The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 1, 1901, Page 1

VOLUME XC-NO. 62, SAN FRANOISCO, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1901. PRICE FIVE CENTS. LABOR LEADERS SUBMIT A SLIGHTLY MODIFIED PROPOSAL, BUT THE STRIKE SITUATION STILL. REMAINS UNCHANGED URTHER confer- ences yesterday, in which Mayor Phelan | acted as intermediary, failed | of tangible results, but new hope of settlement is felt. ity WY '.B:.ocnflm-: oF O L3 TSTRIKERS' MAINTAIN A ATTITUDE AND More Men Are Called Out, I but Employers Partly Fil Not Suspended on the D —_—— HE City Front Federation issued ¥ ¥ a new proposal as a basis for seftlement of the ques- led to the general strike docks and in the adjoining embodies in a somewhat 2 the propositions first ad- labor leaders. Mayor submitted it to the Employers’ Association, but tangible results have not been reached. rd day of the strike passed al- witho sensational incident. - The strikers conducted themselves in the main with @ignity and self-control and the em- ployers who are struggling to keep busi- ness moving in spite of labor's disaffec- tions went about their tasks with cheer- fulness and forbearance. However des- perate the situation, the strike has as yet taken on but little of the bitterness and desperations that often make reigns of terror of labor struggles. The relative advantages of the sides in the contest were not materially changed @uring the day. More men. were called out, the Porte: Packers’ and Ware- housemen’s Union and - the Sailors’ Union being particularly active in reaching additional men. More than # hundred additional porters walked out in the wholesale district, and the de- sertion of posts on the docks and aboard the ships was of hourly occurrence. The sand teamsters, 500 strong, will quit work this morning and join the army of strikers. The teamsters who have been in charge of the fifteen wagons of the Pa- cific Transfer Company have been called out by the Brotherhood of Teamsters. They will not report for duty this morn- rg. General Passenger Agent Goodman as in consultation with other passenger cgents yesterday, trying to devise means to prevent the traveling public from suf- fering inconvenience. If the transfer companies find it impossible to move bag- gage the hotels may secure wagons and teams and themselves attempt to haul the baggage of their guests. The strikers were thick on the streets throughout the day, and, as on the first day, they were orderly, and nothing ap- proaching & riot occurred. A report at § o’clock that a striker had been killed at Sixth and Townsend streets aroused new apprehension of violence and bloodshed, but the report proved to be false. sl o s MORGUE WAGON NOT NEEDED. False Report That Striker Had Been Killed. The Morgue officials were greatly ex- cited at 5:3 o'clock last evening when a telephone message was received directing that the Morgue wagon be immediately dispatched to the corner of Bixth ‘and Townsend streets, where, it was reported, & striker had been murdered. At the same moment the request was made to send a detachment of police to vanc the by Phelan The seco DIGNIFIED - | RIOTS ARE UNKNOWN| ncreasing the Total to 14,000, ] | the- Ranks and Business Is ocks or in Wholesale District union workers might be protected against assault by strikers. Both requests were complied without loss of time. When the Morgue | wagon reached the corner of Sixth and | Townsend streets the search for the body | of the dead striker was begun. Strangely enough the excited crowd that might be | expected to gather about the scene of a shocking murder was not in evidence nor | could any one be found who had heard of | any such event, When the mounted police arrived they were amazed to find no one save 2 boy or two in sight. The Morgue officials as well as the police are assured they were the victims of prac- tical jokers. If the identity of the indi- viduals who sent the telephone messages is discovered he will be made to realize that he cannot play such pranks with im- punity. o, el FACTORY MAY RESUME WORK. | American Can Company Will Try to Supply Canneries. The Americap Can Company, which closed its factory vesterday and threw 400 men and women out of employment, is making a great effort to again resume oper «tions, if only on a small scale. Thus far the comapany has been able to supply the canneries from the stock which it had on hand. This supply will soon be ex- hausted. The canning season is now at | its height and to close down at this period | would mean an incalculable loss, both to the owners of the canneries and their em- ployes. | In'its efforts to resume operations the | American Can Company is preparing to offer special inducements to the men. In order that they may not be subjected to the jeers and assaults of the strikers they. will be boarded at the factory. Superin- tendent J. Lee stated yesterday that a number of the men who had struck had come to him and asked to be returned to their work. He alko sald that if the ef- forts of the company to start up the fac- tory were defeated by the strikers cans would be imported from the East to sup- ply the canneries. — EEER-BOTTLERS’ STATEMENT. Willing to Let Locked-Out Employes Come Back. The Beer Battlers’ Protective Associa- tion issued a statement yesterday that the employes