The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-02

Was understood that the tonnage brake
men and fremen we're particularly dis
stfected in consequence Of the order, that
| q serious and formidable strike was TO be
| iuaugurated, which mas since taken
place. When the strike first broke out
l went to Grafton and spoke
to the men and predicted
| just exactly the result which
we see to- night.
I Let US look at the reasonsbleness Cf
the position which you men may occupy.
Nine-tenths of the employees affected by
the reduction accept 1t, recognizing 1t rs
a necessity and ABIDE by it Loyalty. One
tenth or less than One-tenth assume the
position that the railroad company can
not obt in their services upon these
terms, which is perfectly right and prop
er so far rs they then selves are concern .
ed, and regarding which they
have the right TO decide.
But they 90 still further, and
il Is in this that they do wrong. They
sssumelhst, not being contcnted them
selves aud not being willing
to 90 TO work at the re-
duced rates Of psy, they have the
right 10 prevent others from taking |
their places Now, look a. the Conse- !
quences which have flown from this con-
dltion of affairs One-tenth of the men |
affected have stopped the operations OF !
this whole road Had the officers OF the /
company seen proper and had they not |
anticipated an early settlement OF these |
troubles, they would have ordered all /
the shops closed and dispensed with n
large majority of the employees. II the |
road is not operated, no shops are re- |
quircd. They would at once nave order |
ed large reductions of the force on the .
road, and it is safe to say that a. least .
three-f ourths OF all the EMPLOYEES Of this |
company would have been compulsorlly .
idle this day had the company pursued !
that policy which the nCn-recelpt OF |
revenue demanded. But other interests |
besides those of the road itself call i'm !
peratlvely Tor an Immediate mOvement !
OF the tonnage trains. All the local in |
terests on the linc--the lumber-mllls |
our.mills, agricultural interests and |
the public at large who depend up,n |
the line for their supplies Ali demand |
that this unnatural embargo shall be |
raised At the end OF the road are two |
great cities, baltimore and Washing |
ton containing over 100000 people, de- |
pendent IN a great measure upon this ,
road for livelihood aud the means of !
subsistence. This liIe is the great artery |
through which the trade and traffic OF |
these cities must pass. Business OF all
kinds has already begun to lsnguIsh. |
Drsys are idle. stcvedOres and wharf .
hands have nothn; 10 do vessels wait ,
ing for grain, coal, lumber and oil, find |
no Cargoes ready for them, and lay idle !
at the docks IT, consequence OF what?
Because less than one tenth OF |
the employees of the Balti |
more and Ohio railroad COM
pany are dissatisfied with thelr wages .
and are unwilling to step aside and let |
others who are satisfied get on the
trains and carry on !he operations Of the
road.
do not think of attrbuting the riots
which have occurred directly TO you rail
road men. | recognize that there Is too ,
much intelligence and too much good |
sense among the class OF men employed |
on the trains tor them TO be directly .
concerned in such fearful events as oc-
Cured at Pittsburgh, Chicago, Reading !
and Baltimore. am sure 10 such dis
asters were ever contemplated or wished .
for by the Baltimore and OHIO railroad |
men. believe, II 1t was necessary and .
in their power, they would be the first 10
protect the road from devastation and in
Jury. They did not want ruin. But Is
it net the natural sequence Eich HIS
flown from their own aCts2 L. is the .
natural result OF your acts.
Now, | want to say to you men that,
upon investigation, and upon looking
INTO the case, the executive officers OF |
this company are satisfied that some !
wrongs have existed and do exist; that .
there is a condition affairs existing .
which TO some extent bear hard upon .
YOU men. You have IN some cases been .
unable TO earn y reasonable livelihood Tor .
yourselves and your families, and for .
TINT reason You are dissatisfied and have /
s. right t. be. | recognize some other :
grievances which you have had, and .
which | assure you have only within .
the last few days reached my |
ears and been brought to my |
attention. The executive officers can
not be expected, with their many and
OnerouS duties, 10 cover the whole Held.
They are obliged to leave many matters,
even OF Importance, to BE- acted upon NJ
the discretion oil subordinate officers.
You must remember that there are great
financial interests which require their
close supervision and attention. There
are vast sums of money t. be received
and dIsburscd and other vital questions
requiring daily attention. The company
had pushed It's line through 10 Chicago, |
St. Louis, Louisville aud Pittsburgh, In
order to secure an increase OF business
over the road, and thus give you IN
creased employment and satisfactory
wages. But great financial storm
struck the country and we, in common
with the managers OF other large enter
prses. found ourselves involved in Its
consequences Business dropped ct 70
such al extent that there was not suti-
cicnl 10 give the trunk lines tvll employ
mcnt, and the result Is that We have
witnessed series q. railroad wars serious
" reducing rates and earnings. The
railroad complications and competitions,
ana you have MI noted the numerous IN
tervIews with railroad presidents, which
have taken p ace, TO try and rectl ythese
complications, and to prevent the ruInous
cutting of rates. All these troubles have
affected the vital interests Of tins road
Could you expect the executive officers
then to keep themselves posted thorou III
" with sii the details pertaining t. the
transportation, machinery, road and
freight departments, while matters of
such magnitude were constantly re4uir-
ing their attention?
Now, that understand these are
grievances that have crept into the ser
vice OF the company, | am willing and
anxious TO redress them.
say 10 you, AS one of the officers of
this company and with entire power t.