SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN

THE RAILROADS DON’T KNOW WHAT THE STRIKERS WILL DO.

They Hope, However, the Men Have Thought the Matter Over and Will Come Back – The Program for Today – Clerks as Freight-Handlers – What the Switchmen May Do – Packing-Houses Put the Eight-Hour System on Trial.

No decisive action was taken by any of the railroads yesterday, the officials being in a state of uncertainty and really not knowing just what to expect or what should be done. The events of the previous day were of such a character as to make it impossible to know why the majority of the freight-handlers went out. There was no question about the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; they had made their demands, received a reply, and acted after meeting and taking unanimous action. This was true also of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, but of none of the other roads. At most of the freight-houses the men were at work when the procession of strikers appeared, and while some of them joined the ranks with apparent willingness there were a great many who did not want to go out. They were satisfied with their pay and hours and had no cause for complaint, but the strikers were so determined in their resolution to get all the men to join them that a good many freight-handlers put on their coats and left work simply to avoid trouble. They feared that if they did not go out the strikers would resort to violence and bloodshed and the horrors of a riot might follow. Hundreds of them told their superiors that they did not go because they were dissatisfied, and would be glad to return to work just as soon as the trouble should blow over.

This being the case, there are a good many railroad officials who look for the return of their men to work at the usual time this morning. They think that the excitement which was everywhere manifested among the workingmen Saturday will have disappeared after twenty-four hours of quiet thought on the subject, and that the men, if not interfered with, will settle down to work at 7 o’clock today. If the officials are not convinced of this they at least hope that it is so, and for that reason no general action looking toward the securing of new material was taken yesterday. On one or two of the lines it was proposed, in case the men did not appear, to set the clerical force of the offices to work in the freight-houses, and if they were not interfered with and everything ran smoothly to then employ new hands to take the places of the strikers and call on the police to protect them. Until they know just how they stand the roads will take no action. The developments of today will enable them to determine upon a plan of some sort to resume business.

A large meeting of the freight-handlers of the various roads was held at Greenebaum’s Hall last night. The state of affairs was thoroughly discussed, but no plan of action further than that already taken was decided upon. Men who were questioned were reticent on the subject of the position the freight-men are to assume today. It is not thought, however, that any organized resistance such as was experienced at the Lake Shore yards during the recent trouble there will be made should the companies make any efforts to move out freight.

Clerks as Freight-Handlers.

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad will make an effort this morning to raise the freight blockade by ordering out the forty office men to unload the 150 cars now in the yards, as well as to load the empties with the accumulated freight in the several depots belonging to the company. The 150 cars first alluded to are loaded with freight consigned to Chicago merchants, and it is estimated that there are about sixty car-loads of freight already receipted for standing in the freight-houses and which should have gone forward Saturday and yesterday. The office men have already been instructed to be on hand this morning for the purpose mentioned, and they will be guarded by special agents and such officers as the city will furnish, although it is understood that if requested by the strikers to discontinue work they will comply. It is also understood that the switchmen have decided to handle no freight-cars whatever unless loaded by regular freight-handlers, a phase in the case that complicates it very much and will interfere seriously with any of the railroads making a successful attempt to raise the blockade. With reference to the cessation of freight traffic on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, one of the office men who is in a position to speak authoritatively explained that an effort would be made to ship the freight already in the freight-houses and unload that in the yards to start with, and that if the operations of the men were not interfered with new freight-handlers to take the places of the strikers would be put on as rapidly as possible, and that he anticipated the entire resumption of all traffic in the course of a few days, provided of course no opposition is met with from the strikers. This however, he thought, was more than the most sanguine of the officials looked for, as the opinion is gaining ground that the strikers will not permit the handling of freight, and that if they fail to accomplish anything in this direction the switchmen will take a hand and refuse to make up trains of freight-cars if they are loaded by others than the regular freight-handlers. The same man expressed the belief that the other roads in the city have reached the same conclusion as his own: that is, that all of them, or at least a majority, would endeavor to raise the blockade in the same way. He said he could only speak authoritatively for the office men of his own road, but he believed that the office men employed by the other roads took the same view of the matter, and if requested by the strikers to discontinue work would unhesitatingly do so. He said that the office men of the different roads would not make common cause with the freight-handlers, but that, as a matter of fact, their sympathies were with them for the very plausible reason that, if the freight-handlers succeeded in carrying their point, the office men would get through their day’s work shortly after 6 o’clock each day, instead of having to work until 8 and 9, as they do at present. He was not inclined to take a very rosy view of the situation, but believed that the companies would meet with unexpected obstacles on every side. He said that the different roads might succeed in loading freight, but it was doubtful if they could get the cars moved afterwards, and that if the matter was pushed the switchmen would go out also.

The striking freight-handlers failed to secure a meeting-place yesterday afternoon, and thereupon decided to postpone their meeting until some time this morning.

Will Work Unless Prevented.

