HOW WILL IT END?

THE RAILROADS DETERMINED NOT TO YIELD AN INCH.

Freight-Handlers Claim that the Switchmen Will Assist in Forcing the Companies to Yield by Refusing to Switch Cars Loaded by Non-Union Men--The Situation at the Various Houses Yesterday.

The railroads centering in this city did not all succeed in resuming work at their freight houses yesterday; in fact, very few were able to handle their business in the usual manner, and the men in these are expected to quit work today when they find that their request will not be granted. The managers of all the roads say they will try to handle their business with new men this morning if the old men still refuse to work. They seem to feel sanguine of finding plenty of good men willing to take the places of the strikers, but fear that they will be driven off unless the authorities take decisive measures to afford prompt protection. The greatest difficulty the railroad managers expect to have to contend against and which gives them more concern than anything is the inclination of the switchmen to lend the freight-handlers a helping hand. Yesterday the switches were interfered with, and trains loaded by new hands were not allowed to pass. With the switchmen's help the freight-handlers stand a much better show to embarrass the railroads. Trains loaded by non-union men may be allowed to get outside the city limits and then be switched off on side-tracks. By such tactics the strikers would have nothing to fear from the city police, and the railroads would be compelled to look to the Sheriff of the county for protection until the Governor might see fit to call out the militia. The railroad managers are also afraid that the Communistic blatherskites who are trying to wrest the leadership from the more cool-headed leaders of the genuine workingmen may incite the strikers to arson and other lawless acts and thus precipitate riots with accompanying bloodshed and great damage to property and business. Still all the roads are determined to resist the demands of their men to the bitter end, giving as a reason for their position that they are in no condition to increase their operating expenses to such an extent as would be made necessary by granting an increase of 25 per cent in the wages of their employés.

A few of the more important roads are a little weakkneed and might make some concession if they could do so without forcing the other roads that cannot afford to grant the demand of their men and give in. To keep these lines from caving in is the object of the formation of the combination between all the roads centering in this city at the Burlington Building day before yesterday. They are well aware of the fact that only by the greatest unity of action can they hope to defeat the strikers.

Another meeting of the General Managers and General Superintendents was held yesterday to talk over the situation and to stiffen the backbones of the few roads that are inclined to yield. These meetings, it is understood, will be held daily until the trouble is over. The resolution passed the day before not to make any concession to their men and to fight it out on that line if it takes all summer was reaffirmed. Considerable indignation was expressed over the poor support afforded the railroads by most of the leading shippers and merchants, many of whom have unconditionally surrendered to the demands of their men. The manufacturers, merchants, etc., they say, are even more interested in this conflict than the railroads. If the latter are unable to handle and transport the business all interests must suffer, and trade generally will be paralyzed. They thought it would have a most salutary effect if the Chicago business-men would emulate the example of the business-men of Kansas City and form a law and order league to prevent excesses and lawless proceedings by the strikers. They expressed the opinion that the business-men of Chicago would have to come to the aid of the railroads if they meant to save the business interests of this city from ruination.

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Road, at its freight-house on Canal street, near Harrison, with the aid of all classes of employés loaded in the forenoon nineteen cars of various kinds of merchandise and forwarded them to their destinations in the West. In the afternoon they were working with more freight, but the process of loading was very slow. The incident which bore the most importance to railroad men that occurred during the day was the strike of the Fort Wayne switchmovers at 12:30 o'clock. They refused to throw the switches for cars loaded by any other than regular freight-handlers. This appeared to have been unexpected to all the roads which use the Fort Wayne tracks at that point, and put an end, suddenly, to all general traffic. The switchmovers who struck number about seventy men and are in the exclusive employ of the Fort Wayne Road, whose tracks are used by the different other roads. Their duties are to handle and manage the switches in the tracks independently of the switchmen specially employed by the other roads. They quit work, it was reported, because of the organization of a labor union by the freight-handler the night before and the determination of both classes of workers to hereafter combine in all labor movements. It was apparent from the tone of the officials that the strike was a very annoying one, and there was no serious attempt yesterday to supply their places. What steps would be taken to harmonize matters could not be ascertained, but from the tone of the strikers and other switchmen it would seem that no cars loaded with freight handled by non-union men would be switched by them.

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.

Freight-handling at the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul freight-houses continued all day yesterday without the occurrence of anything of note. There were a few defections from the men employed, probably as many as ten, but as about 200 worked through the day, operations were in nowise embarrassed. The freight-handlers' meeting opened up for business at 9 o'clock in the morning, and continued in session nearly all day. The business transacted was confined almost exclusively to enrolling new members in the Freight-Handlers' Union and in hearing reports from the committees appointed for different purposes.

