Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-03
Engineers on st. Louis and Southeast
ern Road Refuse to 20 Out.

eru Road Refuse 10 20 out,
For several days past there has been some
dissatisfaction existing among the engineers
and mechanics employed st this point by
the st. Louis and Southeastern Road, in
consequences of a delay in tina appearance OF
the compauy's pay-car. 1t is the Gus ON OF
the company to pay their employees eYe:y
month, but of late they have been called
upon to meet heavy demands. and the
financial trouble coming Cd when it did,
has bad the effect Of throwing them back
with their payment
Yesterday sf:ernoon the engineer Of the
2 P. N. passenger train refused to take his
train out, and in this step he was endorsed
by his felloY-engineers and several of the
men in the machine shops, who said they
were not wiling to work longer unless
some assurance We: g given them thst their
pay would be forthcoming shortly.
The shops are located on the Edgefeld
side of the river, and as soon as he heard of
it, Mr.. Dshlgren, the Nashville agent Of the
company, visited the men at the shops,
wher5 he found Mr.. Davenport, G. I. A,
and Maj. Lockhart, who were trying to in-
duce he men 20 resume work, and urged
them 10 return to duty, saying that be would
confer with the main officer at once, and
assuring them that the Company would
act fairly with them. The master mechan
ic, Il. W. Smith, was absent, having gone
up to Henderson to raise an engine, which
backed off into The river sGthat point few
days ago, but Mr.. Cullen, foreman in thu
machine shop, ably seconded the eftOr' 8
made TO induce the men to perform their
duties. No excitensn: was eX3je,ted. and
the men ssid they would Offer no resistance
tc other employees tRsing their places
in the shops, or ssklng, .neir engines. They
seemed to have great confidence in the
judgment OF tEisir foreman, Mr.. Cullen, and
the fact that serious difficulty was averted
is entirely owing TO the efforts he made
co restore harmony. At his solicitation
Ed. johnson, one of the engineers, took
out the freight train yester. az morning,
while Mr.. Tyler, the regular engineer of
the 2 O'Clock P. NJ. passenger train was also
induced by Mr.. Cullen to resume work,
and the train at length got under way, but
was an hour and half behind time. In
the meantime Dahlgren had teiegraphed
Morrill,, Division Superintendent, describ-
ing the condi' ion of affairs, and informing
him that the men were willing to go 10
work again, provided they wee assured CT
getting their back pay within three days
time Gas they agreed to do with Cullen,
ind Davenport,) to which the following
reply was received:
j. A. D.: Inform our men that / expect
to pay July ard August about Monday
next; one-fourth cash and the rest company
cert ficates bearing ten per cent. interest,
due in ninety days. We can get no cur
reRcY from the banks, and must do az they
do. Explain this to them and say we will
take the certificates for freights.
Signed, II. l.. M.
This telegram Mr. Dahlgreen showed to
Mr.. Cullen, the foreman, who made its
contents known to the men, bosh he and
Dahlgreen assuring them that the present
financial trouble would be of shorb dura-
ton so far as the road was concerned.
During the evening, Mr.. Cullen received
the following dispatches, dated st Hen
derson:
Cullen: Everything is all right and 1 will
continue to work.
(Signed.) Ed JOHNSON.
Mr.. johnson is the engineer whoSAad
taken she 6 O'Clock freight train out yesser-
day morning, at Mr.. CQllen's personal So
licitation. The other telegram was from the
master mechanic, and was as follows:
Cullen: Will be home tonight. Every
thing all right,
(Signed.) II. NJ. SMITH.
These telegrams had the effect of restor-
ing confidence among the men, and they
all resumed wo.k k, the freight train going
out in the evening at the regular hour.
A representative Of this paper visited the
shops in the evening, where be found work
being carried on as if no disturbance had
occurred.