Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-10
SOUTHWESTERN STRIKES.
RECEIVER BROWNS EXPLANA-
TON OF THE TROUBLE.

plOyed on the Bridge and Tunnel at 81.
LOuis-Strset Cor Hands strike at
TrOy-New York's Carpenters VictOri-
Gus.
ST. LOUIS, March 9.-The condition OF
affairs in relation to the strike Of the en-
ployes Of the Gould Southwest system Is
as follows: No freight Of any kind 10
allowed to pass over the tracks OF the
Missouri Pacific railway, and cOnse-
quently cars loaded with merchandise TO
be shipped from the city can find no exit.
Many are laden with perishable property,
ana great loss will result from their de-
tention unless they can be unloaded and
the cargOes stored in safer places. The
grain elevators are the worst sufferers
thus far from the blockade. There is an
abundance of grain already Inspected
and In the yards, tut not bushel OF IL
can be gotten TO the elevators. The num-
Der of cars thus locked within sight IN
one yard is about 100. and there are enough
scattered along the tracks within few
miles Of the elevators to swell the total
TO 200 cars. None Of the grain can be
moved until the strike is at an end.
OTHER LINES AFFECTED.
In other lines Of business the effects of
the strike are also felt to greater or less
extent, the wool and cotton trades beng
the greatest sufferers. AS regards a set
tlement OF the strike, neither side is will
ling TO make a definite statement. The
Of1cials OF the railroads say their men
have no grievance with them. and that 1t
is impossible TO reinstate discharged fore
man Hall, at Marshall, Tex, as they have
no authority there. The knights of
| q hOF 40 M
to call a conference OF the officers
of the railroads at this point, as
they are striking now simply in sup
port of the action taken by their brethren
IN Texas, and that the matter must be
settled with the receiver of the Texas Pa
cific, and then, and not until then, can
any of the striking knights return to
work.
The most important and serious devel-
opment Of the strike at this point and that
which will result most disastrOusly to
passenger traffic is the extension to the
yard and switchmen OF the Bridge and
Tunnel Company. This move includes
ali the employees of the company except
the engineers and fremen. The superin-
tendent of transfer and three yard mas
tiers will attempt to make transfers as
usual.
THE CLERICAL FORCE DISCHARGED.
The managers of the Missouri Pacific
railway offices in this city to-day notified
their clerks that they had decided to relieve
them from duty indefinitely. This action
has been taken by the company in order
to curtail as much as possible their eX-
penses during the cOntinuaqce of the
knights OF Labor strike upon their road /.
The order affects 80 telegraph operators
and 200 Office clerks.
THE BRIDGE AND TUNNEL.
The significance of the strike OF the
switchmen of the Bridge and Tunnel COM
panies can be better understood when 1t
is known that 225 men are employed in
the handling OF the traffic which passes
over the bridge, and that it is not possible
for four men at each end of the bridge to
throw the switches and perform other
duties incidental to the business, A
labyrinth of tracks converge at the
entrance to the bridge and
tunnel on both sides of
the river, and the switches are worked
by an automatic and complicated system
of levers which can only be Tanaged by
mel trained to their use. The places of
the laborers about the yards might be
readily supplied, but switchmen skillful
in the manipulation of the switching con-
trivances now employed and possessing
knowledge of the trains, are made by ex-
perience, and their places cannot be sup
lied by green hands.
RECEIVER BROWNS EXPLANATION.
A very long statement containing all
the material facts in connection with the
strike on the Texas and Pacific railroad
made by eX-GOv. Brown, receiver of that
road, has been received here. The essen
tial parts Of the statement are as follows
Alter stating the fact OF the appointment
of receivers Of the road by Judge Pardee,
OF the United States Circuit Court, on
Dec. Is last, MIR. Brown says:
About Dee. 10 Receiver Brown went to
Marshall to supervise the transfer of
the property and to arrange for paying
the rolls due the employees for the previous
month. On reaching the shops he was
waited upon by three gentlemen repre-
senting themselves as a committee OF the
employees of the shops and asked if the re-
ceivers would confirm and ratify an agree
ment made in March, 1885, with the then
management OF the Missouri Pacific sys-
tenn defining the relation OF the manage
ment and The employees.
THE COURTS SWAY.
Receiver Brown replied that he and his
associates had been appointed by the
court to control and operate the property
under the orders OF the court, to be from
time to time modified; that the receivers
we're mere agents or officers of the court,
and that no contract or agreement could
be made by the receivers without the
authority or sanction of the court.
Receiver Brown on his return to Texas
in January received q communication
purporting to come from William Moore,
Chairman and others, signed as a COM
mittee, which again drew his attention 10
the agreement, a copy OF which was en-
closed, and also a code Of regulations.
which they expressed an earnest wish
that he would indOrse.
Receiver Brown replied to this substan-
TALLY as he had verbally replied to the
other committee. MIR. Brown then pro-
ceeds by saying that the reasons why the
receivers could not make the proposed
agreement are obvious. A prominent
one is that il the receivers were TO make
such an agreement the management OF
the road would pass from the control OF
the court into the hands of the Knights OF
LaOOr. Mr.. Brown says the refusal OF
the receivers to sign the foregoing agree.
ment is the sole cause OF the strike.
Judge Brown adds: "Much has been
said about the discharge Of G. A. Hall
foreman Of the freight car shops. Hall
was an incompetent man, not acceptable
to the employees"
AN ORDER FOR DIsMIssALs.
This morning an order was issued by
II. NJ. Hoxie, first yice-president Of the
Missouri Pacific road, TO the heads of all
the departments OF the road, 10 at once
dispense with the services OF every clerk,