STREETCAR STRIKE OF 1903

STREETCAR STRIKE OF 1903. In 1903 Dubuque was a city that depended upon STREETCARS for transportation. Motormen and conductors had organized a union known as Key City Lodge, No. 329, Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees and sent representatives to the DUBUQUE TRADES AND LABOR CONGRESS as early as August 1892. (1) Problems that year centered on charges that the manager of the DUBUQUE ELECTRIC RAILWAY, LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY had dismissed several workers because of their membership in the union. Other unions were asked to make it an offense leading to a fine of any member using the line. There had also been several disputes with the system manager over service schedules and ringing up fares on the registers in cars. The manager stated that a conductor should ring up every individual fare collected on a crowded car and not wait until 15 or 20 fares were collected before ringing them up. The manager also insisted that all streetcars should keep their regular schedules and threatened to fire men who could not run their cars on time. (2)

In April, 1903 the system manager fired the three men. Union efforts to have the three men re-instated were rejected by the manager. The union charged that the three had been fired without cause in an effort to humiliate the men and weaken the union. The manager responded that the men had not lived up to the company's rules and regulations. The union called a strike on May 7, 1903 at 9:00 p.m. after all the cars had been returned to the UNION ELECTRIC COMPANY car barns at 24th and Couler (later Central) Avenue.

With the union announcement, the manager announced that new men would be brought into town to replace any strikers. The same afternoon, 25 strikebreakers from Chicago arrived on the ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD and were escorted to the JULIEN HOTEL where they were provided cots. The CHICAGO AND GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY brought twelve more men to town, and they were taken to the streetcar line's car barns.

The first streetcar left the car barns on Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. headed for the south end of Dubuque. The car reached Jones Street before it was boarded by strike sympathizers. The motorman and conductor were thrown from the car but not before the motorman's nose was broken. Both men fled for cover as they were pelted with rotten eggs and stones. At 24th and Jackson, a second car was struck with rocks and eggs. A strikebreaking motorman fired a revolver of the heads of the rioters and quickly returned his car to the barn.

By noon, officials of UNION ELECTRIC COMPANY demanded protection for their cars and crews from the Mayor C. H. Berg, Sheriff John Steiner, and Chief of Police Ed Morgan. During Saturday afternoon, firemen at the company's street railway power house at 6th and Iowa and at the lighting power plant at the foot of 8th street went out on strike in sympathy with the trainmen. An injunction was issued by Judge O'Donnell in district court on Saturday aimed at preventing the strikers from interfering with the operation of the company.

On Saturday night, a mob formed outside the car barns and pelted the building with rocks. Leaving the barns, the group paraded downtown carrying banners and shouting support for the strikers. The police did not interfere. The company then announced that no streetcars would be operating on Sunday.

On Monday, May 11th company officers met with the sheriff and mayor. No cars operated, but the following day company officials announced that they were ready to arbitrate and asked that the arbitration board include Archbishop James J. KEANE, Federal Judge Oliver Perry SHIRAS, and District Judge Fred O'Donnell. Strikers refused to agree to O'Donnell since he had signed the injunction. The union suggested that the board contain one person chosen by the company, one by the union, and that the two should meet and select a third member. This idea was rejected by the company.

Following many conferences, strikers refused the company's proposal for secret arbitration on Saturday, May 16th.

On Monday, May 18th the company prepared to resume business. Windows of the power house at 6th and Iowa and the car barns were covered with heavy wire. Strikebreakers were housed on the second floor of the Powers Building where windows were also covered with wire and guards were posted.

On May 23rd C. O. Pratt, an official from Detroit with the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees, announced that after several conferences with the two sides, he was unable to settle the issues. He left town. A benefit dance for the strikers was held that night at the Woodmen Hall.

With Memorial Day approaching, former soldiers asked both the company and strikers to declare a truce on that day so that streetcars could operate back and forth to LINWOOD CEMETERY.

City officials on May 27th decided to make a determined effort to settle the strike. Announcing a "star chamber" would be held, Mayor Berg and council members heard the union demand the firing of the system manager. The hearing continued into May 28th but accomplished nothing. Business men demanded that streetcar service be restored.

On May 29th strikers placed horse-drawn "carryalls' in operation from 8th and Main to Linwood Cemetery. A severe storm brought this to a conclusion in the afternoon.

The arrival of President Theodore Roosevelt on June 1st and Circus Day on June 2nd went on without incident. On June 4th, however, shots were fired by deputies at two men who entered the lighting power plant at 8th Street. The two men were charged with violating the injunction and were held in jail.

