The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-04
NOT MUCH LIKE A LOCKOUT
Manager Talmage Gives His Version of
the Trouble with the Knights.
It Is Probable an Early Adjustment of the
Trouble Will Be Reached-Strikes and
Labor Interests Elsewhere.
THE WABASH TROUBLE.

Manager Talmage Tells How the Trouble
Arose with the Shopmen.
ST. Louis, Mo-, Sept. 3.-Chairman e. v.
Powderly and General Secretary Frederick
Turner, of the national executive boards of the
Knights Of Labor, arrived here this morning, to
attend conference with Manager Talmage, of
the Wabash this afternoon Mr. Powderly is
dumb upon the subject of the meeting, but Sec
rotary Turner says that he does not spprehend
any difficulty in settling the differences between
the roads and the knights and the instructions
Of Jay Gould to his subordiEates practically
eompels them TO accede to the demands of the
national board, as presented at the meeting In
New York last week lie says that the rein
statement of all knights suspended last June
will be insisted upon. A list of these men has
been prepared, and will be handed to Mr. Tai
mage with the request that they be put to work
Immediately. He looks for brief and satiSfac-
tory conference.
Messrs, Powderly and Turner held two confer
Onces with General Manager Talmage, of the
Wabash railroad, this afternoon with view to
final settlement of the differences and troubles
between the organization and the road Mr..
Talmage furnishes the Associated Press with the
following statement as embodying all the main
points of the conference, and as representing his
eide of the controversy: Il had very
full and friendly discussion OF matters
showed them there had been no discrimination
against the Knights of Labor. Both Messrs.
Barnes and Martin stated that when they were
ready to open the shops on the 9th OF June,
which was ten days after closing them, they
sent word to 80 per cent. of the men who had
formerly been in the employ Of the company
that they were going to open on said road to day.
and would like to have them come back and go
TO work. Of course they could not find employ
ment for all Of them as there was
allowance
would admit Of. These men did not see fit to
accept of this. because they were not all invited
TO como back, and therefore Messrs Martin and
Barnes had to employ other men; but find upon
looking over the pay-ros for August, 1885, we
had on the 9th of that month out of total of
2,498 men in the service of the company, ], 1884
were in service before the shops closed on
June Is. This applies to shopmen only, and
does not include engineers and fremen, and
shows that FOYER twc-thirdsEof the men now in
service in these departments were old employees
and there has been no lockout or discrimination
On my part or on the part of other officers of the
company. proposed to the chairman to-day
thar would employ these men they desired me
10 employ as rapidly as business and earnings
would Justify, taking them in the following ORDER
First, men who have families and homes of their
own at points where they have been workpg
second, men with families residing
ut points where they are employed
but who do not own homes; third, young men
who have no families and married men whose
families do not live where they have been at
work, and who are known as floating machinists
and mechanics. Our present force Is 57S less
than il was in June. This show we could not
have given employment to all who asked for
work.
The conference continued more than an hour,
and all points of difference were discussed.
After receiving Colonel Taimage's propo-
sition, Messrs. Powdery and Turner re-
turned TO the Planters House and held
q conference with the Wabash COM
mittee. which resulted in the rejection of the
proposition of Col. Talmage Another conference
will be held at the Wabash Office tomorrow, at
which Mr.. Thomas E. Tut, one of the receivers
of the Wabash road, will be present, when
Messrs. Powderly and Turner will formally
demand the withdrawal of what is known
as the lockout order of June 10TH
what the result of this will be no one can tell,
but certainly the difficulty is not yet settled
Mr.. Powderly will leave here tomorrow night
for the Southwest, but he denies that he goes
there to take part in the Texas strike and says
the strikers there haze asked for no aid from
him.