Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1907 — THIRD BiG KEY STRIKE. [ARTICLE]

THIRD BiG KEY STRIKE.

First, in 1869, and Second, in 1883, „ the Operators. —„ The present telegraphers’ strike is the third big one in the history of American key manipulators. The first two were disastrous from the viewpoint of the operators. It was on the night of Jujy 19, 1883, - that a. mesage was_flashed over the Western Union wires of the country from the office of the grand chief of telegraphers in Pittsburg. This message read: “Geneftil Grant is dead.” —lt was the signal to the key men to quit work and many newspapers, failing to recognize its significance, issued extras which were cried in the streets announcing the death of General Grant. . Prior to the 4teike much publicity had been given to the grievances of the Brotherhood, which was asking for an increase of 15 per cent in the wages and • public sympathy was largely with the .then.' The companies had been preparing for the strike for some weeks and when the men "were called out had a force of men, more or less experienced, to take their places. Despite this fact the business of the country suffered heavily. Dispatches accumulated in the offices of the Western Union and in some instances they were returned to tlie sender. After the first trial of strength the company gained daily on its Operators. - Rumors of defection in various parts of the country reached Chicago; the men were without adequate funds to push their controversy, and after the first week their cause was as good as lost. The strike was formally declared off by John A, Campbell, grand chief telegrapher, a month after its inception, without gain to the operaiors,__ Matiyyof them were refused,, when they applied'for their old positions, on the ground that they had fomented ? trouble ami, wages, remained at their former level.

The strike of 1869. which represented he protest of a new union known ns the ~eague, against an attempt—to reduce vages, proved abortive. The primitive ondition of the telegraph business in Vinerica at that time is well illustrated >y the fact that a strike had been, dedared in San Francisco two days before lews of it reached ('liicago. Wages in those d.iys ranged from SIOO •o $175 a month and the company, in an attempt to curtail expenses, decided to dispense with the services of several operators in San Francisco. The determination of , the company precipitated trouble and the entire San Francisco force walked out. Two days later 100 operators in the Chicago office quit work and when the grand chief operator heard of the disturbance he ordered a general strike, it is said, without knowing the grounds of the controversy. This strike lasted only ten or twelve days, and was so far as the oiierators were concerned.