The Dubuque Trades and Labor Congress declared a boycott on several business firms on June 5th. A watch was ordered to find which butchers and grocers were selling supplies to the strikebreakers.

On June 11th the Dubuque Retailers' Association offered a compromise proposition to settle the strike. Although the company agreed, the strikers voted down the proposed deal. As the company moved to resume service on June 12th, the mayor urged all citizens to observe the law.

Dan Dickels, a teamster, was arrested on June 13th for driving his wagon along the streetcar tracks in front of a streetcar and not giving the car the right-of-way. Dickels was fined $5 and court costs. His actions were copied by other teamsters. As talk of a general strike was heard, all strikebreakers were sworn in as special policemen to protect their cars only. Eggs were hurled at cars and trolley wire was cut at 24th and Jackson STREETS as twenty-one more strikebreakers arrived from Chicago. Teamsters refused to haul trucks to or from the Julien Hotel and ice men refused to deliver to the hotel.

On June 14th and 15th cars were again pelted with stones and eggs. Cars stopped operating at 7:00 p.m. to avoid trouble after dark. The Trades and Labor Congress, meanwhile, demanded that the company maintain 5-minute service on Main Street, 10-minute service on 8th Street, and 15-minute service on the Dodge-Linwood line. It also protested the swearing in of strikebreakers as special police.

June 16th proved to be one of the explosive days in the history of the strike. During the afternoon the junction of the Main and Eagle Point lines at Couler (Central) and Rhomberg was the scene of riot after riot. Shots were fired. Following an hour's riot and the arrest of six men, Sheriff Steiner asked Captain Thrift of the GOVERNOR'S GREYS to call out his men. That night a mob met at the car barns and attempted to destroy cars. When the Governor's Greys surrounded the building to prevent further damage, the rioters started down Couler Avenue toward the Power Building, the strikebreakers headquarters. Police efforts to stop the mob at Fourth and Main failed.

The Greys followed side streets and surrounded the Julien and Powers building. Faced with the mob approaching, Captain Thrift ordered his men to fix bayonets. A warning was also sounded that the strikebreakers were armed with rifles and were prepared to defend themselves.

The warnings caused the mob to reconsider and they moved toward the power house at 6th and Iowa. Members of the Greys were then shifted from near the Powers Building and sent to the power house. The power house was hit by stones of such size that they shattered the wire-covered glass windows and damaged machinery. When Captain Thrift's calls to return to their homes were met with stones, he ordered his men to prepare to fire. Convinced that the captain meant what he said, the crowd broke up immediately.

A request for more troops were sent to Governor A. B. Cummins. He ordered three companies of militia sent to Dubuque immediately. Along with the Governor's Greys, there were now four companies of troops, a battalion, in the city. The Greys were headquartered at the Armory at 9th and Iowa streets. Guardsmen from Independence were stationed at the Julien. The troops from Waterloo were directed to the lighting plant at 8th Street and the Maquoketa troops protected the car barns.

Despite the presence of troops, small riots continued to breakout. Archbishop Keane and Reverend Atchison made the street and violence subjects of sermons.

Governor Cummins; A. L. Urick, president of the Iowa Labor Federation, and E.D. Brigham, state labor commissioner arrived in Dubuque on June 22nd. The governor met with strikers, company and and city officials, the sheriff and business men. Following several conferences, he announced that he too had failed to develop a compromise. He order the militia to remain in the city and returned to Des Moines.

Tuesday passed with nothing changed, but the strike was settled on Wednesday, June 24th. The company agreed not to discriminate against the union or its members but remained free to fire employees. If an employee was discharged by a superintendent on grounds he felt were unfair, he could request a hearing before the manager. The manager's decision could also be appealed to the company's board of directors. If the manager's decision was found to be unjust, the person would be reinstated without the loss of pay or rank. The company promised free transportation to trainmen when not in uniform. Any trainmen called for duty would receive not less than five hours' compensation regardless of the actual time worked. The company promised to recognize the union and treat members individually or through their grievance committee in considering differences. Complaints coming from the men individually or through their grievance committee would be given full hearing by the company. The three men who had been fired would be given clearance cards stating that their work had generally been satisfactory. Those who had participated in the strike but who now returned immediately to work would be reemployed and union activity would not count against an employee.

The strike lasted one day short of seven weeks. Following the strike, the troops returned to their homes and members of the DUBUQUE CLUB sent a letter to the governor thanking him for his efforts. (3)

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Source:

1. "The Streetcar Men," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 16, 1892, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18920816&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. "The Boycott is On," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 17, 1892, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18920818&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

3. Street Car Strike of Thirty Years Ago Recalled," Telegraph Herald and Times Journal, March 24, 1933 p. 2 and 4