New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-07-20
Chief S avs Department
Could Not Cope With
Big Blaze as 275 Men
i Strike for More Wages
Threaten Trolley Tie-Up
$4,000 Streetcar Men Vote
for Walkout; Meet To.
day to Decide the Date

~ CHICAGO, July 19.-With the en-
gineers of the city's fire department on
strike, all building operations stayed
by a lockout. 10000 men out at the
packing plants and 10000 street car
employees on the verge of quitting work,
Chicago's cup of labor troubles to-day
was filed to overiowing.
Every engineer and his assistant in
the Chicago Fire Department walked
ance with decision reached yesterday
after the city had declined to meet
the demands of the men for higher
wages. Two hundred and fifty city
employees were affected by the walk
out.
The men who left their posts ten
dered their designations to their su-
perior officers before walking out. The
five fire tugs stationed in the river are
not affected. A committee of ten en-
glneers was appointed to negotiate with
the finance committee of the City Coun-
Gil for settlement. An attempt was
made early in the day to provide sub
stitute engineers to take the places
OF those who quit.
Chief Fears for Safety
- Fire Chief O'Connor said:
eff there should be a fire OF great
magnitude, or if big fires should break
d. cut simultaneously in different parts
OF the city, | fear there might be a
catastrophe as result of the present
situation. If nothing abnormal hap
pens, | think the firemen will be able
to handle the situation without diff
Guilty"
All furloughs in the department have
been cane slled and every member
ordered to report tor duty Immediately
for an indefinite period.
7n'The chief found 1T necessary to sus-
pond two fireren as a result of alleged
threats not to man the engines.
@ a In answer to the chiefs announce
@raent that substitute engineers would
be used. electricians said they would
strike if such action YVES taken.
Hope to End Lockout
Hope of ending the building trades
tie-up was expressed day. when it
members of tine Building Trades Coun-
. Gil would seek an audience with the
contractors who locked the men out, in
an effort to bring about an agreement.
Simon O'Donnell, president of the
Building Trades Council, was author
lied to appoint FIVE members from dis
interested unions to act on the COM
mtttee.
More than one hundred thousand.
and this number is expected to be
largely increased to-day, when the
various supply companies join the
builders and cease delivery Of ma
terials
a. The lockout was preoipitated by a
strike of 10000 carpenters, who ee~
manded raise in wages from so cents
to 81 an hour. The employers refused
the demands and ordered the lockout.
Ten Thousand Packers Out
In addition to the enforced. dleness
Of the more than one hundred thousand
: men in the building trades, about ten
Thousand employees Of the various pack
ing plants in the stockyasds were also
on strike to-day. The mem quit work,
their spokesman announced, because
they disliked to have guards around
rhe plants.
Seward C. Frazee. superi atendent OF
w llson & Co., said that the strikes are
the result CT radical element among
III men.
Mayor Thompson to-day appointed a
mediation committee of nine members
30. investigate both sides of the con-
trovsrsy between the Chicago traction
companies and their men in an effort
TO avert the threatened strike Of en-
ployes.
49, Heads of the Street Car Employees
Union to-day sent a telegram to "
D. Mcmahon. president of the Inter
rational Organization of Traction
Workers, giving the result of the men.
vote to strike and asking him to come
to Chicago Immediately.
Set Strike Date To-day
The men. it is said will meet to-mor
row to fix date for beginning the
strike
Mayor Thompson will act as chair
man of the mediation committee Other
members are representatives of ths
traction lines, officers of the stree
Garments union and several Aldermen
Out of a total of 3,039 votes cast
1851 were in favor of calling the
strike, while SO were opposed to it
according TO the official returns an
nounced to-day.
number of women cashiers of tn,
elevated lines cast their votes with tn,
men in favor OF calling the strike
They ask for an increase in wage
from 1905 a day to SIS. The men de
mand a IT per cent increase in wages
an eight-hour day and better workin,
conditions