The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-10
THE LABOR QUESTION.
The Situation Upon the South
western Railroads Unchanged.
No Freight Trains Allowed to Run
over the Roads.
Artisans in New York and HayerhIii
Mass, Gain Their Point.
Chicago Boot and Shoe Manufac-
turers Agree to Dispense with
Convict Labor.

ST. LOUIS, March 9.-The condition of
affairs In the strike upon the Gould south.
western system Is such that no freight of
any kind is allowed to pass over the tracks
of the Missouri Pacific railroad, and conse-
quently cars loaded with merchandise to be
shipped from this point can find no exit.
Many are laden with perishable goods, and
great loss will result from their detention,
unless they can be unloaded, and the car
goes stored in safer places. Grain elevators
are blockaded the worst thus far. There is
an abundance of grain already inspected and
in the yards, but not bushel OF 1t can be
gotten to the elevators The number OF cars
thus blocked within sight in one yard in st.
Louis is about one hundred, and there are
enough more scattered along the tracks with
in 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. In other
lines of business the effect of the strike is
also felt to greater or less extent. The
wool and cotton traders are the greatest
sufferers.
As regards settlement of the strike,
neither side is willing to make definite
statement. The officials of the railroad
with them, and that it is impossible to rein
state the discharged foreman, Hall, at Mar
shall, Texas, as they have no authority
there. The Knights of Labor state that
they have no cause to call conference OF
officers of the railroads at st. Louis, as they
are striking now simply in support Of the
action taken by their brethren in Texas,
and that the matter must be settled with the
receiver of the Texas Sc Pacific; and then
and not until then can any of the striking
Knights return to work.
The most serious thing about the strike at
st. Louis is that if it extends to the employees
of the Bridge and Tunnel Company, passen-
ger traffic will be we'll nigh suspended, since
only skilled men can manage the complicated
switches used in transferring ears.
Considerable speculation having been in
dulged in and good deal of apprehension
felt as to what the locomotive engineers
would do or what relation they were likely
to hold to the strike, Mr.. T. Macarthur,
Chief Engineer of the Brotherhood of En-
gineers, was interviewed at Cleveland last
night. He said briefly that the Brotherhood
of Engineers had nothing whatever to do
with the knights of Labor, that no action
has been taken by them in relation to the
strike, and that SO far as he knows none will
be taken.
At the Missouri Pacific and Iron Mountain
yards everything is quiet, and no disturb
ance has occurred and none Is expected.
Squads of police were employed in guarding
the company's property and dispensing
groups of men who became at all excited in
discussing the situation, and in this way
perfect order prevails.
GALVESTON, Tex, March GA committee
of the Knights of Labor from Alvarado
went to Waco yesterday and captured an
engine which had been pulling local freight
train between Waco, Taylor and Grand
View. The crew were not knights, and
refused to obey the order to strike. The
Knights OF Labor took the engine to .Alva-
rad0 where it was run into the roundhouse
and disabled
No freight trains were run at Paris yester-
day. Merchants are blue over the situation,
but the Knights OF Labor are confident.
ST. LOUIS, March 9.-The managers of the
Missouri Pacific railway offices in this city
fndo 1nfi %hnI oil rly,f hot hod hn-
cided to relieve them from duty indefinitely.
This action has been taken by the company
in order to curtail as much as possible their
expenses during the continuance of the
Knights of Labor strike upon their road.
This order affects 60 telegraph operators and
200 office clerks.
New York Carpenters Gain Their
Point.
NEW YORK, March 9.-The strike of the
carpenters and joiners has been very, sue
cessful. Nearly all of the employers have
granted the demand of their men, and the
latter have begun work again at average
wages of $3.50 per day of nine hours and
eight hours on Saturday. Only about 100
men are now out.
The Operatives Win.
HAvERHILL, March 9.-The trouble be-
tween Jennings & Stevens and their stitch
ers has been settled, and work was resumed
this morning by all the operatives. The
settlement was accomplished by the COM
plete giving in of the firm to all the demands
of the Knights of Labor All the girls who
were employed in the stitch room when it
was leased to Mrs. Barrows are to be taken
back, and every demand made upon the firm
has been complied with.
Will Not Employ Convict Labor.
CHICAGO, March 9-The boot and shoe
firms of Phelps, Dodge & Palmer, Selz-
schwab g. Co., and c. II. Fargo & Co., have
agreed upon the expiration of existing con-
tracts to dispense with the employment of