You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Friday April 21, 1905
Chicago, Illinois - Actions of Coal Team Owners Likely to Spread Teamsters' Strike
Scab Trucks Escorted by Police
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The city of Chicago may soon find the strike of the Teamsters spread across the city due to the actions of the Coal Team Owners who insist that they will deliver coal to Montgomery Wards & Co. come what may. Thus far, the
teamsters' sympathetic strike has been confined to Montgomery Wards where the
garment workers are on strike against the attempts of that company to end their union contract and impose an open shop.
Yesterday's Chicago Inter Ocean reports:
Important developments are expected in the teamsters' strike today. The trouble has reached a point where a number of teaming contractors will be forced to choose between joining hands with the Chicago Employers' association or standing with their union teamsters. Since the trouble began most of the teaming contractors have been on the fence and have refused to make deliveries to Montgomery Ward & Co.
The A. M. Forbes Teaming company yesterday delivered seven loads to Montgomery Ward & Co. with nonunion drivers under police protection. The Edwin F. Daniels Coal company delivered a load of coal, the first received at the big house since the strike was called, almost two weeks ago.
These acts have thoroughly aroused the union teamsters employed by both concerns, and despite the efforts of the leaders to confine the strike to the Ward company, the danger of its spreading is said to be more imminent this morning than it has been at any time.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean of April 20, 1905:
SPREAD OF STRIKE MAY START TODAY
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Coal Team Owners Use Nonunion Teamsters and
Leaders Demand That They
Support Strike or Join Employes.
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CRISIS CANNOT BE LONGER DELAYED BY COMPANIES
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Grand Jury Will Begin Hearing Evidence Against Rioters
and Indictments Are Expected in Cases
Now Pending in Justice Courts.
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Important developments are expected in the teamsters' strike today. The trouble has reached a point where a number of teaming contractors will be forced to choose between joining hands with the Chicago Employers' association or standing with their union teamsters. Since the trouble began most of the teaming contractors have been on the fence and have refused to make deliveries to Montgomery Ward & Co.
The A. M. Forbes Teaming company yesterday delivered seven loads to Montgomery Ward & Co. with nonunion drivers under police protection. The Edwin F. Daniels Coal company delivered a load of coal, the first received at the big house since the strike was called, almost two weeks ago.
These acts have thoroughly aroused the union teamsters employed by both concerns, and despite the efforts of the leaders to confine the strike to the Ward company, the danger of its spreading is said to be more imminent this morning than it has been at any time.
Will Deliver Coal Today.
Fred Westphal, who does the hauling for the Daniels Coal company, is prepared to make deliveries to the Ward company today. He has a large number of nonunion teamsters in readiness should his union men quit. It was said last night that ten of the largest employers in the Coal Team Owners' association had determined to cast their lot with the Chicago Employers' association and form a new organization of their own. If the report is true it will mean trouble with the coal teamsters, but the officers of the Coal Teamsters' union are inclined to doubt the report.
The grand jury will take up the strike today, when it will be asked by State's Attorney Healy to vote indictments in three specific cases of violence where policemen have been attacked and beaten while protecting the Ward wagons. This was decided last night at a conference between State's Attorney Healy and Assistant Chief of Police Schuettler.
Three witnesses accompanied Schuettler to the office of the state's attorney. He refused to reveal their names or the names of the three men against whom indictments are sought. "I am not at liberty to give any names," said State's Attorney Healy, "but I will ask the grand jury to vote true bills in three specific cases tomorrow."
Although Schuettler's visit to the Criminal court building was ostensibly in the interest of policemen who have been assaulted during the strike, it is said the grand jury will be asked to indict men who have been guilty of assaulting nonunion teamsters.
There were fewer cases of violence reported yesterday, and the reason was said to be due to a rumor which was circulated in the afternoon that a settlement was in sight. Around the labor headquarters it was rumored that Robert J. Thorne of Montgomery Ward & Co. had asked for a conference with the strike leaders. The rumor was entirely unfounded, but it caused the pickets to abate their violence.
Arbitration Again Proposed.
Striking Chicago Garment Worker
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The peace committee of the Coal Team Owners' association has arranged to see Mr. Thorne this morning and propose that the entire matter, including the garment workers' strike, be submitted to an arbitration board of seven persons. No results are expected from this proposition, as a number of similar proposals have been reflected by the employers in the past.
Mr. Thorne last night said the strike has shown the firm that there are other ways of filling orders than having the merchandise pass through the Michigan avenue building.
Thirty-seven loads of merchandise were delivered at the Ward house yesterday by the caravans of the Chicago Employers' association, while the four teams of the new teaming company picked up loads from nine firms during the day. It was discovered yesterday that the stables of the new teaming company formed by the employers are located at 1817 Dearborn street. The employers say that the number of teams will be increased, and they will begin hauling coal unless the coal dealers make deliveries to the Ward company. The wagons used by the Employers' Teaming company had the names painted over with fresh paint, as they did not want the pickets to learn whom they belonged to or from whom they were purchased.
Car Crew Is Arrested.
John Shievers, motorman, and Sidney Lowenthal conductor of a Canalport avenue car, were arrested yesterday afternoon at Fifth avenue and Madison street for attempting to run into a caravan of the Ward company's wagons. Lieutenant O'Connor of the Desplaines street station was in charge of the police, and he ordered the motorman to stop his car until the caravan passed. The motorman turned on the current and tried to cut off the patrol wagon which was following the caravan. When the police tried to arrest him he attacked them with the controller.
Walter Smith, a negro nonunion driver for the Lord & Bushnell Lumber company, was severely beaten on a Metropolitan Elevated railroad train at Center avenue by five pickets. The pickets followed him onto the train and attacked him with brass knuckles.
Walter Harris, a private detective employed by Montgomery Ward & Co., was attacked and beaten by pickets at Washington street and Wabash avenue at noon yesterday. His revolver was taken away from him and he was placed on a street car, with a warning to keep away from the Ward building.
Early yesterday morning three nonunion drivers were attacked near the headquarters maintained by the company, at 20 Lake street. Several shots were fired and the first crowd of pickets fled. After the nonunion men had emptied their revolvers another crowd of pickets came out of a doorway and attacked them. They were severely beaten before the police arrived on the scene.
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[Photograph added.]
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SOURCE
The Inter Ocean
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Apr 20, 1905
http://www.newspapers.com/...
IMAGES
Patrol Wagons Guard Trucks,
Chicago Daily Tribune, Apr 9, 1905
http://www.newspapers.com/...
Striking Garment Worker of Chicago
from The Inter Ocean of Nov 29, 1904
http://www.newspapers.com/...
See also:
Annual Report
Illinois. State Board of Arbitration, 1906
https://books.google.com/...
"Special Order Clothing Workers' Strike-Chicago."
(Chicago Garment Workers Strike of 1904-05)
https://books.google.com/...
"Teamsters' Sympathetic Strike,-Chicago"
(Chicago Teamsters Strike of 1905)
https://books.google.com/...
"Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Addresses Chicago's Garment Strikers,
Will Fight to the End" by JayRaye
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Chicago Teamsters Strike of 1905
http://www.dailykos.com/...
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Workers of the World Awaken
If the workers take a notion,
They can stop all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean
They can tie with mighty chains.
Every wheel in the creation,
Every mine and every mill,
Fleets and armies of the nation,
Will at their command stand still.
-Joe Hill (words and music)
https://www.youtube.com/...
http://www.folkarchive.de/...
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