WILL FIGHT IT OUT.

The Railroads Will Not Arbitrate with their Men.

Every Man Who Does Not Appear for Work This Morning Will Be Discharged and His Place Filled by a New Employe--How the Freight Was Handled at Some of the Houses Yesterday--The Strikers Parade the Streets and Win Over Some of the Imported Men.

The managers of the various roads centering in this city, finding that their freight-handlers were not inclined to go back to work, but were determined to prevent any freight from being handled until their demands were granted, concluded that the time for united action on the part of all the roads centering in the city was at hand. Consequently a meeting of the General Managers and General Superintendents of the various roads was called, and was held in the sky-parlor of the Burlington Building. There were present J. C. McMullin, Chicago & Alton; T. J. Potter and H. B. Stone, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; P. P. Wright, Lake Shore & Michigan Southern; W. R. Woodward, Louisville, New Albany & Chicago; O. S. Lyford, Chicago & Eastern Illinois; H. B. Ledyard and E. B. Brown, Michigan Central; Marvin Hughitt, C. C. Wheeler, and W. S. Miller, Chicago & Northwestern; R. R. Cable, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; E. T. Jeffery and C. A. Beck, Illinois Central; Roswell Miller and Joseph Tucker, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; W. J. Spicer and George B. Reeve, Chicago & Grand Trunk; K. H. Wade, Wabash; G. J. Foraker, Baltimore & Ohio; F. Broughton, Chicago & Atlantic; Lew Williams, Nickelplate; C. D. Law, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago; and Charles Watts, Chicago, St. Louis & Pittsburgh. The meeting convened at 2 o’clock and remained in session until nearly 5 o’clock. The situation was fully discussed by the representatives of the various roads. Everybody realized the gravity of the situation and the necessity of immediate and decisive action if serious trouble was to be averted. There was considerable difference of opinion as to the best means to be taken. Some of the managers of the roads whose men had not yet made any demand for increased pay and were still at work thought that they should go slow before taking any measures that might aggravate the situation. It was shown, however, by others that this movement on the part of the freight-handlers was a preconcerted one, and that they were acting in unison. They argued that the conflict was here and the issue might just as well be made now. If the strikers should succeed in coercing a few of the roads all of the other lines would be compelled to follow suit. Consequently the fight of one was the fight of all. Besides, the opinion was expressed that if the freight-handlers should succeed in carrying the point all the other employés of the roads would strike if they did not receive the same concessions. To grant an increase of 20 to 25 per cent to all the employés of the roads would so increase their operating expenses as to throw most of them into bankruptcy.

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.

The business of freight receiving and shipping was resumed a few minutes after 7 o’clock at the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul freight houses yesterday morning. The only particularly noticeable features were the large number of men wearing police badges and the awkward manner in which the freight was being handled. It was 7 o’clock when engine No. 393, drawing three passenger cars, stopped at the intersection of Union street with the tracks, and only a few seconds later when a majority of the forty office men employed in the local freight office of the company stepped out. They were followed by a motely looking crowd of about 125 men who had been picked up here, there, and everywhere, and who were to take the places of the striking freight-handlers. As they stepped out on the tracks they were greeted with hisses by the fifteen or twenty strikers there congregated. They were also requested not to go to work, but no attention was paid to the request, and they were forthwith marched into the out-freight house, which is the central one of the three. Once inside they were given a few general instructions as to the work they were to perform, when they were started in on their new occupations. The “special agents,” to the number of seventy-five, reported for duty at 6:30 a. m., and S. B. Wood, the chief detective of the road, was kept busy supplying them with “weapons of defense.” Each special was provided with a double-action 38-calibre Smith & Wesson revolver, which Steve Wood loaded himself. In addition to the specials the regular detective force of the road, about fifteen well-drilled men, and six uniformed police, making in all nearly 100 men, were on the ground before work was commenced. They were disposed along the tracks, at the crossings, and at each freight-house door that had been opened. C. J. Earling, the Assistant General Superintendent. of Milwaukee; G. O. Clinton, the Division Superintendent, and P. E. Wilson, the local Freight Agent, were all on hand early in the morning overseeing and directing matters generally. In addition to the clerks from the local office about forty men from the general office in Milwaukee were also on hand, the latter arriving yesterday morning at 7:55. These men will be employed in checking and receiving, and, as most of them are experienced, the work of freight-handling will only be delayed by the awkwardness of the new truckers. In the out-freight house nearly all of the old checking and receiving clerks reported for duty and were at work yesterday.

