The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1915-06-19
STRIKE OF CHICAGO STREET CAR
AND ELEVATED RAILWAY
EMPLOYEES ONE OF THE MOST
NOTABLE IN HISTORY OF CITY
TRAFFIC RESUMED AFTER
SUSPENSION OF SO HOURS

.
history occurred this past week On last
Sunday night, 14O00 employees Of the sur
face and ''L' car lines, after several days
of parley between the employers and the
strike leaders, walked out on a strike, thus
tying up traffic and forcing the 100000
people of Chicago to resort to primitive
methods of street transportation
The strike lasted for a period Of SO
hours, and during this time Mayor Thomp-
son is said to have worked necessarily day
and night to bring about settlement be-
tween the leaders Of both factions. Dur
ing this time he obtained but five hours
sleep, and the business men of Chicago
are unstinted in their praise of the spen-
did work that he did in getting the
trouble settled Several conferences were
called by him, but every proposition ad-
vanced by either side was turned down
as unfair or impractical.
On Tuesday evening, according to re-
ports, he again called the leaders of both
sides together, closed the doors and in
formed them that he expected settle
ment before the meeting adjourned. Dur
ing the hours Of the night, prospective re-
ferees, including eminent judges, were
refused by the labor leaders.
On the other hand, fifteen names in
groups Of five were presented by the Union
men, and were in turn refused. A quar-
ter Of an hour before the settlement was
reached, any one present would have con-
sidered the matter hopeless task. Leon
ard A. Busby, President of the Chicago
d. Mahon, President of the International
Organization of Street-car Employees, had
arisen and put on his hat and coat to
leave. Turning, with his hand on the
door-knob, he shouted out "I'H name
Mayor Thompson. Give me your answer
without delay. Can you refuse him?'
After comforting with the labor leaders,
Mr.. Mahon decided to accept Mayor
Thompson as arbiter in the dispute An
agreement was reached that the cars
should resume operation, pending settle
rent of the questions at issue, AMI on
Wednesday forenoon conditions resumed
the normal The questions to be arbl-
trated are as follows:
Wages, with the understanding they
shall not be arbitrated downward.
Time at the expiration Of which new
men are to receive the maximum wage.
Number Of straight runs. The company
has practically agreed to give the men at
least SO per cent straight runs
Night runs.
Swing runs.
This labor trouble was notable for the
fact that it was considered the most peac-
able and orderly strike that Chicago has
experienced The labor leaders used es-
pecial care to prevent acts Of violence and
are to be particularly commended for this
action.
During the progress of the strike, au-
tomobiles were brought into use by the
tens of thousands, and jitneys became so
numerous that prompt action had to be
taken by the city officials, who took
steps TO confine their operation to certain
districts and streets. The temporary IN
convenience was taken by the people OF
Chicago in a holiday spirit, and general
good humor prevailed.
Had the strike continued for any great
length of time, it is difficult to estimate
what the financial loss to the city would
have been, through the interruption Oh
traffic and interference with business IN
general
One interesting fact in this connection,
is that street-car fares, when once lost to
+he companies are lost forever, and can
nover be regained In some lines of busl-
ness a strike means merely a temporary
susnonsion of business orders accumulat-
mo in the. meantime, and the loss can be
LARGELY made up later; but not so with
street-car companies. It is claimed that
the daily receipts of the Chicago surface
lines average 85O00 and Of the elevated
lines. $4,000. These figures, OF course
give no idea Of the tremendous loss III
trade to commercial houses.