Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-07-25
ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS.
Wednesday, July 25, 1877.
Railway Strikes.

more IL Ohio Railroad refused I
work on account of reduction c
wages which went into effect tn
same day. The strike rapidly ex
tended throughout the line, AM
the strikers got possession Of th'
road, refusing to allow any trains
to run or men to work until thei
demands were complied with
They demand 81 per day for fire
men and brakemen and no reduc'
ton for engineers aud conductors
The railroad officials applied to the
authorities for assistance to quell
the riot and troops were at once
dispatched to various points of the
road. Several encounters between
the troops and rioters have oc-
Cured in which a number of lives
were lost.
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.
At noon, July 10Th, the freight
train men on the Western Division
refused to go out with their trains.
The strike was caused by the COM
pany increasing the number of
freight trains. Heretofore a con-
ductor and his crew ran seventeen
cars. An order lately issued doubles
this number without increasing the
crews. The strikers demand the
wages received prior to June 1st,
1877, be again paid; that en-
ployees who have been dismissed
for taking part in the strike or in
meetings held prior to the strike,
should be reinstated to the positions
held prior to the strike; that class
ification OF each department be
abolished now and forever here
after; that double trains be abol-
ished, except coal trains, and that
each and every engine, whether
road or shifting, shall have its own
fireman. i
The officers of the road claim I
that the double train arrangement {
is simply pretext for the strike. {
For three months past the freight I
business has been very low, and $
many crews have been kept in the T
employment of the company in an =
ticipation of better business. Du- s
ring the past two weeks the de- y
crease of freight has been so heavy y
that the company only had work n
for fifteen or eighteen of the twen- W
ty-six crews in their employ. 81
The strike has extended through is
out the line and the railway officials d.
were obliged to call on the Govern
or of Pennsylvania for assistance. Ia
The State troops were Immediately OF
ordered out to prevent the rioters in
from interfering with the trains. CT
ERIE RAILROAD. m
The firemen and braiemen of til
The Western Susquehanna and 90
Buffalo divisions, July 20, quit work 90
and took measures to prevent any de
train, passenger or freight, from mi
eaving or passing through Hor- tn
lellsville east or west. Simultane- tn
,usly the firemen, brakemen and an
on the Western Divis- 90
on quit work. The Erie men de- an
nand: That all of the men dis be
harged for taking part in any 0O
Meeting or going as committee de
o New York shall be reinstated; cia
'rakemen to receive 50 per day /; am
witchmeD, S2-the head switch 81!
men, 1925; trackmen, in yards, "T
l.50 per day trackmen, on Sec the
ions, to receive S1.40 per day and lar
'ay no rental on the company's ",
except as per agreement res
Iremen to have the same pay or av,
ates Of pay as they received prior est
o July LIST, 1877, and monthly am
asses to be continued the same as or
efore, and passes to be issued to the
rakemen and switchmen. The re- DO,
uction in wages by the Erie Rail- rem
ay Company of 10 per cent. on cdr
uly 1st, 1877, applied only to the nov
oove classes of employees, who cot
ere not effected by the reduction apr
the previous year, and with this Dor
duction in effect train and road fro,
lnds on the Erie Railway now re- cou
i've higher compensation than sta,
~ other Eastern Railroad. "
Besides the above, strikes have cen
CURED on the Pittsburgh, Fort tior
ayne g. Chicago, the Lake Shore deb
Michigan Southern and other bad
les. eau
received July %, con
tie that the city Of Pittsburg is of ,
the hands of lawless mob old