At 8 o’clock the 120 strikers marched off quite orderly, going south, and scarcely looking at the new men as they passed. They proceeded to the Pan-Handle freight-houses, where they were joined by the men from that road. The march was continued along the streets contiguous to the freight-houses of the Chicago & Alton, the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago, and others still south, the procession gaining accessions at each freight-house visited until there were nearly 2,000 men in line. They went back to the St. Paul freight-houses, and twenty-five of the importations at work took fright and quit work. The procession broke up shortly afterward, and some of the men returned to the freight-houses and induced fifteen more men to leave. These forty who quit returned on the noon train for the points from which they had come. About 4 o’clock in the afternoon six more men quit work, and at that hour the strikers were raising money by subscription with which to send them home.

The company had carpenters busy all day in fitting up the south end of the local freight office as a dining-room and the third floor of the building as sleeping apartments for the importations. The windows in the dining-room portion have been boarded half way up, doubtless in anticipation of an assault, but in other respects the room is comfortable enough. A full corps of waiters and cooks has been retained, and every effort is being made to provide for the demands of the men.

Chicago & Northwestern.

Not one of the freight-handlers of the Wisconsin Division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad answered to the call of his name from the roll at 7 o’clock yesterday morning. The men all perched themselves on a fence opposit the freight-house and there they sat quietly until a procession of St. Paul freight-handlers walking four abreast came along, when they fell into line in the rear of the marchers and paraded off with them toward the St. Paul yards. Chief Clerk McBride said there were 220 men out on the Wisconsin Division. He thought two-thirds of these wanted to work if the were allowed by the others to do so. The sub-officers were waiting the orders of Superindendent Cuyler.

Superintendent Cuyler said: “We are awaiting developments today. The road does not propose to yield, as the men are getting as much now for their work as can be afforded for their services. We are prepared to go to work when the men show better reason.”

Freight Agent Brinkerhoff of the Galena Division said: “Our in-freight men are all at work. Ninety-out-freight men—all handlers of freight except about fifteen clerks—went out at 5 o’clock Saturday. They are standing outside the freight building today and refuse to work, but they are peaceable and good-natured. We replied last Saturday to the petition of the men for eight hours’ work with ten hours’ pay that we could not grant the request.” Foreman F. O. Rolfe said the men out on strike had not submitted any other new proposition. The department was refusing no freight.

The Superintendent of the Milwaukee and Wisconsin Divisions said: “Our freight-handlers in the out-freight house must show up for work tomorrow morning or take the consequences. We shall give notice today that unless they go to work tomorrow morning their places will be considered vacant. If our men do not show up for duty in the morning we will put in new men. I suppose we shall probably bring them in by train and perhaps take them home at night.”

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern.

Considerable crowds hung around the corners of Polk street and Pacific avenue from before 7 o’clock yesterday morning to see what action the freight-handlers would take. Of the 130 employés in the freight-house only about forty came forward to begin work. The remainder hung around the house or about the sidewalks claiming that though they were perfectly willing to go to work they dare not for fear of violence after the distinct orders that were given to all freight-handlers to quit work by the secret meeting of Sunday night. The sixty-five employés in the out-freight house after being asked their intentions by Local Freight Agent Blodgett, got together about 8 o’clock and adopted a petition to the company asking that the wages of the tallymen or checkers should be raised from $50 and $55 a month to $60, and that the truckers, callers-off, and storers should have an increase of 20 per cent on their day’s wages, overtime to be allowed in all instances. The petition allows the company till May 5 to decide whether it will accede to the demands, but makes no threats in the case of a refusal. No demands is made for eight hours’ work, the men being all willing to work ten hours. The petition after being duly signed was presented by a committee to Mr. Blodgett, who will communicate with President Newell, who is in the East and give an answer at noon today. From the friendly feeling that exists between the men, their foreman, and the agent it is thought more than probable that the company will accede to the men’s demands. After the petition was presented the men met to consider whether they should at once quit work or continue until the company had given its answer to their petition It was finally agreed that the men go to work, with the proviso that they continue until driven out by force or receive some strong representation from committees of the other roads. The doors were then raised and the men started actively in to work.

A committee of the Wabash freight-handlers visited the houses about 10 o’clock and did their best to induce the freight-handlers there to quit. The latter refused to take the advice, and the deputation departed very crestfallen. The men in the in-freight house who had remained off work during the morning returned to the yard about 1 o’clock, and work was soon going on in good shape. As soon as all the men returned to work the fifteen policemen who were in attendance were sent away.

The Wabash.

