The daily gazette., 1877-07-27
HOW THE STRIKE WAS SET
ON FOOr.

The Pittsburg Dispatch says; The
Trainmen's Union, which inaugurated
the present was organized between June
I'd and July 10th. It. was started when
the Pennsylvania Company and Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company ordered the re-
duction ten per cent. in the wages. TO
take effect on June lst Mr.. K. A. Am
mon, then employed on the Fort Wayne
at once proceeded to the organization of
the Union. Three years ago, when the
engineers struck, the firemen took their
positions at the throttle, and there was no
, interruption to business. This time it
was concluded to begin at the other epd
OF the trim, and flagtnen, brakemen,c Com
ductors and firemen, took the oath, which
the members refuse to disclose. Ammon
was the first to sign the roll and take the
oath, and following came the names of
the Fort Wayne men. This was all the
ganlZation there was about 1t. A trip
was made over the b. & o. r! R., by
| by the leaders and trainmen the length
of the line took the oath. About this
time the managers Of the Connellsville
division got wind of the association aud
discharged all the men who had joined
the Union. The work of organization
meantime went on, and strike was Or
| dered for June 9th, the going out of the
4, Fort Wayne men TO be the signal for
general strike on the trunk lines. The
men on the Fort Wayne line weakened,
and the strike did not take place. Mr..
! Ammon predicted that a general strike
| would Iollow the action of the Fort
| Wayne road, and the news by telegraph
from all parts OF the country seem to
Justify his statement. Il he Union was a
strong one, considering that it was little
over month old, The engineers,
although not members OF che Union, are,
neverth less in sympathy with the strik-
ers, and it does not require much intini-
dation to get them to desert their engines
This is the statement made by the lead
ing strikers in the Union.
| Robert A. Anmon, organizer of the
Union, is IN absolute control of the
trains ard property of the FoIt Wayne
and Chicago road al Pittsbuig. Hav-
ling been clothed with full authori y
| by the strikers, he follows his own in
clination in all things. An interview
was had with him yesterday. He was
found in the despatcheI's office, and
about him were lounglng large num-
| beI of the strikers, aud a small group
were in the room with him, seemingly
In the capacity of aids-de-cLme. Am
mon. when questioned, expressed the
situation, as he held II, uniquely. He
said that there were about thousand
men who would obey him without a
question; that they had seized the rail
road ana proposed ta hold and operate
it until the late reduction of wages fol
all tlasseS of emplDyts were done away
with. He said also that he had recei.
we'd offers of aid from body of at le eas
1000 miners but bad refused il, at least
for the present. No troops Of any kiDC
be assert d, should enter tue city ovei
the FoIt Wayne road. Even regulars
)should aot come ia without bloodshed
He and his men would die in theil
tracks, if necessary, before they would
ing of their demands. Ii was proposed
to protect the property of the company
but To hold it. He talked as though ht
liked his position and would be pleaseC
10 CONTINUE in it. he naively expressed
the belief that If the company woulc
pay him 5000 year he Thought he
could convince majority of the strik
ers that they were really not wortt
more than a dollar day 1t was re-
markable spectacle to see gay headed
aud sensible looking me0 enter lh'
room during the conversation and re
celve orders from this man, young
enough to be the son of hulf of them
with an air of the most perfect sub
mission and confidence. Ammon up
peared II ruler hampered by no consul
tutional restriction.