In a talk with one of the freight-handlers yesterday he said that the St. Paul Company thought it was winning a point by keeping its freight offices open, but the mistake would be apparent when other employés joined the freight-handlers and every wheel along the entire road would be stopped. "We're not quite ready to move yet," he said; "it may be several days before we are, but wait and see if we don't carry our point, and without using any violence either." He said the freight-handlers were accepting the advice of cool-headed, intelligent men not identified with the eight-hour movement, but parties who knew what they were talking about. He intimated that a prominent pastor of the city was one of the men, but declined absolutely to give any information which might lead to his identity.

About half-past 11 in the morning one of the new freight-handlers had occasion to step out into the yards. As soon as he was seen a shower of brickbats was poured down upon him from the viaduct, one of them hitting him upon the head and laying him out. He was taken to the local freight-house and his wound dressed. He was all right again a few hours later.

Judge Gresham Refuses to Help the Wabash.

Judge Gresham finally refused yesterday to make any order appointing any special deputy marshals to protect the property of the Wabash Road. He had another conference with Mr. W. J. Durham, who represented the road, late yesterday afternoon, and told him that he wanted better evidence that the receivers were making the application. It looked strange that one of them should be in New York and the other in St. Louis when there was trouble on their line in Chicago, and if they desired him to make any order or help them out of trouble they must come here and make the application personally. Until that was done he would refuse to do anything in the matter.

The condition of affairs at the Wabash freight-house underwent little change yesterday. None of the old employés returned to work. Early in the day Local Freight-Agent Winans notified his checkers that unless they at once returned to work he would fill their places with other men, and they might regard themselves as permanently discharged from the company's service. The checker failed to put in an appearance, and in the course of the day five new checkers were appointed. Unless the truckers and other laborers speedily report for duty, Mr. Winans states that men will be hired to take their places. Four clerks in the office, who had been in the company's service for a considerable time, were discharged because they declined to act as check clerks in the freight-house. Mr. Winans claimed to have about fifty men at work in the freight-house, of whom some thirty were imported from different parts of the road; but a careful look through the house did not reveal over half that number. A fair quantity of freight was received and delivered during the day.

The Illinois Central.

The Illinois Central freight-handlers failed to go to work yesterday morning, and General-Manager Jeffery called for volunteers. General-Superintendent Beck, Division-Superintendent Hudson, General Freight-Agent Horace Tucker, Secretaries Rusk and Phenix, and all the clerks in the Auditor's department responded from general headquarters and proceeded to work in earnest. They loaded several cars and uploaded five cars of fruit and perishable goods. The loading and unloading were done with neatness, rapidity, and dispatch by the amateur freight-handlers, and the latter were the recipients of many praises. General-Manager Jeffery said the reason why new men were not employed to take the places of the old ones was because the road wanted to reserve the places for the tried and competent men who had gone out with the strikers, and who, he was convinced, would come back when their soberness returned to them. He felt assured they would soon see what a mistake they had made in going out. The freight handled yesterday was considerable, but not of course anywhere near the quantity which was usually disposed of by the regular men.

The Other Roads.

Business was practically at a standstill at the freight houses of the Rock Island Road yesterday. None of the truckers or other laborers put in an appearance, but through the efforts of the clerks some freight was delivered. Freight-Agent Gleason was in conference with the General Manger, but no definit plan was adopted for carrying on the freight business of the road. A good many of the men hung around the neighborhood, but said that they dare not go to work.

There was no difference in the situation at the Grand Trunk freight-house yesterday. The checkers here have only $50 a month, while those on many other roads have $10 more. This matter has been considered by the manager, and it is understood that if the men return to work their pay will be made equal to that of the checkers of other roads as soon as the present excitement has cooled down. It is not proposed to offer any concessions to the demands of the laborers.

The freight-handlers in both the in and out freight-houses of the Lake Shore Road are now out. In accordance with their promise to the company to continue at work till the company gave its answer to their demands April 5 they remained at their posts until 6:30 last night. At that hour the men from both freight-houses met on the track at Taylor street south of the in-freight house and unanimously agreed not to return to work today. They will be on hand, however, to learn what decision the company has arrived at with reference to their demands. It was resolved that all the men join the Freight-Handlers' Union, and a committee of twenty representing both houses was appointed to attend a meeting of the union at Uhlich's Hall and report to a meeting of the entire employés to be held at the corner of Taylor street and Pacific avenue at 7 a. m. today. The proceeding were characterized by great enthusiasm, and the employés of both houses pledged themselves to stick to one another.

