The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1877-07-26
WHAT THE STRIKERS SAY.
Expressed Determination Not to
Resume Work at the Present
Rates.

The strikers say they are deter
mined not to resume work at the
present rates. They were willing,
they said, 10 submit to a reduction
if it had been a moderate one. At
the present rates they could not
make more than four days each
week, which would yield the fremen
and brakemen only 1925 each per
week. They frequently would make
a trip to Martinsburg and be kept
there four days: for this trip they
were only allowed two days pay,
notwithstanding the fact that they
were compelled to pay their own
board at Mastinsburg, and support
their families in Baltimore. They
state the strike is general among the
fremen and brakemen of the freight
trains, who have no association, but
move by concerted Action. The
strikers numter in Baltimore about
one hundred and forty iremen and
brakemen, and nearly as many at
Martinsburg. The strikers say they
will be willing to go to work at the
old wages as they were before this
last reduction of ten per cent. They
can not accept less. 1t was a ques-
ton of bread, and many men run
into debt this last winter from
necessity. Honest men had their
wages attached because they could
not meet their expenses, and the
company issued an order that any
man whose wages are attached shall
be discharged. Many men ad been
compelled to remove their families
from the city, owing to the impossi-
billity OF paying rent and other ex
penses.
The chief grievance of the strik-
ing firemen on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad is that in the last two
years their wages have been reduced
one hundred per cent. They com
plain that the extra Sunday wages
have ceased, that they do no get re
turn passes, where they have no en-
CINE to work back, but have to board
several days at Martinsburg waiting
for job. A rather severe griev-
ance is thus stated by the Baltimore
American:
about 2 P. NJ. possibly a dozen
freight trains, all close together, will
arrive at Baltimore, and the first
man in will have to take the first
train out, generally without rest or
meals and without being able to see
his family. Thus it often happens
that a fireman is on his engine two
days at a stretch without any sleep
and with no food except what he
takes in his bucket. As regards
earnings, it is asserted that about
one-half of the fremen in the EN-
ploy of the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road for long time past, owing to
small wages and the method of
moving trains, after paying ex-
penses at Martinsburg. have not av-
eraged $40 per month for the sup
port of their families. In conse-
quence many of them have lad TO
move outside of the city, NOT being
able even to pay room rent"
This is hard enough on the fire
ulCu DuJ WHtu b1c COuAplu1 dSSCA 70,
whether truthful or not, that bust
hess is so dull that they can pay no
higher wages or make no change in
the running of trains, an armed re
bellion on the part of the aggrieved
firemen can effect nothing save their
discharge and the employment of
men who will submit to such priva-
ton at starvation wages. With
thousands of men out of employ
ment the company can readily OBJ
tain the men to do the work. The
stern fact is that, although the com
oany may be unjust, it has capital
and will triumph, while the firemen,
who likewise perpetrate injustice by
trying to keep other men from do
ing the work they have voluntarily
abandoned, must 60 under. A
labor riot is a very poor cause in
which to shed blood.