New-York tribune., 1874-04-09
THE ERIE STRIKE.

FULL PARTICULARS OF TIE STRIKE AT sUsQUE-
HAHN, STATEMENT OF j. c. CLARKE, THIRD
yrCE-PREsIpENr or THE ERIE RAILWAY COM
PANY
A reporter of THE TRIBUNE called upon
J. c. Clarke, Third vce-Presdcnt OF the Erie Rail
WAY Company and obtained from him the following
statement the recent trouble with their employees al
susGuehanna. lIr. Clark sad The trouble began at
A. m, Wednesday morning, March 25 The reason
claimed by The men for the strike that their wages
had not been promptly paid, and they demanded in
future regular aud fixed payday or about the 18Th
NJ each month They were told that this would be
impossible, but that the Company designed to
pay its employees soon alter the payrOhS
were received and audited and returned the paymasers
on the lne possible, usually between the l5th ana
25h In this instance however the pay master dd nOt
reach susquehanna until the evening OF the 2'th after
the men had struck He prepared to pay them the
next morning for the month Of February, and it was
proposed to them tha thy receive the money and 90 to
work. This they refused TO do unlesst te officers Woud
pledge themselye,that fixed day for payment sLouid
be established The Company declining to accede to thls
the men left the shops, and by force stopped the trains
both passenger and freight and would listen to no
propostons Whatever from the officers then at Sus-
quehanna Finding expostuations Of no avail, the
Sheriff of Susauehanna County sent for and during
Thursday Friday, aud Saturday he vainly tried TO
make terms with the strikers and persuade them 10
allow The trains During this time the position
OF the Sheriff toward the Company was that the men
should be paid of in full before he could summon
posse and put officers in possession of their property
Gen Vim. H. Jessup of MontrOse, counsel OF the Com
nanv was sent for Thursday On Saturday afternoon
the agreed to permit the passenger trains 10 run,
but refused to permit freight trains TO be moved to or
from SusGuehanna until all paid or until the Com
many acceded to their demands. At this time Gen.
Jessup stated to the Sheriff that unless he tecgaphed
fla nin hn
would do so himself aud state the real situation of
affairs. The men had been advised by counsel that
they had right to stop trains and take
possession OF the property until their demands
were complied with, and that what they had
already done in violation OF the law. Saturday
evening, between 4 and o'clock, the men having re-
scnded their promise admit the passage OF trains,
the Sheriff elegraphed the Governor for 1900 troops,
and Gen. Osborn and his command arrived about IL a.
M on Sunday the 29th u The presence OF the soldiers
ncensed the citizens much that they teeGaphed to
the Governor that all was quiet, and that there
necessity for any militia that Illegal acts had been
comatted by any OF the strikers tney kn0WlDg al the
time that trains had been stopped, more than 80 loco
motive gnes disabled aud also the large stationary
engine which furnished the never i3r % dTSihg nn te
had possession OF the shops and property OF the Com
pany Gen. Osborne so telegraphed to the Governor,
and by Monday noon tho military force on guard. in
elndpc one company Of artillery consisted Of 775
Sunday morning, Mr.. Clark continued arrived at
to the car which was kept as the headquarters OF
the strikers, and demonstrated with them. re-
Guested them to return at the duplicate pieces
of machinery which had been taken from the loco
motives TO return TO their shops ana TO permit the
officers OF the road TO assume control again. also
stated TO them that the paymaster was there and
was ready TO pay them in fun up to the 25th OF March
The Committee OF the strikers asked what conditions
would be offered them and submitted them In writing
They TO the effect that all trains Should De run
without interference as they could be made up;
the paymaster TO pay of all the men, beginning
Se Se considered on as out Of the companys service
the Company TO employ all sucn men as they
in su-quehanna the men TO pledge themselves 10 offer
no further interference, and in this event the Company
woud not cause any for anything done during
the strike. The men asked until Monday morning "
consider and vote upon these propositions This was
granted and in the meantime the passenger trains were
started east and west Monday morning at o'clock
the met aud voted on the proposition; S26 voted
atey afterward, called upon the shern 70 pnt the
Company in possession OF IT'S property ana tns was
easily effected. Locomotives for moving the trains nay
ing arrived by halfpast trains we're regularly dis
patched, and from that time there was no
day / informed Gen. Osborne that thought
there was no further necessity for the troops
felt assured that the 424 men not voting at the
meeting would be ready TO resume work a. soon as the
shops were opened Tuesday afternoon . meeting was
$40 of the former employees and number OF eltzens
e morninS Ar and II sufBcient number Of work.
did Mt to resume their duties by D. the shops
would be closed and locked, and the machinery re-
moved TO such points as might be Necessary 70 secure
the proper repairs 10 the locomotives told them that
/
any from them; that the Company would
continue to do 10 had hitherto done,
dealing Justly and fairly by It's employees.
Upward Of 800 went To work on Wednesday morn
ing and about at Ii then determined
not put large force for the present, the num-
ber in the shops then was spicient 10 MAINTAIN ana
keep the current running repairs During this time
the sentiments of the residents OF eusquehanns had
dergone great change. They realized the fact that
In all probability not more than Oneaf the former force
would be employed at the Susquehanna shops for some
time to and that the monthly disbursements at
that point would be largely reduced affecting their bust
well TO the value OF property Prior 10 this
strike the Company had disbursed about $4,000 per
month at Susquehanna while with the present force
the amount will exceed $4,000 L remained in
susquehanna TIL Friday last. Before leaving large
number Of citizens called upon me, and assured me that
need anticipate further trouble there. and on
Thursday received the assurances from the
who had returned work. Many of the latter stated
that they had worked for the Erie Company for twenty
years pact and felt ashamed that they had permitted
themselves TO be drawn from their work, by mob of
excited That their savings were invested in build
ing themselves homes In that place and that IN future
they would protect the Conpanys property as their
left directions with tue officers la charge OF the
shops 10 employ hereafter, as far as possible, Only
wOrkmen who had families, ana were interested IN the
and welfare OF the community IN which they
lived All the trains OF the road are now running
re glar time has there been any interruption any
way snce they resumed on Sunday last. Susquehanna
OF the most quiet orderly, aud law-abidng
places be found the line or the Erie Railroad aud
have no fear OF any future trouble ~ that point