All the freight-handlers of the Wabash were out yesterday. The men arrived in a body at 7 a. m. and offered to clean up the houses, but the company had already secured the services of some thirty men whom they had brought in from different parts of the road, and these went to work under the protection of fifteen Deputy Marshals and ten policemen. The men then presented a petition asking for a 10 per cent addition to the wages of checkers, truckers, and others, or an increase of 25 cents per day. The men told Freight-Agent Winans they were not afraid to work with the protection provided by the company, but feared they might be attacked on their way home at night. The Wabash officials had considerable trouble in getting men to take the place of their regular employés. They brought in all about sixty men from different parts of the road, but thirty of these, when they discovered the nature of the work to which they were to be put, positively declined to act. This cost them their positions, for they were at once discharged from the company’s service. Mr. Winans stated that many of the men had assured him that they would abide by the decision arrived at by the General Managers, and if it should be decided that there was to be no increase they would at once return to work. It was a pretty general impression among the men that the company would get into fresh trouble through the importation of irregular freight-handlers, and rumors were in circulation that their switchmen would refuse to run out freight handled by any of the new men.

The Illinois Central.

The freight-handlers of the Illinois Central worked quietly all day, in accordance with their promise to remain at their posts until the company gave an answer to their demands for ten hours’ pay for eight hours’ work, or an increase of 25 cents per day. Representatives of the employés of other roads were permitted to enter the houses, but the police did not allow them to gather in any numbers. The men had been notified that General Superintendent E. T. Jeffery would announce the decision of the company at 4:30 p. m., so punctually at that hour they quit work and grouped themselves on bales and boxes and the tops of cars to await the presence of their chief. Some impatience was manifested at Mr. Jeffery’s unpunctuality, and during the interval of waiting Dick Grady, the spokesman of the freight-house, reminded his brethren of their promise that if the company did not accede to their demands they should all march out and report to the General Assembly of the Freight-Handlers’ Union at No. 54 West Lake street. Mr. Jeffery arrived about 5 p. m., and, the men having formed a ring round about him, he gave them a good, sound common-sense half-hour’s talk. He thought it best, he said, to get right among the boys and talk to them, instead of holding them at arm’s length. Mr. Jeffery’s address was listened to throughout with respectful attention, though from the first sentence the men saw that their doom was sealed. As soon as Mr. Jeffery concluded Dick Grady stepped into the middle of the circle and said: “Boys, you’ve pledged your word to the General Assembly of the Freight-Handlers’ Union to stand in a body and join the assembly. If we don’t all go outsiders will come in and force us out. For God’s sake, boys, keep quiet and commit no violence on the company’s property. If there are any here who propose to stay in they’ll be duly attended to—but not by us. Keep your promise and fall into line.”

Mr. Jeffery—If you’ve made such a promise, boys, keep it and stick to your word.

All the men, including the receiving, delivery, and loading clerks, to the number of about 150, then formed fours and marched over to No. 54 West Lake street, where they became members of the Freight-Handlers’ Union. They express the utmost determination to remain out until they have secured their demands.

The Michigan Central.

Things remained quiet and work went on as usual all day at the freight houses of the Michigan Central. Local Freight Agent Nichols handed a committee of the men the reply of the company to the men’s demands. It acknowledged receipt of the petition requesting an advance of 25 cents per day of ten hours’ work, 25 cents per hour for overtime, a guarantee of a full day’s pay if work be begun any morning, and an answer by noon yesterday. The committee expressed surprise at the petition coming so suddenly and at a time when it was thought that a full and fair day’s wage was being paid. They undertook to give a reply by Thursday morning, and asked the men meantime to remain at work. The committee conveyed the news to the men, a meeting was held at noon, and it was resolved to give the company until Wednesday evening for an answer. The men meantime will remain at work, and take care of themselves and look after the property of the company.

Baltimore & Ohio.

A committee of the Baltimore & Ohio freight-handlers called on the officials of the road about 11 a. m. and presented a petition asking that the wages of truckers be increased from $1.50 to $1.75 per day; callers, $1.60, to $1.90; delivery men $1.70, to $2; and checkers from $50 to $60 a month. Twenty-five cents per hour is asked for overtime for truck-men. The company was requested to give an answer by tonight. It was pointed out to the men that about four days were necessary in order to consult with the headquarters at Baltimore and it was requested that the men extend the time till Friday. A meeting of the men was called at 3 p. m. and the desired extension was granted, together with a promise to remain at work till the decision is made known. Freight-Agent Abbot states that the men are all very well disposed towards the company and will look after the company’s property and interests without the aid of any policemen.

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy.