of its members who were locked out last Friday must return to work be- fore the expiration of this week and un- der the conditions stated in the circular which was posted the day of the lock-out. The feature of the circular was that the beer bottlers intended to run their own business and in future delegates or com- mittees of the union would not be recog- nized. About 100 men are concerned in the lock-out. with | | pre— <1ERXJY MNUJSTLE TRRIGHT, INTO Ji e ) o THE COLUNBIAL N0l i 5 q"‘l 2 | \ i il ZZ S HoL SCENES ALONG DOCKS SHOWING MEANS TO WHICH EMPLOYERS RESORT. ORIENTALS _COME TO RESCUE OF SHIP-OWNERS —_— AND HANDLE FREIGHT THAT IS LEFT BY STRIKERS Despite the Aid Given by the Natives of the Far East the Steamship Pomona Is Compelled to Leave With Only Half a Cargo—The Sierra Is Fully Laden, Has a Complete Crew and Will Leave on Time To-Day—Many, Coasters Enter Harbor and Join Tied-Up Fleet HE effects of the strike were more noticeable yesterday on the front than on any day since the com- mencement of the great labor struggle. While many teams were engaged in hauling freight of every description there seemed ta be little ac- complished. Load after load of many dif- ferent kinds of articles was hauled to the front and landed on the docks, where the goods remained, despite the efforts of quite a large number of amateur long- shoremen to stow them into the cavernous depths of the vessels awalting cargoes. "There was no lack of activity on the front, but there was considerable waste of en- ergy. The men who took the places of the strikers were willing workers, but they lacked a knowledge of the methods of the skilled longshoremen, and though they toiled and sweated for hours, made little impression upon the piles of freight which the teamsters landed on the wharves. The one place where the result of the strike was not apprent was at the dock where the steamship Sierra was loading. She is scheduled to sail to-day, and every. effort was made to make it possible for her to leave on time. Ton after ton of merchandise was hauled to the wharf, The bottling establishments are all “he scene in order that a number of non- | working with full crews of new men. where it was handled with such rapidity and skill that no congestion was possible. —_— A gang of fifty men handled the goods on the dock, while the crew of the vessel stowed it away in shipshape style aboard the ship. The Sierra will leave to-day on time and with a full crew. Pomona Leaves With Half Cargo. The Pacific Coast Steamship Company’s Pomona was scheduled to sail yesterday afterncon at 2 o'clock, but was unable to get away until after 4, owing to the delay in handling the cargo. Her freight was handled by her crew and two gangs of Portuguese and Italian laborers. Most of them were fishermen, and though they possessed immense strength and worked with a will they knew nothing of the means of handling stores. A number of large pieces of machinery were waybilled for the Pomona, and the men, unused as they were to slinging and moving ma- chinery, struggled for hours before they succeeded in getting even the lightest pleces aboard the vessel. As the time ap- proached for the vessel to leave those in charge attempted to hurry the efforts of the perspiring fisherfolk, ‘with the result that they became more hopelessly in- volved. It finally became apparent to the master of the vessel that departure on schedule time was impossible and orders were issued to cease loading. Fully one- half the cargo which the Pomona was to carry to Eureka was on the dock when the vessel pulled out. The owners of the Pomona fared even worse with thelr vessel, the State of Call- fornla, which was due to leave for south- ern ports at 10 a. m. yesterday. Hundreds of tons of freight are on the whart and not a man can be secured to handle fit. Every man of her crew is out on strike also, and the chances of the vessel sailing this week are very slim. It is the most complete case of “‘tie-up’* along the front. Chinese Handle Coptic’s Freight. Over at the Mail dock the steamship Coptic is being prepared to sail to-mor- row. It'is thought that she will succeed in getting out on time, though the Chi- nese who are handling her cargo are very slow. Captain Wilson picked up every available man on the water front early yesterday morning and put them to work with the Chinese crew of the vessel. Un- der .the leadership of the captain, who took off his cpat and worked with them, a considerable quantity of the cargo was put aboard the vessel. The teamsters, however, were constantly arriving with large consignments. To get the vessel loaded to enable her to leave as sched- uled will require a herculean effort on the Continued on Second Page. Lt = A D) i3 + - <+ USINESS is greatly hampered but not suspended as result of strike, and ship managers and wholesalers are suc- ceeding in moving freight. - .zv | | + NEW BASIS OF PEACE IS OFFERED BY THE CITY FRONT FEDERATICN Mayor Presents Proposed Agreement to Employers’ Asso- ciation, Whose Directors Reply That Items Contained in It Have Been Discussed—Phelan Issues - Statement URTHER negotiations, in which Mayor Phelan acted as interme- diary between strikers and em- ployers, were conducted yester- day. The following statement, is- sued by the Mayor last night, embodfes the results: 1 received to-day the following letter: City Front Federation, southwest corner of East and Mission. SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 1901, Hon. James D. Phelan, Mayor, San Francizco, Cal.