Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-04-03
KANSAS CITY IN TROUBLE.
All the Switchmen 60 Out and Leave
the Yards Without a Force-Ali
Freiehts Stopped and Business
Suspended-The Affected Roads.
Switchmen out at Kansas City.


Kansas City, Mo-, March y. At = O'Clock
this morning general sounding of loeemO-
tive whistles signalled the Inauguration OF
another strike. At that hour the union
switchnen in every railroad yard in the city
quit work and freight business generally
was stopped. The Chicago and Alton made
up a train by the help of nOn-union men and
sent it out, but the strikers are said to have
boarded and stopped it at the eastern city
limits. The Wabash is working a small
force, sufficient, the officers say, to handle
city freight, and being under the protection
of the federal court here, invoke the prOtec-
ton of the United States marshall
The local railroad oficials unite in saying
that the strike was complete surprise to
them. The men had made no complaints
since the recent settlement. Business at the
stock yards is about suspended and on the
Board of Trade wheat dropped cents in as
many seconds. 1t is said that the track men
and section hands are also out, but this is
not yet confirmed. They did not resume
work in the afternoon for the reason that
business is suspended. Orders are being
sent to points beyond here to refuse perish.
able freight.
Including the Missouri Pacific, there are
fifty crews of yardmen on the eleven roads
that are engaged in the strike. There were
two trains that started out over the Chicago
and Alton. Men from surrounding groups
jumped aboard the cars and applying the
brakes stopped the trains in the lower yards
and no attempt was made to get them farth-
er A meeting of representatives of all
roads was held this afternoon 10 consider
the situation. 1t is reported that most of the
packing houses will close tomorrow. Plan
kintOn and Armour discharged One-fourth
of their force to-day. The great smelling
works at Argentine will also be compelled
to shut down. Large quantities OF perish
able freight are now on trains IN the yards
awaiting transfer or shipment, and the loss
will be great if they are not speedily moved.
The situation has become so complicated
that the outcome grows more and more un-
certain. Lethargy prevails tonight through
out the freight yards in this city and in Kan
sas CITY, Kas., Armourdale and Argentine.
The passenger trains have not been dis
turbed and left tonight as usual. One OF
the leaders of the strike stated that he did
NOT believe they would be molested. An
embargo, however, has been placed upon
freight traffic which is practically complete.
Wabash train was made I'D late this
afternoon. A large crowd was gathered
about as the train prepared to start. As a
signal, twenty coupling pins were pulled
simultaneously from between the cars and
the train was effectually disabled. The
movement was so quick that no one could
tell who was responsible for it. Another
effort was made, however, later on, and at 8
o'clock the company succeeded in starting
two freight trains.
There is disposition among the strikers
TO avoid complications with the federal au-
thorities. The only resistance offered the
strikers was by an engineer on the Hannibal
and st. Joseph road, who was about to pull
ont with cabOOse. A half-dozen strikers
mounted the engine, whereupon the engl-
neer seized an iron pin and ordered them
off. An official of the road appeared, how
ever. and ordered the engine into the round
house.
An official present at the local freight
agents meeting this afternoon states that
the strike was not its object and SAID that
no action had ben taken in the matter.
The following statement will be published
Tomorrow morning by the committee OF the
Switchmen's Union:
Later Pa ticulars.
Kansas City. March y. TOthe Merchants
| and Citizens or Kansas City anu Nlclnlty: :
| The switchmen of the various yards OF inns
city and vicinity deem it due to you, as citl-
1ens and friends, to make a brief explana-
tIon of our walk-Out this morning and the
| reason therefor We sent request 70 our
snnerintendents on the 9th day OF March
asking them to pay us the standard wages
| maid switchmen in Chicago. Iney met us
In session at the Union depot SATURDAY the
| 18th. and we and they made verbal con.
tract that was published, or at least part Ol
IL in the daily morning papers Sunday
March a
SINCE that time the switchmen have
lived up to their contract. But some OF oul
superintendents have violated and eVadeC
the spirit of that contract and as we treated
with them as body OF tae wnOie we eA
pecfed them to live up TO their contract as
whole: but as one or more violated 1t We
claim they all did so. Now, we come out Il
demand the stanard wages paid switchmeI
in Chicago, ILL.,, and the signature OF th'
yariOus superintendents to such an agree
ment. We are sOrry IL we caused you los
or trouble, but we feel that we are right ant
will not agree to 20 to work until we have
settled our differences With our employers
Respectfully. IHE COMMITTEE
There are 80 switchmen out, which en-
forces idIeness upon 150 engineers and a
The roads involved are tie Chicago an,
Alton. ROck Island, Wabash, Missouri Pa
ciic. Hannibal and St Joseph, Kansas City
81. joseph and Council Bluffs, the Burling
lion and Missouri River, AtchisOn, Iopeki
and Santa Fe, Union Pacific and ksnsa
CITY. Fort Scott and Gulf.
The packing houses are expected 10 clos
to-morrow. One thousand OF their employs
had already been laid of on account OF TN
Missouri Pacific strike, and general clos
ing down will cut of the daily Income
1000 men. . -
: railway superintencents Will be heid TO mol
row. Several are in the city tonight, one
whom said: 1--WE are vet undetermined a
10 whether or not this strike is the work o
/ the Knights of LABOR. II so, then the pre-,
, emf time is as good as any for meeting tn
} issue with them and in this case / am !
, favor of doing 50. So filing The place OF ID
. strikers and invoking the protect on or tn
, law for resumption Of our business" =.
) Not an animal was shipped out OF the CIT
; from the stock yards to-day and nOtnlng Dt
4 a very small retail trade was done: In
: Armour Packing Company is arranging
3 SHIN a ouantity of its provisions down IN