Work went on steadily all day at the out-freight depot of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. The company’s announcement that it would be prepared to receive freight caused Canal street, from Harrison to Polk, to be almost blocked most of the day with loaded teams. In the latter part of the afternoon a large number of teams went back to the wholesale houses loaded, there being so much more freight waiting than the company was able to receive. From seventy to eighty men, or about three-fourths the full force kept at work all day. No attempt was made to do business at the company’s other two freight-houses, and all the officials from these other and other departments were gathered at the out depot helping to rush the business through and ready to protect the imported workmen if necessary. Assistant General Freight Agent Paul Morton said that almost all the men at work were employés of the company drafted from other points, but the striking freight-handlers outside said that the men were laborers from Galesburg and Aurora who had never been in the employ of a railroad before. Early in the day five men got inside the depot and attempted to persuade the visitors out, and on their refusing they were all thrown out.

Chicago & Alton.

The Chicago & Alton had seven or eight men at work at the in freight house and managed to get a little of the goods at the depot delivered to the carriers. To protect these few men about twenty-five police, special and otherwise, were kept in the vicinity of the depot all day. A delegation of the strikers called on the local freight agent with a proposal to the effect that the men would all go back to work ten hours a day at $1.75—an increase of 25 cents per day of the same number of hours. An answer will be given at noon today.

A Meeting of Strikers.

At the meeting of striking freight-handlers yesterday afternoon committees were present from the following named roads: Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago & Northwestern, Chicago & Alton, Chicago & Atlantic, Louisville, New Albany & Chicago, Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, Illinois Central, Wabash, Chicago & Eastern Illinois, Chicago & Grand Trunk, Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago, and the Panhandle. The meeting was held at No. 54 West Lake street, and was for the purpose of consolidating the freight-handlers of the roads represented, as well as others, into one compact organization for the purposes of mutual protection and to better enable the men to enforce their demands for reduced hours of labor and a fair compensation therefor. The work of organization was carried through, and, after the members of the committees present had signed their names to the agreement, individuals from the different roads who remained on the sidewalk below, to the number of probably 400, were invited to walk up-stairs and sign also. This work occupied the greater portion of the afternoon, and very little opportunity was given to the leaders to outline a plan for subsequent action.

At the striking freight-handlers’ meeting last night an organization was perfected by the election of Patrick O’Connor of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Road as President and John J. Burke of the Pan-Handle as Vice-President. The meeting took no action whatever in relation to the strike beyond appointing committees to wait on the men who are brought here from outside points by the different roads to handle freight, and to try to persuade them not to go to work. About 6 o’clock yesterday afternoon a committee of the strikers waited upon the switchmen of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Road and asked them to assist in carrying the demand for shorter hours of labor. The switchmen replied that they could not treat with a committee representing an unorganized body of men, but that an organization once perfected they—the switchmen—would be in a position to talk and act. It is understood that the committee will wait upon the switchmen again this morning, and, as one of them said last night, it is probable that the switchmen will make up trains of cars already loaded, but will not assist in side-tracking empties for the purpose of being loaded by others than the regular freight-handlers.

Section Hands Out.

Ninety section hands employed on the Galena Division in the Northwestern yards struck at 7 o’clock yesterday morning. The strikers were the men of seven sections at this end of the road, a floating gang of eight, and a gang of eighteen whose principal work is the cleaning out of cattle-cars at the shops at West Fortieth street. The strikers sent a committee to Superintendent Charles Murray with a petition asking that their wages be raised from $1.25, the present rate, to $1.50 per day. Mr. Murray told the men that the road could not afford an increase, and advised them to go back to work. The strikers said they did not dare go back to work, fearing that the Wisconsin Division men would interfere with them and drive them away. In the afternoon 100 of the strikers loitered at a building on Union street, waiting for an answer from Superintendent Murray, but it did not come. The foremen of the section gangs did not strike, but remained on duty to prevent interference with switches. No other section work was done.

The strike on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Road called out fifty workmen, mostly recently engaged, who have been relaying and repairing the tracks in the old yard on Goose Island, along North Branch street. These men gathered about the yard early in the morning but did not go to work. One switch-engine is kept in this yard and a second is usually sent in the morning to help handle the cars delivered at the yard, for all freight handled there is in car lots. The strikers were joined by about 200 idlers of all kinds, and beer in kegs having been opened among them 9 o’clock found them ready for anything. At that time they concluded that all work in the yard should cease, and at once began spiking the switches at the head of the yard, near Bliss street. The man in charge of the engine belonging in the Western avenue yards saw the danger and started to run his locomotive out of the yard, but the switch was thrown. Michael Swartz replaced it, however, and that engine escaped. This brought on him the wrath of the whole party, and before he could escape from the yard he was badly beaten. The other engine was tied up on an outside track, and after 10 o’clock not a wheel was turned in the yard. A good portion of the striking section men remained on watch about the head of the yards and made the switches doubly secure by piling railroad iron across them. At 5 o’clock in the afternoon no effort had been made to open up traffic. No police were upon the ground, either city or special, and the eight-hour men held the place all day long.