American Flint Glass Workers' Union - 1899 Convention - Muncie, Indiana

THE CONVENTION IS ON

Twenty-Second Annual Gathering

of Flints Began To-day.

JUDGE TARVIN ARRIVES

The Parade Moved at Two O'clock This

Afternoon With Hundreds in Line — The

Speaking at Heekin Park.

With nearly 200 delegates present, the opening of the twenty-second annual meeting of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union began in the large court room this morning. The chief business was the examination of credentials and the matters incidental to getting in working order. No attempt was made to transact any business other than that preliminary to the large affairs that are to come before the meeting at a later date. The credentials committee had little difficulty in their work and about noon the opening meeting of the convention adjourned in time to give the delegates an opportunity to get dinner and be ready for the parade in the afternoon.

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS.

It was announced that Samuel Gompers is not able to be present as yet, though he may appear later. Mayor Jones of Toledo wired that he could not arrive until late in the afternoon, so if the mayor does not come in time for the addresses this afternoon, he will be heard at another time. Although it is not given out authoritatively that such will be the case, it is not improbable that some of the distinguished speakers will deliver addresses this evening.

A sort of preliminary meeting of those attending the convention was held in Union Labor Hall, last evening. The meeting was held for the purpose of discussing the amalgamation question. There is little doubt about the action of the convention on this point. Nearly every train that arrives in Muncie bears upon it some delegate or other glass man wearing the red badge of amalgamation. At last night's meeting, John Dowd of local Flint Glass Workers' Union No. 23, acted as president while Samuel Hudson of 91 acted as secretary. The general tenor of the meeting was favorable to the scheme of binding together the three great divisions of glass workmen.

THE PARADE.

It was after three o'clock before the parade moved in the following order along the line of march previously mapped out save that Willard street was omitted: Platoon of 12 police; Indiana Iron band; Police Commissioners and the chief of police in carriage; members of the city council in carriages; Judge Tarvin, President Smith, Judge Leffler, Senator Ball, Congressman Cromer, and other distinguished men in carriages including officials of the Union; Women's Label League in carriages, thirty in number; Red Men's band; two hundred delegates; members of Street Railway Employees' Union to the number of 25; twenty members Typographical union; American Agents' Association, 20; B. P. and D. A. No. 65, 30 in number; A. F. G. W. U. No. 1 of Marion, 12; A. F. G. W. U. No. 23 of Muncie, 75; A. F. G. W. U. No 2 of Muncie, 75; A. F. G. W. U. of Muncie No. 91, 75; Branch 12, G. B. B. A. of Muncie, 30; miscellaneous glass workers and other members of organized labor.

THE SPEAKING.

The parade moved south to Heekin Park, where, soon after three o'clock, the speaking began. Mayor Tuhey welcomed the visitors to the city and President Smith responded. They were followed by Judge Tarvin, Judge Leffler, Senator Ball, and Congressman Cromer, who each delivered appropriate addresses.

JUDGE TARVIN ARRIVES.

With the Red Men and the Indiana bands at their head, several hundred glass workers marched to the station to meet Judge Tarvin of Kentucky, who came in over the Big Four road from the West at 1:05 this afternoon. Judge Tarvin, after being taken to the headquarters of the committee was taken to the general headquarters at the Kirby. He was the only one of the speakers from abroad, save President Smith of the Flints, that showed up in time for the afternoon speaking. There is general rejoicing that Mayor Jones will be here some time during the day, even though he is not able to get here in time for the afternoon speaking.

DELEGATES CAME YESTERDAY.

Nearly all the delegates were in the city by last evening, though a few came this morning. President Smith was greeting old friends in the city all day yesterday. Vice-president Smart of Alton, Secretary John Kuntzler and his assistant, William Clare, came in yesterday, also. The Saturday night trains bore a large number. The Kirby house has been the official headquarters for the convention and in this place a large number of the visitors, including the officers, are quartered. The wives of many delegates accompanied their husbands.

THE WAGE SCALE.

The chief piece of business to be transacted by the convention will be the fixing of the wage scale for next fire. It is now pretty definitely assured that an advance will be asked, a committee having met and framed the scale of wages as it probably will be adopted by the convention with few alterations. The opposition to the advance, it is thought, will be slight.

SOCIAL AMUSEMENTS.

The elaborate preparations for the entertainment of the visitors during the ten days or two weeks of their visit will be carried out as published. The banquet, picnic, trolley ride, band concerts, and many other things will amuse the visiting glass workers and their friends.