The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-07-18
THE STRIKE ON THE b. 4 o. ROAD.

On the llth OF July, President GAR
RETT issued circular to the employees O.
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
psny, notifying them that, by the actor
of the Board of Directors st meeting
held tnst day, on aud after Monday the
10th the wages OF all persons IN the
employ OF said company whose wage;
amounted to more than one dollar pei
day, would be reduced 10 per cent. Thl;
order WAS circulated along the road, and
when the 10th arrived, about 40 of the
hremen and bIakemen al Baltimore
quit work, and their places were
promptly filled and no jar In the run
ming of trains occurred. AT Martinsburg
some 25 or 30 6remen and brakemen on
the freight trains left their work and
the company placed new men in their
stead. This proceeding the strikers re-
sisted, and by mob violence drove the
new men from their posts and prevented
the movement Of any freight trains. The
subsequent history OF the matter is de-
tailed in our local and telegraph columns
1t seems that the strike has assumed
pretty large proportions, extending along
most of the line from Baltimore to Graf
ton, aid that the freight engineers and
conductors, and pretty much all of the
employees of the company have become
involved either by open acts or demon.
STATIONS of sympathy. Every person
along the line who has grievance
against the road, or thinks ne has, is
found contributing his moral Tor immoral
aid to the riotous proceedings, not hop
ing TO benefit the strikers or
themselves in any way, but
only gratifying their own per
sonal spleen in The premises.
Even the military companies along the
line in the service of the State are found
to be largely composed OF railroad men
or their immediate friends and cannot be
relied upon To aid in quslling any rlotous
demonstrations upon the part ot the
strikers In this condition of affairs the
Company's officers called upon Gov.
MATHEWS for aid, and further requested
him to ask the nited States Govern
ment to send out Il company OF regular
troops from Fort McBenry. The first
request was promptly granted by the
Governor but the latter declined.
This reduction in the wages of work
men is u grievous hardship, but the de-
pressed condition of the business inter
ests OF the country has made it neces-
ssry. Mr.. GARRETT says that his com
panv had hoped to avoid it, notwithstand
IN : all the great rival lines had made q
similar reduction months ago. The
hardship is especially severe upon the
iremen and brakemen. The wages o!
the former were $l.75 per day, and the
latter something less. This WAS about ~
little as they could get along on, consider
ing the uncertainty OF steady work
These men work by the trip. A fireman
NAV be ordered to fire train from here
/ 10 Grafton, and then he may be ordered
to lay off tor something TO turn up. H'
may be compelled to lie there on expense
two, three or four dsys-only having re
ceived pay for the one days work
But these hsrdships are the newt
able results of the Government policy
which is plunging every interest o
labor into ruin. Riotous resistance, how
ever, by men who cannot afford 80 wori
for these wages, will do TO good. Th
railroad will get men who will serve 1t n
its price not serve 1t rs we'll perhaps
but serve it. If those who decline Il
work for the price persist in their inter
ference, the strong arm of the law vii
COMPEL them to stand hands of. If the!
will not work they have no right to pre-
vent others from doing so--nor have
they a right to cause the interests of th'
public to suffer by clogging the move
ments of the produce of the country.
We hope that by the time this pspe1
reaches lis readers, everything like re-
slstance to lawful authority will have
ceased snd all be working smoothly again