Racetrack Higgins led a rally at New Irving Hall on July 24th. Over 5,000 Newsies came. Bob the Indian wished to start protesting in a non-violent way by not soaking the scabs. David Simons, the president of the Union, had the rest of the newsboys vote on certain problems and issues within the Union.
The newsboys who started the strike lived in the Duane Street Newsboys Lodging House. There was one rule in the house: No swearing or chewing tabacco. for 6 cents a night, the boys would get baths with soap and warm water, a bed, breakfast (normally consisting of hot coffee and bread, dinner (lunch, which they'd go out for), and supper (pork and beans). For 10 cents per night, you could get all of the above plus lockers and curatins on your bed. The newsies could come and go as they pleased. Upstairs they had a gym with a trapeze, boxing equipment, jumpropes and other exercise equipment. The lodging houses in New York were ran by the Children's Aide Society. There were three other lodging houses in New York, two for boys and one for girls. There were also some for crippled or disabled newsies. The newsboys were offered night school and the newsgirls were offered typewriting, dress-making and laundry schools. The Society was very kind and caring towards all of the newsies, especially during the strike.
The strike ended August 2nd, 1899, two weeks after it started. The newsies and the newspapers made an agreement, instead of lowering the prices back down to 50 cents, the newspapers would give the newsies a full refun for all unsold papers.
