Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-23
THE GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE.
Knight Of Labor Says the Worst is
Yet to COme-A Possible Extension az
the Strike to Other ROadS-Au Freight
Traffic to be StODnet,

v
the Strike to Other ROadS-Au Freight
Traffic to he Stopped.
ST. LOUIS, March 23.-No one ventures pre-
dction rs to how or when the strike on the
| Gould southwest system of railroads will end.
Mr.. HoNie has refused TO confer with Mr.. Pow
derby. The efforts of Cows. Martin and Marina
duke have failed to effect n settlement. The
| management of the road declining to treat with
any of its striking employees representing the
Knights of Labor, the latter now announce that
| they will accent no terms from the company
unless offered to them as members OF that or
ganizatiOn; and now, as a1ast resort, the strik-
ers have called upon the merchants OF the city
to assist i'm bringing about state of affairs
which will make possible arbitration between
the railway officials and striking employees,
and interest i'm the present difficulties now GEN.
tiers in the probable outcome OF such efforts.
should they respond to the address issued 10
them last night. No action has as yet been
taken by the merchants with the view of OPEN
and its employees but several business men
| state that such course would
be os gladly sn, pursued by 6gaa them i they
| their decision. a member of the executive
I committee said at a late hour last night: The
worst is vet to come. dread it, but there is no
| help for it. If we were to submit now and re-
| turn to work without having been recognized
as Knights of Labor il would be a defeat, not
only for u.s. but also for the labor unions, the
trades assemblies and for every labor organ za-
ton in the whole country. We feel that the
issue must be met and now. The present conflict
is between us and the railroads only. We will
wait three or four days in the hope that some
towards settlement may be opened, and
then, il the situation remains unchanged for
the better, every freight train on every road
running out OF st. Louis, and every freight train
on every road running out of Chicago will be
stopped. Wewill leave a sufficient force OF men
upon the roads to run the mail trains and few
accommodation Trains but not r wheel of
single freight car shall be turned until the
knights of Labor are recognized. II this shall
| fail to force the companies TO recognize us the
strike will then be extended to all eastern aud
southern roads. embracing the entire country
and if it comes 10 the worst, the strike will Toe
made to embrace every large manufactory and
every extensive business industry in the coun-
try
PUTTING NEW MEN AT WORK
An official of the company said yesterday:
"Great numbers of applications froni men WHO
want to go to work have been received,
and we are now notifying such of these men as
TO different points along the road and accept
places" The situation i'm this city, far as the
traffic on the Missouri Pacific road is concerned,
is unchanged. II is reported that al some time
during the day attempt VIII be made to
start out a freight train under the protection OF
law. The switchmen and yard men employed
by the various roads in East st. Louis are at
work as usual this morning, and no strike is
expected in that place. unless the merchants
and business men of this city. TO whom the ad-
dress of the strikers was issued last night, shall
fail to effect settlement 1t is now stated
that they have no grievances which have not
been remedied by their employers. and they
will remain at their posts until the order for
the extension of the present strike shall be
made, if such an order shall become necessary.
BUSINESS AT A sTANDsTILL IN KASsEs CITY.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-. March 23.-It was stated
last night that a conference of railway SUPER
intendents would be held here to-day. a SUPER
intendent on one of the roads said last night:
1--WE are yet undetermined as TO whether or
not this strike is the work of the knights of
Labor. III SO, then the present time is as good
as any for making the issue with them. and in
this case am in favor OF doing SO, filling the
place of the strikers and invoking the protec-
ton of the law for resumption of our business"
Not an animal was shipped out OF the city
from the stock-yards yesterday, and nothing
but a very small retail trade was done. The
Armour Packing company is arranging TO ship
a quantity of its provisions down the river by
boat. The smelling works at Argentine will be
compelled to shut down il the strike continues,
disenploying 500 men. Truckmen employed
in the handling of freight are forced into idle
ness, and clerks will soon feel the effects of the
blockade. Business Is staGnated just at the
opening of the busy season. Side tracks are
filled with loaded trains awaiting transport
to points east and west. Express companies are
receiving perishable freight at owners risk.
The supply of coal is considered sufficient to
continue the city's industries for some time,
hence there is no danger Of obstruction in that
The State adjutant general has ordered the
9TH regiment of militia of the city to assemble
nightly at their arsenal for drill, until further
orders There is general disposition to regard
the strike with growing seriousness, though il Is
nitely. The strikers are close-nouthed, and do
not indicate either their motives or purposes,
except shown in their statement 10 the
public. 1t is said that many of those who went
out do not belong TO the union, and yet are
latter at the bottom of the trouble. Both
the knights and the union swtchmen, however,
deny this and the public is left 10 draw its own
conclusions.
The strike is the only topic Of conversation,
and there is great anxiety as TO its outcome.
NO CHANGE THIS MORNING.
There is no change in the situation at the
railway yards this morning. The two hundred
switchmen still out, and freight is
moving. There has been no disturbance of any
kind.
FEARS OF AN EXTENSION OF THE STRIKE
CHICAGO, March 23.-Hardly any freight for
Kansas City was accepted in Chicago yesterday
on account OF the switchmens strike at the
former place. But few contracts for other Mis-
souri, river points were made, 1t being expected
that the strike would spread 10 those points be-
fore this evening. Great tears expressed
that the strike will not remain confined TO the
territory west of the Mississippi, but will
reach Chicago and other points east before
long.
Mr.. PoTTER'S CONFERENCE WITH THE ENGI-
NEERs.
CHICAGO, March 23.-Vice President Potter
of the Burlington, had another conference yes
terday with the committee OF locomotive engi-
neers fDpm points on the western end of his
road. Mr.. Potter told the committee that his
company would pay them high wages as
were paid for similar service by the roads
but that he could not accede to their demand
70 pay the men on small and unimportunt
branch lines the same wages were paid TO
men on the main Inca Another conferences
was arranged for Thursday, until which time
NO action VIII be taken by either side.