, 1881-08-21
A Strike Of All the Railroad EN-
ployes in tho Country
Feared.
The Hen Claim that They Can Hold
Out for Six Months.
Departure Of n Surveying Party for the
Northern Pacific in Oregon.
4 Chicago Architects Plans for a Union
Depot in Cincinnati.
i Slight Increase in EastDouud Freights During
The Past Week.

TIE EASTERN STRIKE.
Special Dispateh to The Chicago Tribune.
OLEAS. n. T., Aug, 2o.-For some time
past it has been whispered in railroad circles
that the train hands, engineers, 1reluen,
brakemen, and other employees running trains
of prominent railroads through the country
would inaugurate a general strike for re-
turn to wages paid previous to 1877, which
would it is said, increase the present rates
of compensation between 10 and Is per cent,
the difference in percentage being rated ac-
cording to the department the operative is
employed in, and the character and extent of
his labor. The organizers of the move
1nent are the chieftains OF the Trainmen's
Union, Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engi-
neers, and Railroad Firemen's Association,-
three Of the most powerful tradc'-union or
ganiZations in the country. It has been as
serted several times that arrangements have
been completed for the inauguration of a
contest between the operatives and the rail-
road corporations, and tho hands operating
nearly all the leading lines Of railroad were
to go out as soon rs the signal should be
given. 1t was originally designed that the
strike should be inaugurated the 1st of the
current month, but by some hitch III the ar
rangements of the leaders OF the striking
movement. and by the announcement that
the Pennsylvania, the New York Central, the
Lake Shore e. Michigan Southern, and few
other conpa1ies Of lesser prominence would
voluntarily raise their employees pay, the
program first arranged was changed, and
then the intelligence was flashed through
the country that the date Of the great labor
uprising would be the I'D of this month u1l-
less otherwise ordered. While the conspira-
tors are perfectlng their plans for starting
the strike, other labor agitators are visiting
railroad centres for the purpose of sowing
the seeds of discord saad dissenslon, urging
organization and Fastening the conflict be-
tween labor and capital BY this means.
Several local strikes have been commenced.
Desiring to obtain some detlnit news
as to the date of the contemplated
strike, your correspondent interviewed the
conductor and engineer OF q train standing at
the Erie depot. Both the conductor and engine
driver admitted, in replY to the question as to
tho PROSPECTS OF q strike and their condition with
the Trainmcn's Union and Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Engineers, that they were members OF
the associations mentioned; but, when interro-
guted as to their knowledge Of tho anticipated
labor upheava the arrangements perfected,
and date of opening Eostilities, they wisely
shook their heads, Winke1 nt each other. and as
serted that they did not know nay more about
the mattor than what had already been re-
ported in the papers, and had no
news whatever to imparL- The engineer, II
splendid specimen Of our muscular, Intelligent,
brave. aud practical workingtnen, after th7
conductor had depnrted to attend to his duties,
stated that he believed meeting OF the discon-
tented and grumbiing traiu1nen had been held
at towns on many divisions Of the line, but he
WIS not informed us to the result OF the dello-
erutions, and, cyen If he knew the character Of
tho proceedings. his allegiance to bis Brother
hood and utIiiiAtion with other railroad organ
ixadons forbade his dvulgtug any secrets Just
at this juncture the conductor sS1fAicd with his
Iuntcrn for the train TO start Tue engineer
rot down from his seat in the cab, opened the
throttle valve, aud the long and heavlly-loaded
freight train pulled out on its career westWard
There is but little change to note to-day IN the
conflict between switchmen aud track opera
