Evening star., 1915-06-14
Mayor Thompson Gives Up.

The rupture over hours of service and
wages came last night when Mayor
Thompson admitted that his attempt at
mediation was a failure. At O'Clock
the last car had been quietly retired
and the struggle was on, with no sign
of peace in sight. The men posted
pickets; the employers advertised for
strikebreakers and w d. Mahon, ma
tional president of the street car en-
ployes, returned to Detroit. his head
quarters. the better to direct the ffnan-
cial phase of the strike.
A carload of strikebreakers was re-
ported to have arrived secretly from
Cincinnati. 1t was stated that no at
tempt would be made to run surface
cars for several days.
Orders to strikers were issued after
an all-day conference yesterday of
union leaders. transportation company
officials and Mayor Thompson in Il vain
attempt to bring about arbitration.
Neither side would yield. The strikers
had demanded a guarantee of wage
increase. Officials of the companies re-
fused this demand. To meet it. COM
pany officials said. would mean an in
crease of s1,400.0O0 annually. W. d.
Mahon attended the conferences.
approximately 100000 fares are
collected on the two electric systems
daily. The surface lines collect 2.400.-
600 and the elevated 100000. There
are 3.125 cars operated daily by the
surface lines and ISIS on the elevated.
which operates 215 miles of trackage
The surface line operates 1895 miles.
Cars Idle Today.
Hurried preparations were made over
night by officials of steam roads to
bring to work today the great armies
Of clerks in stores. office workers and
others in business in the downtown
district. Hundreds of trains are 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 moving trucks also were pressed
into service. Roller skates also were
brought into use, and thousands ped
aled to their work on bicycles.
Delivery of the United States mails
puzzled the post office officials. Re-
organization 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
one delivery a day until another sys-
tenn is perfected.
Mrs Ella Flagg Young superintend-
ent Of public schools. asserted that at
tempts would be made to continue the
schools without interruption, although
the problem of transporting 1000 teachers
gave grave concern.
Secure Strikebreakers.
Arrangements to furnish 5000 strike
breakers to operate cars and guard
property were put into operation to-
day. Agents of the two electric lines
had arranged. it was said, to provide
food and sleeping quarters in several
large hotels. Employment agencies did
a record breaking business in procur-
ing men for strike-breaking duty.
Banquet halls. sample rooms and even
the roofs of the large downtown hotels
have been converted into sleeping
quarters for nearly $4,000 persons who
viii be obliged to live near their places
Of business during the strike. The de-
rnand for cots to be placed IN Office
buildings was exceedingly brisk Thou
sands of persons have planned to sleep
in their offices.
Managers Of theaters within the busi-
ness district announced that they
would close unless the strike wax,
speedily settled. Base ball at the Ma
tionaI League park. the only Chicago
club now on the home grounds, proba-
bly, will be postponed after today's
game.
The closing of some of the big sum
ner parks in the outlying districts was
regarded as certain.