Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-18
TELEPHONE STRIKE.

TELEPHONE STRIKE.
Paralysis of the entire tele-
phone system seems imminent
with the district Of crippled
service spreading today.
Heretofore the phone trOu-
bic was largely confined to the
residence section, but the area
OF paralysis was extended into
the business section today.
Manager Thomas S. Brown
declares the trouble Will con-
tinue until the company can
get men to repair injured cable.
He does not know when this
viii be possible.
Striking telephone operators
and Iinemen informed Mayor IL.
NJ. SchriVer that they viii go
to work on a few mOmensS'
notice il there will be arbitra-
tiOn Of all issues involved in
the strike.
Manager Brown informed
Mayor Schriver that he would
attend the meeting in Chicago
tomorrow at which the public
utilities commission will hear
complaint on the class Of teIe-
phone service Rock Island is
getting.
City officials armed with
many complaints from sub
scribers who have been without
service departed for Chicago
this afternoon to present to the
public utilities commission. evil
dence of the lack of service
Rock Island is getting. d
The business district of Rock Is
land today began to feel heavily
the effect OF the telephone strike
when a number of business houses
were without telephone commur :
cation
While heretofore the area of
crippled service has been confined
largely to the residence section,
business houses in the loop in many
instances were without service and
with no prospects of repairs being
made Immediately. Included in the
list of the business institutions
which were minus telephone COM
munication was The Argus Re
pairs were made at noon, however.
Paralysis of the entire telephone
system seems imminent. Based
upon the statements of Manager
Thomas S. Brown, the situation is
becoming constantly more grave
and it will be impossible to main
tain service without Iinemen and
repairmen available to take care of
trouble. The system has been
without attention of repairmen for
SnunrnI xrT1oIx- ov1I Sc hoo 4
continually.
Mr.. Brown was questioned today
by The Argus relative to trouble
in the residence section which
threw many phones out of COL mis-
sion Friday and Saturday.
Manager Speaks.
"The cables in one section were
injured Friday and other tr luble
was reported on Saturday which we
do not know the origin Of" Mr.
Brown said. Il cannot say when
the repairs will be made as we have
no men to repair trouble We hope
to have them soon but l cannot
say when"
The manager was asked if strike
breakers were to be brought in.
Il am not answering those ques-
tions this morning" he replied.
Mr.. Brown was questioned rela-
tive to whether or not he intended
going to the meeting in Chicago to-
morrow of the public utilities COM
mission when city officials will pre-
sent to the commission complaints
of many local patrons of the tele-
phone company who have been
without service for various periods
dating from a month back up to
the present time.
That is a leading question and
does not bear on this matter of
cable trouble which l believe was
all that you cared to ask me-" the
said. That's another
question which l am not answering
this morning"
However, it may be said that
Mayor Schriyer was told at first by
Mr. Brown, in response to Mr..
Browns question, that the manager
did not intend to go to the Chicago
meeting. He said he was broke
and asked if he would be assured
fees II he attended the
inquiry. He consented to go when
LAC may VI Hl1LOA ACA nm AC huQ q
subpoena for him.
The situation on the eve Of the
hearing in Chicago is such that
Rock Island can see relief only
through action the utilities commits
sion will take and can in no way
depend upon any kind of a ratis-
factory answer from the company
as to how long It must contipue
with crippled service. The com
pany does not even undertake to.
make promises
Ready 10 Arbitrate.
The striking operators and line
men today informed Mayor Schri-
YER that they are willing to arbi-
rate every issue in the strike, They
say they will go to work on
notice OF a few minutes If they are
assured that all questions involved