tves aud railroad conpa',ies me othclus q tne
Erie s. Western, and New York. Pennsylvania
s Ohio are still working industrously to get
blockaded trains moving eastward and west
ward. and, while they ire working very snort
handed, they arc getting considerable freight
out Of tho yards. Tie greatest difficulty
In moving trains Is experienced o At poa,s ottas'
coupling pins from the cars. The announce
lnen1 OF Superintendent Cable that the men now
Vnrk aKe Ike Eric ri Western aroad Company
has =; {: Created much excitement. This Is par1cu-
lnrly tho case where the mon have long been
homes at points on the Western Division of the
road This official proclamation has likewise en-
ccudcred tierce spirit OF Indignation and retail
tuition OIL the purt OF the nalconteuts, and IL IS
apprebended troubles OF serious nature may
vet nrise. The trims now running Aro netns
operated by green hands. Ihe railroad oInce1s
schouled In the different departments Of work
they have been assigned to perform their duties
completely within q few weeks Onc of strikers
road and tho labor on this division. 1t would be
extremely difficult for new crews OF freight
tr,linmcn to operate the trims properly under
not less than several mouths. and then they
would huve 10 be Instructed 10y old and exper-
fenced runners on the line. The dctortion
to freight transportation is very notceM, ,,,;t !,
bic at all points, long trains loaded with
valuable merchandise, grain, cattle. and othot
freight obstructing the trncks At 0lean uornells-
willie, Duukirk, Cuba, Welisvi'Ic, frsmasnlp
Division. At HorncllsvIle and Dunkirk the
embargo is very great: The vast pctro!cun'
trnilic Of both tho New York, Lake Eric s. West
cru md the New York, pennsytvania e sSia1 y oh.d
Roads is greatly checked. On the bradford
Branch Of the former road, which Is the outlc'
Of tho oi-producing country OF western fenns M,
crude and refined olcauinous product arG stand
Ing. 4 like state Of affnirs exist ut Wellsy1llc,
Friendship, and elsewhere where .l Sn,R
stem, eurporation's Inns. The business 0t the
Ruffalo. New York s. PhilAdclphia, Phi]adea-
mia & Erie Lehigh Valley, Huralo, PittsburG
s. Western Pcnnsy!varln, Allegheny VAalty
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. ana New lors
Central Railroad Companies, and Empire. kcd.
White, and Union Transportation Lines i
njpe lines, or Standard Oil Company, IS likewise
Experiencing great delay, The lntest intelii-
ucI1ce FROM Buffalo is to the following eueet;
| ali tho day and night n1ea have gone O onI !.
Their wages ranged IRON Sl.'Sh 70 FL
nor day. and their demand Is that the,
be paid au advance Ut III per ceht
which will bring their earnings up 70 the SAINT
rate tney we're before the reduction took placc
Ouly eight frci.sht trains were ssnt OUT OF tne
yarts yesterday, and they were nade up @ US
! night before. The movement Of freight from
Enst HrtraIo is consequently at complete
| staudstill. The passenger trains are running ~
| usual The switchmen AROUND tno depot nAst
alan nt,t work, Most Of the strikers have gone
| to their homes, and everything Is uuieI II =
| sill feared the brakenen and refncn Wall fol.
| IoE the acsion OF the swttchlnen. y daspatcI
| fro,n IorueIlsvile says tho st7kcrs na't
| ali hcen paid or. and new hauds en1neeu
| The discharged men have caused some trnuu.t ~
| by turning switches III front Of some OF INT
frofns and in one instance nil was torn up
| h,1r no delay was occusiOued Meetlnss or uleu'-
bers Of the Trainmeu's Union. through whose ~
! t}ucnce tic long be remembered Strike our
fnr fho summer of 1877 was caused. arc IN
ur1,nced To be held this evenn: Ut sever:
noints In the strlke-ntItcted district, and II u
NOT at nil improbable that q general Etflkt
| NAV he ordered. 4 prominent o1ncaal 81
| thi3 powerful organization. whose memoessn.t
| ia nearly 1,U00.U0, Incorporating every depAre,
ment OF railway service. anu Wnose innuen1s " ~
| extends to every State and Icrr1tosy IA a,t tue
A. waE never In 0eI-