The Baltimore & Ohio men who had made their demands in writing of the company and agreed to wait till Friday for an answer worked all day yesterday and went out last night at 6 o'clock. In consequence of this action the company will refuse all freight today.

In the freight-yards on the Lake-Front everything was quiet yesterday. The Michigan Central freight-handlers expect an answer to their demand from the company this evening.

The situation on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad with regard to the relations between the employers and employés was the same yesterday as Monday, but the road expects to put men in the places of the strikers this morning if they do not come back. They will all return to work, it is thought.

Calling on the Police.

"The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy is rattled," said an officer at Twelfth street yesterday, and he seemed to have good reason for the remark, as every hour or less during the afternoon a telephone message came from the depot at Harrison street asking for police aid. At no time was there any urgent need for it. Capt. O'Donnell had placed men along the tracks from Harrison to Twelfth street early in the morning, and a dozen or more policemen were kept patrolling them during the entire day. Two men were arrested at the Harrison Street Depot for interference. One of them, named Robert Ambrose, a teamster, went into the freight-depot and refusing to leave was taken in hand by Officer O'Malley who took him, but not without a struggle to the Twelfth Street Station. The other man was locked up about 5 o'clock in the evening and was still a more vicious person. He refused to give his name but is said to be one of the striking switchmen. Meeting H. L. Harmon, freight-solicitor for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, at the corner of Canal and Harrison streets he assaulted him and knocked him senseless to the ground. When taken to the station he plainly appeared to be under the influence of liquor and when asked his name said, "O, call me John Doe."

Freight-Handlers and Switchmen--The Latter May Go Out.

The meetings and movements of the striking freight-handlers have been fraught with unusual significance from the fact that with an organization once perfected from that very moment the Switchmen's Union and other organizations among the railroad men would accord them that recognition one union always gives another. Freight-handlers did not realize this until after they had appointed committees to wait on the switchmen and requested cooperation in carrying their demands for reduced hours of labor at the old pay. The reply courteous was made when the switchmen informed them they could not treat with a committee representing an unorganized body of men. The freight-handlers then began the work of organization in earnest, dropping every issue until that was completed, and realizing that they were not in a position to accomplish anything until they were organized. The meeting last night at Uhlich's Hall was what might be termed the first regular meeting of the Freight-Handlers' Union, although, as a matter of fact, very little was done beyond the adoption of a constitution and by-laws and the appointment of certain committees. These are to request the assistance of the switchmen for the purposes mentioned, but in anticipation of the appointment of these committees, the switchmen themselves held a meeting last night and practically complied with the request that will be formally presented today by resolving to go out on strike. This will stop every freight-car in the city and place an embargo upon the receipt and shipment of freight that even the strikers themselves do not realize the enormity of, as they themselves confess.

Incidents of the Day.

Everything along the two North Branches of the Chicago River as far to the northwest as Deering Station was very quiet yesterday with the exception of a little flurry about 8 o'clock in the morning in the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul freight yards on the North Branch, between Bliss and Hines streets. The striking section men amused themselves by turning switches and making themselves disagreeable generally, and finally the services of the police were called in. Officers were sent at once from Chicago Avenue, West North Avenue, and Rawson Street Stations, Lieut. Quinn being in command. Joseph Fake, John Gut, Paul Cook, Joseph Teed, Tony Schultz, Joseph Askas, and Clem Albert were arrested and were first taken to Chicago Avenue Station, being afterwards removed to the Desplaines Street Police Court, where four of them--Joseph Askas, Paul Cook, John Gut, and Clem Albert--were held to the Criminal Court in the sum of $500 each. This row did not amount to anything in particular though had it not been for the early arrival of the police the section men might have hurt somebody.

The laborers on the Chicago, Evanston & Lake Superior Railroad at work laying the new track of the road between Calvary and Evanston have struck. The company has been pushing the work as rapidly as possible, having agreed to have their trains running into Evanston by May 15. They had about 150 men at work grading and laying new track. They had been receiving $1.25 for ten hours' work a day. They demanded $1.50 and eight hours' work. They were offered $1.25 and eight hours, but refused it and quit work. The company's officials say they are not going to do anything for the present, but will await the outcome of the labor troubles in the city and will then be willing to pay what others do.