Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-06-14
CAUSES
TRANSPORTATION
TIE-UP IN CHICAGO
All Cars on Surface and Ell
eVated Lines Have
Halted.
HARD BLOW SUFFERED
BY DEPARTMENT STORES
Jitney Buses and Horse
Drawn Vehicles Do a
Rushing Business.

CHICAGO. June 14.--Chicago today
was in the grip of the worst transpor-
tation tie-up in its history.
AT O'Clock this morning the last
surface and elevated cars were run
into the barns, and the long threat
ened street car strike was on. Four
teen thousand five hundred motor
men, conductors, shopmen and ticket
sellers were affected.
No violence has been reported The
hundreds of thousands of workers in
the Loop district and in other bust
ness sections did one of three things:
They walked, rode in automobiles,
horse drawn vehicles and jitney
busses, or stayed at home.
President Britton l. Budd, of the
elevated lines, announced just after
daybreak that no attempt would be
made to run passenger cars on his
lines today. A similar announcement
was expected from President Busby,
of the surface lines, today.
Chief of Police Healey and Mayor
Thompson, who had been In confer
enee many hours yesterday, ordered
every policeman to be at their respec-
tive station houses. Between 500 and
1000 men were distributed at the vari-
Gus car barns on the south, west and
north sides.
International President w. d. Ma
hon, of Detroit. of the Unions of
America, who won the famous street
car strike in Boston several years
ago, announced today that the men
would make no attempt to prevent
the surface and elevated lines running
the one car day necessary for the
companies to hold their franchises
from the city He said there would
be no interference either with mail
cars.
The strike was officially called at
midnight, after the companies had re-
fused to agree to guarantee wage in
ereases. Men whose runs continued
until O'Clock, however, were told to
continue, and then quit cars at the
barns.
The strike came after FIVE days of
negotiating between the men and
company officials. The men are
striking primarily for an increase in
wages and better working conditions.
The present wage scale is a grading
one, with the minimum at twenty
three cents an hour, and thirty two
the maximum. The maximum is only
paid after five years service. The
men want minimum of thirty three
cents and a maximum of thirty six.
The companies refused to grant the
demands for increased wages. on the
ground that 1t could not afford It,.
The companies refused to throw open
their financial condition to an inspec-
ton committee.
The companies offered to appoint an
arbitration committee composed of
the following: The companies to Sc
lect one man, the men one man and
If those two were unable to agree on
a third within orty-eight hours,
Mayor Thompson was to select one.
This the men refused to do saying
that the ruling against them in SINH
lar proceedings, three years ago, was
still fresh In their minds. They also
demurred because they said Mayor
Thompson himself owns 1900 shares
of Commonwealth Edison stock, val
ued at 800 share, which company
furnishes the car companies their
power.
Steam roads took care of most of
the outlying districts Extra trains,
jammed as the surface and elevated
cars never were, poured thousands
OF workers into the loop all morning.
Commuters were riding the steps
three and four deep-and glad to do
1t. Big auto trucks, drays and all
manner of vehicles served as first aid
to pedestrian Chicago Real subur-
bites, those living In Hammond, Ind,
Kankakee, Waukegan and similar
places were almost helpless as two
interurban lines were also tied up by
the strike.
stores Get Hard Blow.
The strike struck a hard blow at
the big Loop department stores. Six
of the largest stores which ordinarily
do from S25.OOO to s50,OOO worth of
business daily. were practically va
cant. There were few clerks, but
none were needed.
Thousands of shop girls living in
tenement districts were unable to get
to work.
Telephone girls, however, were care
free. Sighting the strike In the off
ing, the telephone company quartered
nearly 500 girls in down town hotels
all night
Adding to the discomfort of the
thousands of pedestrians. steady
rain began falling shortly after
o'clock Hundreds were caught with
out protection. Doorways were
crowded, while the less fortunate,
sloshed their waV to the daily toll