Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-10
The Strike on the Nashville and North.
western Railroad.

4
The decided action Of the employees oi
J the Nashville and Northwestern Rail-
road yesterday, while It was unexpected,
anticipated the time set for the stOppage
of trains unless their demands were ae-
ceded to on the part Of the administra-
ton Of the road. It Is hardly to be won-
dered at when we take into considera-
ton the fact that these men have so long
been deprived of wages honestly and in
dustriously earned. They have indeed
been placed in a desperate strait, their
families have cried for bread and they
have had none to give. IL is true that a
few barrels of flour have been dOled out
to the most needy, but every one knows
that it is impossible for a working man
to "live by bread alone and perform
the arduons lgbers required of him.
They claim, too, that while this state Of
affairs has existed for months, Innes has
never failed to pay favorite employees in
his Office and directly under his super
vision at Nashville.
The freight train due here at 2 O'Clock
yesterday morning ran off an open
switch, west OF the Northwestern sheds,
running into and smashing four box cars
which we're on the side track, knocking
off the smoke stack of the locomotive,
damaging the cowcatcher, bursting the
steam pipes and otherwise wreeking the
engine. Fortunately no one was hurt,
There is q report to the effect that TO
render the trap more effective the switch
bar had been spiked down. This, how
ever, is contradicted. The damage to
the engine is estimated ct $1,000. The
employees deny emphatieally that they
had any thing to do with the accident,
and o1afru that aangad nv tho
carelessDess Of the switch tender. The
men In the shops and upon the trains,
about half past ten O'Clock in the morn
ing, had refused to work any longer un-
less paid for labor already done. They
also resolved that all trains might come
in but none should go out, unless it was
q car and engine to carry the mails, IN
til their demands we're satisfied.
Sometime before the regular time for
the departure of the train, fifteen min
utes after five, the men gathered upon
the platform with the intention Of stop
ping the train. Innes sent for force of
police, and the project was not carried
into effect at the depot. The employees
finding that IL any hindersnes was
offered TO the departure of the train they
would be arrested by the police who
stood ready to obey at Innes' bidding,
made for the switch at the Northwestern
sheds, which was outside the corpora
ton.
The police, after following the en-
ployees IS far as Cedar street, returned to
the depot. When the train moved out,
the scene around the depot was rather
exciting. Morris Clark got on the en-
gine, it is said, with a revolver. Rea,
the only engineer who was not with the
strikers, Richards, the Superintendent,
Grant, the Freight Agent, Welsh, the
Assistant Superintendent, Claiborne, the
Secretary and Treasurer, and Mai Gray,
of the United States Qusrtermaster De-
partment, rode across we'll armed. They
had no occasion for this precaution,
however, for the employees had no in
tention of raising a riot if it could be
possibly avoided, though many of them
were prepared. All they wished was
their just dues. To prevent the train
from proceeding further the employees,
from seventy-five to one hundred iu
number, turned the switch at the North
western sheds, and quietly but deter
compelled the train to return.
The stOppage OF the train drew large
crowd together, by whom, when the
train had backed to the depot, there was
sympathy for the employees
The wreck of the morning
had not, by this time, been cleared away,
for the strikers would not let an engine
go out for the purpose.
Here follows a few details which our
space will not permit Us to publish.
AS the strike extends from here to
its formidable proportions
will be readily comprehended.
BY the way, recurring to the real cause
Of the complication, we would like to
ask how it is that Receiver Innes can
msuage to pay such large salaries to his
two little sons, whom he keeps in the
employ of the road, while the families
Of these employees are suffering for the
of life? The elder of the two
fortunate youths is not over fourteen
years of sge, yet we hear it stated by
parties who know the secrets of the ring
that he actually draws q salary of ttCO
hundred dollars per month.
We present below the justification Of
Tered by the strikers 1t was adopted at
a meeting last night, at which j. T.
Leak acted as Chairman, and NJ. Glenn
as Secretary:
NASHVILLE, June s. 1858.
To the Editor Of the Banner;
We suppose that everybody has heard
Of the strike on the Nashville aud North
western Railroad, after the peTusal OF yes
terdsy's Bonner.
The stopping Of the trains to-day was
not for the purpose Of detaining the mails |
Or interfering with the passenger traffic, |
and the stopping Of the mails can only be |
attached TO the officers of the road. The |
Did employees of the road were perfectly |
willing TO continue the running of the |
mail trains until Monday, June s, but |
We're detained from so doing by VIM. |
z. Innes, Receiver of the Nashville and |
Northwestern Railroad, he refusing the |
so protfered services of G. H. Lytle ian |
Did and tried engineer, who has been in |
the employ OF the company ever since its /
transfer by the Government to that cor
porate BODY, who voluntarily profered
hem, although unknown to Mr.. Pat. |
Kelly, Master Mechanic. Receiver Iunes
would not accept Mr.. Lytle's offer, but /
must obtain the services of a sneak and /
thief by the name OF John Rsa, a man
who has not the friendship or esteem OF
even the lowest loafer in Nashville, and
who, some six weeks since, was the
Oudest clamOrer of all who wished to
start the strike. This man Rea was not
aiken of the engine or ever ordered off /
lutil the train had departed on its reg
llSr schedule, but was compelled to re-
urn by the strikers. The road has been
conducted under its present regime as
ong as we can stand il, as we have hon.
'stly and eandidly lied ourselves out of