The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-13
THE STRIKE.
The Boston Il Maine Engine Drivers
Declare War-Every Member of the
brotherhood Leaves his Engine-Their
Places Supplied by Other Men.

| SASSA
that unless the demands of the engine mel
were complied with that every man belonging
to the Locomotive Brotherhood of Engineers
as well as the firemen on the several trains
would quit work. The Superintendent at onct
notified his several agents to have spare mel
who had been already engaged, put on tn,
trains to take the places of the strikers wher
the hour arrived for them to leave. Accord
ingly every possible preparation was made I,
prevent, if possible, any interruption in tbt
running of trains. The traiB which left here a
3 o'clock was under the charge of Conductor
Weymouth and the engine was driven by Mr.
Whidden. 1t was expected that on arriving al
Kennebunk at o'clock that Whidden and his
fireman would step down from the cab, and ar
engineer and fireman were placed in the pas
senger car to take their places at that time
But to the surprise of all their expectations
were not realized.
At just o'clock when the train was about
three miles this side of Kennebunk the engi-
neer unshackled his engine from the train and
ran on ahead and out of sight before the train
hands scarcely knew what was up. The engi-
neer who had been provided was instructed to
run ahead and try TO capture the engine. Ac-
companied by the fireman and some of the
train hands they started in pursut. When
within few rods of the engine which was
standing on the track, Engineer Wbidden re-
versed and ran by the pursuers. Thus they
kept running back and forth until o'clock
| when the fire was dumped and the steam and
water let off. The striking engineer and his
fireman then left the engine on the track.
| While this was going on the train from Boston
| due here at O'clock was having exactly the
same difficulty the other side of Kennebunk.
At just eight minutes before o'clock as the
train had left Wells Depot, the engineer and
his fireman escaped with the engine, leaving
the train in motion.
Efforts were made to capture the engine but
| failed. There was nothing then to do but wait
until the arrival of the second train from Bos-
ton, which arrived at little past seven. The
engineer had struck, but new man was in his
place. With the help of this engine the other
train was taken into Kennebunk, and the new
engineer having obtained the engine left by the
strikers, began to prepare to get up steam.
Then the one good engine was sent down the
track to recover the engine Whidden bad left.
This was taken to Kennebunk as we'll as the
train to which it belonged, and the two
trains for Portland were made into one and at
II 30 left Kennebunk for here arriving at LIS.
Tho train for Boston did not leave Kennebunk
until about 10 o'clock. The passe myers on ar
irving here were taken to the hotels at the ex-
pense of the company. While waiting on the
road they succeeded in reaching some houses
where they got refreshments.
Just before o'clock Mr.. Stevens, the agent
of the road in this city, visited the round house
and placed it in charge of man not connected
with the Brotherhood. At the same time word
was sent to the police station for force of DO
Hcemen to be in attendance to prevent any
overt act on the part of the strikers Marshal
Bridges detailed eight officers who were des.
patched to the round house to watch events.
There was no movement on the part of tbs
men to modest any of the property of the COM
pany on the arrival of the police, and it was
then thought there would be none Toward
night, however, some one attempted to let off
the steam on one engine which was fired I'D for
duty. At the same time some one else ATTEMPT
ed to let off the water from another engine
AT this juncture the officers mounted the cabs
OF the several engines and refused to let any
but authorized men approach them. Seeing it
was useless to attempt further mischief the
men retired from the scene. The police were
relieved at O'Clock and another force were
kept on duty the remainder of the night
A large crowd of men gathered at the depst
in the afternoon and remained until late in the
evening to watch events. Ali the satisfaction
they obtained was witnessing the ACTS of the
men in charge of the shifting engines in the
yard. One of these engines was run down on
the wharf of the company, and at four o'clock
the fire was dumped and all the water drawn
from the tank and the toiler. 1t is also stated
that the eccentric rods were changed so as to
partially disable the engine. The men stopped
in the cab until six o'clock, which was accord
ing to agreement, to prevent any damage bong
done by outsiders, and then left. The other
engine was stopped in the yard, and the fire
dumped and the water let off. They remained
where left until in the evening when an engine
was taken from the round house and both of
the shutters were taken back to the house.
In Boston the through trains were supplied
with engineers but all the local trains could
not be accommodated and were not run. A
large number of persons DESTROYS to reach their
homes out of town, were thus detained, but no
such acts as occurred at Kennebunk took place
on the other end os the line At Great Falls
the engines were run into the roand-house and
left.
The company say that they have sufficient
force Of engine drivers and fremen engaged to
run all the regular passenger and the most i'm
portant freight trains. Accordingly the trains
are expected to run as usual to-day and here
after. The company is determined to beat the
Brotherhood at any cost
The strikers are equally confident of success.
They say that they do not intend to modest the
new raen by force, but are to try and buy them
off. This was ATTEMPTED on one man yesterday
but failed. They are Of the opinion that if
they offer them $40 per day to lay still when
the road only gives them So 40 to work, they
will accept the former. Just how long they
can afford to pay IS men 5000 day to lay still,
is not known.
just when the end of the strike will come it
is hard to tell as both parties consider this a
test case. The company say that if the men
beat them there will then be strike on every
road where the engineers see the least chance
to again be successful
How WE LOOK IN OTHER EYEs.-The I'M
fortunate city of Portland, Me-, finds itself