A TRIBUNE reporter saw A. G. Amsden of the Lake Shore Road in his office last night. He was asked what his company would do this morning in the direction of freight-handling. He said all of his men would report for duty at 7 a.m. and would go to work unless interfered with. He said some of his men had asked for reduced hours of labor, but that the company had been given until the 15th just to answer. He was also asked if any arrangements had been made to protect the men in case the strikers from the other roads should interfere. He said that he believed the police officials had made arrangements of this kind, but he didn’t know to what extent. He was also asked what he knew about the other roads making an attempt to resume freight traffic this morning, and replied that he believed the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Road was going to do as the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul – that is, instruct the office men to go to work in the freight-house if the regular men did not appear, with such assistance in the way of new men as could be had.

F. L. Eastman, local freight agent of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, said yesterday afternoon that the company expected to resume the handling of freight this morning. He did not anticipate any serious trouble with the men, some of whom would probably come back. The road had not determined to make any compromise with the freight-handlers, and it did not appear now that any would be made. Freight would probably be received as well as delivered today, although those expecting invoices of goods had not been notified as to the receiving of merchandise.

Local Freight Agent Gleason of the Rock Island Road said yesterday that he expected all of his freight-handlers to report for work this morning, because they had not struck for eight hours, being, in fact, opposed to the movement, as stated in a petition he had received from them which simply asked for an increase of two and a half cents an hour, or 25 cents per day. The officials, he said, had not yet decided whether to give the men the advance or not, but would return them an answer by this noon. He gave it as his opinion that work would go on as usual today in their freight-house unless the men were intimidated by the strikers and forced to abandon the place. No arrangements had been made to secure the services of extra men, nor with the police, as it was thought from the present outlook there would be no need of their assistance.

The special agents, composed of Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad detectives and men employed along the line of the road in different capacities, to the number of thirty, and who reached Chicago Saturday morning for “special work,” left for their homes at 3 p.m. the same day. The special work was to handle freight – an occupation which they objected to on general principles. The so-called “special agents” claimed that they were employed for detective purposes and said they were not disposed to fill the places of striking freight-handlers. It was rumored yesterday afternoon that the company had shipped in another detail of men from Milwaukee, who will be on hand this morning to assist in raising the blockade. None of them could be found in the vicinity of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul freight-houses yesterday, and the only men hanging around belonged to the strikers.

Local Freight-Agent Nicholas of the Michigan Central Road said last evening that he anticipated no trouble today from the freight-handlers under his charge, for they had all promised to go to work this morning as usual, saying they would wait several days if necessary for their answer from the company regarding the demand they made for an increase of two and one-half cents an hour on their wages. He intended to give them police protection against any intimidation from strikers from other roads, Chief Ebersold having promised to give him a detail of twelve officers to station about the freight-houses.

Putting the Eight-Hour System on Trial.

The packing-houses at the Stock-Yards have practically agreed to let the men have their own way in the matter of fixing the hours of labor and defer the question of wages until next pay-day, which is two weeks hence, or as soon before then as may be mutually convenient. This is tantamount to giving the eight-hour system a two weeks’ trial, and, in case of its general adoption, making the wages question a matter for future consideration and arbitration if necessary. The houses will being work this morning at 8 o’clock instead of 7, and while some of the firms – Armour’s among the rest – will close at 4:30, allowing half an hour for dinner, others will not settle the closing hour until obtaining a general expression of opinion from the men today. The only notification yet given the men of any house is that work will begin today at 8. The packers feared their action in this matter would be claimed as a compulsory concession to the demands of the labor unions and thereby add to the difficulties and complications between employers and employed in other branches of labor, and for this reason they made a strenuous effort to keep the result of their meeting of Saturday a secret. They emphatically say, however, that they will not pay ten hours’ wages for eight hours’ work. The fact is, there is nearly 40 per cent of surplus labor at the Stock-Yards at present. The bulk of the men are employed only half-time, and are kept hustling to keep body and soul together for a week on three days’ wages. One employé of a leading firm told the reporter that he had not earned an average of $7 a week for the last twelve months, and had a wife and family to support, and that more than three-fourths of the hands were similarly situated. Almost every packer claims, and evidently with truth, that the men privately say they are satisfied with the hours and the wages, and instead of working eight hours a day would prefer to work twelve or fourteen if paid in proportion. The complaint is that there is too little work and too much unpaid leisure.

The carpenters in the employ of G.F. Swift & Co. held a meeting yesterday morning at Lake, in Frederick’s Hall, Forty-third street and Ashland avenue. The committee appointed to confer with Superintendent Foster regarding the eight-hour question made a report. The committee informed Mr. Foster that the men wanted the working-hours reduced to eight a day, the question of wages not entering into the conference. Mr. Foster said he would inform the men tomorrow of the company’s action. Since Armour had acceded to the demands made by the men it is more than probable that the other packers will follow suit. Swift gave in yesterday, and in the afternoon a notice was posted up in the office telling the men that hereafter work would begin at 7 and would cease at 3:30 o’clock, one-half hour being given for meals, while they would be paid at the rate of nine hours per day. At Nelson Morris’ place no one in authority could be seen, but the employés said that after today they would only be required to work eight hours and would be paid at the rate of nine hours a day.