Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-03-30
WESTERN LETTER.

cOmUiHdtlOn vi ldliIpduS III Tue COutH
West. In taking trip into that Sec
ton l am becoming unpleasantly
aware that a strike on a big railroad
is disagreeable thing for the COM
pany and great disadvantage to the
business of the country. came
through from Washington taking the
Missouri Pacific R. R. at st. Louis,
travelling on this branch, which is q
part of the important link, 978 miles
in length, which represents capital
of $66, 100000. The net earnings
of this link in this great system o.
railroads last Year was 81 GA 900,
between 6 and Z per cent. This link
extends from St. Louis to Fort Worth
in Texas, and had upon its pay rolls
Is, 460 men. Recently the Compa-
ny cut the pay of all employees ten
per cent, and they Immediately struck
for their original wages. Every man
on the sections, on the trains and en-
gines, in the workshops-everywhere
except those who ran the passenger
trains-quit work. Every freight
train is idle, and from every freight
engine some part is removed and hid
den, so that it cannot be run until
that portion of the machine is re-
turned or made new. At this writ
ing no freight has been moved for a
week, and at all connecting points
there is perfect blockade. The mi
litia has been called out in Missouri
to prevent the destruction of proper
ty and unlawful proceedings. AS |
came through to-day the militia were
seen at different points, and great
crowds of people were gathered at
many stations. At meeting held
here last night by the strikers to see
what they would do with PROPOSE
ton from the officers of the road to
arbitrate, it was unanimously deter
mined that nothing but the restora-
ton of the old rate of pay would be
accepted. One sturdy man, a black
smith, mounted chair and said,
eve are out, and will stsy out till
the huckleberries get ripe, if pay is
not restored" and the whole crowd
cheered, and showed that he voiced
the determination of the whole vast
number present. The sooner Jay
Gould manages to put an end to this
great strike the better it will be for
all parties. 1t Is, of course, impos-
sible TO tell what the outcome will be,
but it is pretty safe to conclude that
the strikers will reap no very sub
stantial benefit from this irregular
and unlawful course.
Last night as our train was within
about 25 miles of this place, our en-
CINE became disabled and we lay out
in the prairie about three hours, while
the conductor walked to the nearest
station and telegraphed for an engine
| to take us in. For some time it
seemed that we might be among the
victims of the strikers through some
connivance of the engineer, but the
sequel proved otherwise.
Central Missouri, through which
l came yesterday, is fine product
i've country. The farmers are busy
harvesting their corn, hundreds of
acres of which stands either in the
stock or upon the stalk as it grew.
AS viewed from the swiftly passing
train, the long rows of golden heaps
just left by the huskers beside each
stock, or the wagon body well filled
with bright, fat ears by those gather
ing from the stalk, presented scene,
not only novel to the eye of the Yer
monter for the first half of March,
but also suggestive of the plenty
with which the land abounded, and
which ought to bring contentment and
independence as we'll. From a pass
ing view, however, should say there
is more of contentment with the PEG.
pie of Missouri than enterprise OF
thrift. The indications On all sides
are of sad lack of progressive pub.
lie spirit, which marks all eastern anC
northern communities. The highways
which are said to fairly Indicate the
civilization of a people, are simply
eXecrable, bridges and culverts being
a rare luxury the fences are few anC
far between; farm buildings CHEAP
and old, with the invariable howell fo
a barn; and the villages and cities
notably Jefferson City, the capital
are filthy and dilapidated. Now, ad(
to this large number of rough look
ing customers gathered at all the larg
stations, many of them armed, ant
most of them carrying unmistakabl
signs of devotion to both the bottl
and the weed, and you have a viey
of central Missouri as seen from tn
window of a Missouri Pacific railwa
car.
The only incident during the da
that sent me home to the snow cla
hills of our little state, was the an
nouncement by the vender of edible
on the train, of new maple sugar
Just from Vermont" A glance at tn
outside, as the boy passed, shove
the sugar to be probably as ancien
J as the civilization Of Missouri-it was
at least, of the same doubtful color
The delay on the prairie lost US on
connection south last night, and as
stepped off the cars into the man