on leave Su6stations were
notified not to permit any man to
stay of duty except for the most
serious illness
Conferences Are Held
Several conferences between the
chief and officials of the railroads
have been held today.
According TO railroad officials the
beginning OF the end of the switch
mems strike Is in sight. A prominent
Official said today that the railroads
were handling 80 per cent Of all busi-
ness offered.
We are employing new men as fast
as they come. and we are moving a
large amount of package freight In a
week tho public VIII not know that
there IS a strike
Between 200 and 300 men arrived To-
day from Chicago and were distributed
in ST. Paul Minneapolis and Duluth.
way managers say they can get
p, entv OF mon TO take the places of the
switchmen and that some now on hand
ere eNperienced in the work. Some viii!
Doe placed at work in the yards and 9TH
crs viii act as guards.
Says Freight Is Moving
Rive switch engines were working in
the union depot yards early today and
Others We're expected to be put in com
mission when needed. According 10 a
statement issued by Third Vice Presi-
dent slade of the Northern Pacific. two
coal trains were moving today between
Duluth and St Paul and four trains
Of grain and miscellaneous freight were
moved into Duluth from the west.
way freight service. he said. hao
been re-established or virtually all
lines.
Some St Paul wholesale grocers re-
ported today that shipping conditions
were improved. but coal dealers and
produce men said that conditions were
unchanged.
Strike Leaders Optimistic
As against optimistic statements of
The railroad managers strike leaders
say they are in a stronger position to-
day than ever They refer TO the fact
that the brotherhood of railway train
men and the order Of railway conduc-
Tors in MeIrose. Mimi, yesterday adopt
ed a resolution to stand neutral and
refuse TO do other than the work done
prior to the pending trouble"
This means that trainmen and con-
Guctors viii refuse to do any switching
except at those stations where it had
been customary for train crews to
switch their trains.
Factory forces are being reduced be-
use or the shortage of supplies
caused by the freight tieup, and the
Two big shops of the Great Northern
railroad employing 1000 men failed
10 open today.
Great Flour Mills Idle
All except one of the % big -four
mills in Minneapolis are idle. although
milIers say they will know in "a hours
whether they will open their mills soon.
Imported strike breakers wearing
special police badges were reported on
duty at the union station yards today
by strike pickets. and when President
Hawley learned that these men had
been imported he called the attention
of the state labor commissioner to the
matter
Labor Commissioner McEwen said
that II men wearing police badges
were not residents Of Minnesota they
and those responsible for. their pres
ence in the state were violating the
state law. McEwen is Investigating
the report and said this afternoon that
II he finds nonresidents OF Minnesota
are wearing special police badges he
VIII at once order their arrest, as well
IS the arrest OF those who brought
Them here, Il they appear liable under
the law.
The law makes it inegal for any one