Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-08-01
strike on the c., q. 4 Q.

strike on the c., B. T. @.
From the Daily of the 18th Of July
At last the railroad strike which
has caused so much trouble, loss of
property and life in the eastern states
has reached our own little city, and
at 8 o'clock this morning all the en-
ployees engaged in running freight
trains on the G. B. Il q railroad quit
work in a body. 1t was hoped that
this action could be avoided and that
no disturbance of the interests of
trade would occur and that business
would continue as pleasantly rs here
tofore. But such is not the case.
AS the COURIER has previously sta
ted secret meetings have been repeat
edly held in this city and elsewhere
along the line at which the grievaces
of the men were fully discussed. 1t
was finally decided to appoint COM
mittec to wait on the authorities
and state their case, which was done
and no satisfaction of a tangible char
actcr received. A committee of del
cgates from along the line, the Hack
eye says, waited upon Mr.. Perkins,
Vice President of tho road, at Bur-
lington, last night, and demanded a
restoration of the wages paid last
September. lie asked for time to con.
suit the Board of Directors. The
men refused and after holding an.
other meeting gave notice that no
freight trains would be allowed to run
after 8 o'clock this morning at which
time the movement was formally in.
augurated in Burlington, this city al
well as at every other town of any
consequence along the road. They
ask for an increase of about ID pei
cent, and that there should be M
classification of employees. It ha
been the policy of the road to pa,
larger salaries to those who had beer
longest in service, but this the men, i
is said, for some reason, refuse t.
agree to, and a uniform rate wa
asked for. The officers asked for 81,
: days time 10 consider the matter, bu
r the committee decided that the,
I could only have as many minutes
l The conference proved fruitless, an
notice was given that the strike woul'
be inaugurated promptly at9 o'cloc
. this morning.
= In this city, when the hour of min
O'Clock arrived, the men in charge G
the switch engines were notified this
. their "ponies' were wanted in tn
! round-housc Immediately; that II
pairs were necessary, and as bushes
!. seemed a little slack, the presel
6 would be good time to have the
It ovcrhauled. The engineers agreed
# the proposition Immediately, di
e mounted from the engine, and it WI
IS carefully put away. At noon gray
,e train was brought into the yards; IL
men were ordered to drop their sho
els, and the engineer and fireman to
r to leave the train, which order W
as obeyed without much argument. Til
" engine was also quietly put away
N its stall, after the train had been sid
DO tracked.
ne There is no apparent exciteme
We about the matter, while the men ne
in or were better behaved, and ,
he are assured by the men that
lawless violence will be permittt
and that they, themselves, propose
rd see that no damage is done to t
it. property of the Railroad Compa,
". in any respect. No attention will
G. paid to passenger or mail trains, a
he they will be permitted to arrive a
zee depart as regularly as usual.
At noon, between two and thu
I'm hundred men had gathered at
he depot, all dressed in their Sund
clothes, and were discussing the 81
alton rs calmly as if everything v
running smoothly. These men, t
''' very large extent, we are person
w. " acquainted with, and, while til
aic may think the Company has impos
ifs upon them, we arc quite certain Il
,er no lawlessness will be INDUCED in
tial permitted by them, and people n
to rest as secure, so faras their prope
es- is concerned, as they could six mon
ell ago.
to The result Of this action cannot
he present be foreseen, and unless
riff Company recedc from their pres
re- position, which they are not at
hat likely to do, there will be compl
The stoppage of all freight business O
or the road, leading to any amount
aid trouble and inconvenience to busil
ICE. men all over the country.
,gh The employees of the X. q d. M
rhe r. are still at work under the or
ON which went into effect July LIST,
call are very FESTIVE, but il is not thou
do that they will strike at present
rer- freight is received on that road,
an cept in a local way, and but very
tie of that.
at 1t is understood that the emplt
wifi Of the st. L. X. G. e. N. have
refused to work Where the
'on' will be no man knows but W
a' ever may happen we should cou
W. moderation.
ac-
Inns Daily of July Goth.
htly The strike in this city has beer
saw augurated as peacefully as the {
ton of Sunday School officers
ow- country school district. A lar
attended but quiet and orderly !
I. j. lie meeting, was held last night at
ing Opera House, which was calm
.ho dignified in all its transactions. I
KILL also had a private meeting at
The roundhousc this morning, at WI
! off notb;no was done bevond the
omt pointment of delegates to Burl
the ton in place of those who retul
par last night. At noon the whole f
g OF were gathered on the platform al
s'' the depot, probably two hundre
The number, and were calm and a
vere rently disinterested spectators of
aow usual panorama of that place.
MY T., oo,vorso,;o, with a Co,p,r,