The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-06-17
STRIKE BREAKERS
WILL ATTEMPT TO
RUN STREET CARS
Chicago Traction Company Re-
Cruiting Thousands of Men
to Take Place of Strik-
ing Carmen.
ALL TRAFFIC IS TIED UP
Million and Half Chicagoans
Get to Work as Best They
Can-'Jitneys" Flourish
Nor Pay Refused.

Chicago. June 15.-Chicagoans-ap-
proximately 1900, 900 Of them-walked,
motored and used steam roads to their
work today. The strike Of 14,0 0 street
car employees went into effect at mid
night last night. Not a wheel on the
1910 miles of tracks Of the surface and
elevated lines turned after 4 o'clock
this morning, when the last crews took
their cars into the barns. 1t was the
first time in a generation that all street
car service in Chicago was completely
tied up.
The strike vas carried out without
any disorder. according to early re-.
ports. Seven hundred policemen were
on guard at the various barns scat
tered throughout the city to watch
property and prevent the strikers from
congregating. The men cheered as
they left their cars.
Wage Raise Refused. "
Orders to strike were issued after
an all-day conference Of union lead
ers, transportation company officials
n Mayor Thompson in a vain at
tempt to bring about arbitration.
Neither side would yield. The strikers
demanded a guarantee of a wage in
crease.
Officials of the companies refused
this demand. To meet 1t they said
would mean an increase Of 1,400, 900
annually. w. d. Mahan, international
president of the street car mems union.
attended the conference. officials
said that no attempt would be made
to operate cars today.
Approximately 5000, 900 fares are
collected on the two electric systems
daily. The surface lines collect g.
100000 and the elevated, 500 1000. There
nrn . OK poro Nnnrafa1 1ni1y hU tho
surface ines and 1.517 on the elevated,
which operates 215 miles of trackage-
The surface line operates 1,095 miles.
Motor Buses Prosper.
Hurried preparations were made
over night by officials of steam roads
to bring to work today the great
armies Of clerks in stores, office work.
ers and others in business in the
downtown districts. Hundreds OF
trains were added to the schedules.
Taxicabs did a rushing business and
the jitney BUSES. which heretofore
have failed to make much progress in
the transportation problem, were load
ed with passengers. Hundreds OF big
motor trucks also were pressed into
service. Roller skates were brought
into use and thousands pedaled to
their work on bicycles. 49,.
Delivery of the United States mails
puzzled the postofice officials. Reor-
ganiZation Of the street car delivery es-
tabllshment will have to be undertaken,
II was announced n in many OF the
suburban districts these will be one de-
livery q day until other systems are
perfected. .
It was understood hat the dozen OF
mobe street cars carrying the mails
from the main postoffce to the sub
urban substations In various parts or
the city would be operated as usual.
Mrs. Ella FIagg Young, superintend-
mi OF public schools asserted that at
tempts would be made to continue the
schools although the problem of trans
porting 1000 teachers gave grave con-
Germ. ..
Recruit Strike Breakers.
Arrangements to furnish 5000 strike
breakers to operate car n guard
property were put into operation today.
Agents of the two electric lines had ar
ranged, 1t was said. to provide food n
sleeping quarters In several large
hotels. Employment agencies did q
record breaking business in procuring
men for strike breaking duty.
Banquet halls, sample rooms and
even the roofs Of the large down town
hotels have been converted into sleep
ing quarters for nearly $4,000 persons
who will be obliged to live near their
places Of business during the strike.
The demands for cots to be placed in
office buildings was exceedingly brisk.
thousands of persons have planned to
sleep in their offices.
Managers Of theaters within the bust
ness district announced they would
close unless the strike was speedily
settled. Baseball at the National
league park, the only Chicago club now
on the home grounds, probably will be
postponed after today's game. The
closing OF some of the big summer
parks in the outlying district was re-
garded as certain.
For four hours not a car moved.
Then a south side elevated train, car
rying only a few passengers, made a
round trip as n test. AS a result IL
was announced that an attempt would
be made to run trains with strike
breakers and guards every Is minutes.
The surface lines made no attempt to
work.
No disorders were reported early.
business was not paralyZed. but IL
was henumbed.
The rupture, over hours OF service
and wages, came last night. when May
or Thompson admitted that his attempt
at mediation was q failure.
w. D. MahOn. national president of
the street car employees, after confer
ring here on the situation, returned to
Detroit. his headquarters, the better to
dir ect the financial phase Of the strike.
4 car load OF strike breakers was re-
ported to have arrived secretly from
Cincinnati.