AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS STRIKE.

The New York Times
March 3, 1901

CHICAGO, March 2.—Theatregoers and others who depended on the Illinois Electric Vehicle Transportation Company to furnish them with automobiles last night were disappointed, and had to resort to the street cars or the old-style horse cab.

The cause of all the trouble was a strike among the automobile drivers. The men, who organized a few months ago under the jurisdiction of the United Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, went out because of a system introduced by the company to change the wages being paid from $2 a day of twelve hours to 20 per cent. of the gross earnings. The men presented an agreement to Superintendent Jenkins calling for a wage scale of 16 2-3 cents an hour, with a twelve-hour day.

As the President of the company, Samuel Insull, is in New York, the men were informed that it was beyond the power of Superintendent Jenkins to comply with the request. Pending a settlement of the strike, the company will not attempt to operate its vehicles.