—Sir: As per your request, the Cliy Front Federation hereby submits the following propo- sitions as a basis for the re-estab- lishment of peace: The Employers’ Associaticn rgrees that its members will not diserim- inate against any employer of la- bor because such employer chooses to employ union men only. The Employers’ Association agrees that its members will not discrim- inate against any employe because he chooses for reasons sufilcient to himself to be a member of a labor organization. The Employers’ Association agrees that all employes who are locked out or who have quit work on ac- count of the existing difficulty shall be reinstated. Labor organizations agree that any member who is em- ployed shall, while in such employ, obey any orders given to him con- cerning the work to be performed. Whenever any difiiculties arise be- tween employers and employes, no strike or lockout shall be insti- tuted until the parties in interest shall have done all in ineir power to adjust their difficulties. By order of the City Front Federa- tiom. JOHN KEAN, Acting President. THOMAS WESTOHY, Ree. See. Adopted July 30, 1901. Upon the receipt of this letter T asked that a meeting of the directors of the Employers’ Association be called, in order that it might be considered. After a long conference with that body I find this to be the situation: The employers say that all the points in- volved were fully covered in Mr. Michael's letter of July 29 and my accompanying state- ment, published in the press of July 30, and by which the employers say they will stand and have so written me this evening Again, as to the federation's letter, the em- ployers say that they, as Rreviously stated, shall not discriminate against any employer of labor because such employer chooses to em- ploy union men only, nor will they discriminate against any employe because he chooses to be a member of a labor organizatio: The association will recommend to the em- ployers to reinstate thelr men mnow, out, and belleves that nearly all men will be taken back; but, as in the case of the teamsters, some permanent men have been employed who cannot now be dismissed, having been prom- ised work at regular wages if they choose to remain after the strike. The difficulties in this respect, the employers say, are growing every day and er the men declde to 5o back the more men t thetr old employment. They can go ba when they on their part agree, in addition to obeying orders and sub- mitting grievances to their employers, promise not to attempt to employes to join. unions or employers to unionize thetr places of business. The employers say If these things are done in g00d faith there need be no further troubls. The only substantial difference between the two sides now is as to the restoration of the men to employment. As the great majority of them can zo back without question the in- terests at stake demand on the part of the leaders a quick solution of the difficulties. The Employers’ Association does not deal Afrectly with such questions, but it wiil, the directors say, recommend, for instance, to the Draymen's Association to take back its men. It was Intimated at the meeting by a director that the Draymen’s Association could possibly take back all except ten or twelve. Certainly a little matter like this should not keep men’ apart. Even If the ten or twelve were asked to sacrifice themselves for peace the Brother- hood of Teamsters could take care of them In some other way and ultimately 1t would no doubt be made right. 1 hope -this solution will be accepted and so end the lockout and sympathetic strike, which is doing great injury to city and State. The wheat crop cannot be shipped: manufacturing plants have difficulty in getting fuel: our steamer fleet has been in part ordered by wire to go to northern ports; building opera- tions will be suspended for lack of material and the building trades will suffer correspondingly and so the other industries. The tle-up can be broken without bringing new men to town by a settlement, and I think the two sides are near emough to come together and end the strife. JAMES D. PHELAN. SAND HAULERS DEFER STRIKE. Members of Teamsters’ Union 228 Decide Not to Go Out. Teamsters’ Union No. 228 held a meet- ing last night at 1159 Mission street and decided not to go out on a sympathetio strike this morning. They reversed the decision of the previous evening on the advice of the executive committee of the Labor Council, whose members wers present at the meeting. The reason which the executive committee offered for the sudden change was that the strike situa- tion locked so favorable to the strikers that they did not want to jeopardize the welfare of the community any further by calling out more unions. The members of Teamsters’ Union No. 228, who are mostly sand and brick team- sters, were willing and in some instances desirous of striking, not because they en- tertained any ill-feeling toward their em- ployers but because they sympathize so fully with the striking teamsters. They empowered their executive committee to act in case an emergency should arise. the so: