The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-04-15
GREAT STRIKE
OF TELEPHONES
New England Cut Off From Talking
With Outside World When
Thousands Quit
Work,

limited Press Leased Wire Sery1ce.I
BOSTON, Mass, April 11.-New
England, with the exception of Con-
necticut, was practically cut off from
telephone connection with the outside
world, following the strike of 5000
telephone operators at seven O'Clock
this morning.
Reports from Maine, New Hamp-
shire and Vermont showed that the
strike went into effect with remark
able speed and without disorder.
In Boston it was said that not one
of several thousand girls reported
for work today. Hospitals, factories,
hotels and brokers were seriously
hampered in their work. Doctors,
accustomed to use the telephone to
a great extent in emergencies were
handicapped.
The police department is in readi-
ness to handle emergencies which
may arise as result of the strike.
Also because of the fact that many
fire alarms are sent by telephone, the
fire department took extra precau-
tons in answering all alarms.
The outstanding feature of the
strike was the fact that great
amount of the business usually trans
acted over the telephone was turned
over to the telegraph companies with
the result that offices throughout
New England were swamped with
messages.
Small boys saw in the emergency
a chance to reap harvest, and they
had no trouble in finding jobs as
messengers at unheard OF prices FOR
such work. Messenger services re-
ported "all busy"
Many amusing incidents came to
light. A policeman was used as
messenger boy to call doctor in an
emergency case, and in many IN
stances automobiles were comman-
deered for such purposes.
In the great telephone exchanges
thousands of tiny red lights flashed
signals that part of the public at
least was making sure that there was
a strike. The switchboard signal
lights flashed throughout the early
part of the day, but without getting
any response.
Newspapers were seriously handi-
capped. Local and suburban news
was transmitted either by telegraph
or messenger.
AS a result of report that the
strike pickets would appear call
fused up" in easter millinery, hun
dreds of persons went out Of their
way to pass the exchanges. They
were not disappointed, The MILL
merry was plentiful and Of many col
ors.
Realizing that the emergency held
serious possibilities for them, the un.
dertakers hastily inserted advertise
ments advising the public to use taxi
cabs at their expense in case OF
deaths.
Groceries were swamped with GUS
toners who usually do their shop
ping by telephone, and as a result
deliveries were thrown out of SEIZED
ule. Hotel managers reported many
disgruntled guests whose business
made the use of the telephone i'm
portant.
Brokers declared they would lose
thousands of dollars. Many custo
mers rushed messengers with orders
to sell and the messenger arrived
after the stock had dropped. 1t was
reported that much of the curb mar
ket business will be transferred to
New York
Orders are said to have been re
ceived by the New England T. and
T. Co. from Postmaster General
Burleson directing that strike break
ers be placed in the company's ex
changes. Any effort of the company
to employ strike breakers is expect
ed to arouse the opposition of 5000
employees who went out this morn
ing.
According to a government report