Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-15
Street Cars Are Tied Up as
Men Leave Work to Force
an Increase in Wages
ARBITRATION OF
PROBLEM DECLINED
Companies Arranging to Get
Five Thousand Workers
From Other Cities

CnlCdSO, June f.-SAASo6oesAAo
proximately 100000 of them-walk-
ed, motored and used steam roads 10
reach their work today.
Strike of $4,000 street car employees
went into effect at midnight last night.
Not a wheel on the 1910 miles OF
track 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 ser
vice in Chicago was completely tied
up.
The strike was carried out without
any disorder, according to early re-
ports. Seven hundred policemen
were on guard at the various car barns
throughout the city to watch proper
ty and to prevent the strikers from
rongregating. The men cheered as
they left their cars.
Orders to strike were issued after
nm all day conference yesterday OF
union leaders, transportation company
oflcials and Mayor Thompson In
vain attempt to bring about arbltra-
ton. Neither side would yield. The
strikers had demanded guarantee OF
\ wage increase Of1cials of the COM
panies refused this demand. To meet
It company officials said. would cost
IN Increase of $1,4OO,o0o annually. W..
b Mahon, international president OF
the street car mems union, attended
the conferences.
Oflcials said that no attempt would
be made to operate cars today.
Big Business Done.
Approximately three million fares
are collected on the two electric sys-
TENS daily The surface lines collect
2.40OOOO and the elevated 100000.
There are 3,125 cars operated daily
by the surface lines and 1878 on the
elevated. which operates 215 miles OF
trackage, while the surface lines oper-
ate 1,095 miles.
Hurried preparations were made
pver night by officials of steam ROADS
to bring to work today the great ar
mics of clerks in stores, Office workers
and others in business in the down
town district. Hundreds OF trains
we're added to the schedules.
Taxicabs did a rushing business and
the '.iitney' busses, which heretofore
have failed to make much progress in
the transportation problem, were load
I'd with passengers Hundreds OF big
motor moving trucks also were press
ed into service. Roller skates also
we're brought into use and thousands
pedaled to their work on bicycles.
Mail Delivery Puzzles.
Delivery of the United States mails
puzzled the postoffice officials. Reor-
ganization Of the street car delivery
system will have to be undertaken. 1t
was announced, and in many of the
suburban districts there will be but
pne delivery a day until another sys-
tenn Is perfected. The street cars car
rying the mails from the main post
Office to substations were not interfer-
ed with.
. Mrs. Ella F'lagg Young, superintend-
ent Of public schools. asserted that at
tempts would be made to continue
the schools without interruption, al
though the problem of transporting
1000 teachers gave grave concern.
To Use Strike Breakers.
ARRANGEMENTS to furnish five thou
sand strike breakers to operate cars
and guard property were put into
ppeation today. Agents Of the two
electric lines had arranged, it was
said. to provide food and sleeping
puarters in several large hotels. EN-
ployment agencies did record break
ing 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 demand 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
business district announced that they
would close unless the strike was
speedily settled. Baseball at the Ma
tional league park the only club now
on the home grounds, probably will be
postponed after today's game.
The closing of the big summer
parks in the outlying districts was re.
garded as certain.
HUGE FLAG FOR ST. LOUIS.
st. Louis. Mo-, June 14.-What is said