The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-15
Martin Irons Talks About the Strike.

marLln irons 1alkS ABOUT the SCrlk0s
ST. Louis, May 1.-The Curtin labor investi
eating committee held its last session in this
city to-day and will leave for Washington to-
night. j. Fl. Osborn, of Chamois Mo-, master
workman Of District Assembly No. 3771, Knights
of Labor, was the first witness. He said the
strike was based on list Of grievances which
had never been considered by the railway off,
Gals. Some of the grievances consisted in the
discharge of men without notice, and non restor-
alton of wages after the adoption Of the March.
1885, agreement.
Martin Irons master workman Of District As
sembly 10l the membership Of which is 5000
men. employed upon the Missouri Pacific rail
road, testified that officials of that road ignored
the provisions of the agreement, and noted In
stances where the grievances of their employees
were never considered The discharge of Hall,
on the Texas Pacific railroad. was the immediate
cause of the strike This was not, however, the
sole reason for the strike, but 1t the last of
many grievances which had made the strike
necessary. He had tried to settle the affair be-
fore the strike and had met Governor Sheldon,
a receiver of the road, and was assured by him
that an endeavor would be made to adjust mat
ters. and had told him that, as Governor Brown
would be at Dallas the next day, he thought Mr..
Irons should 60 there and present his side The
next day he thought it best that the receivers
pany were, and so telegraphed Governor Shell
don, bat no answer was received Another tele-
gram met with only response from the opera
tor that Sheldon was not in tie Dallas Office. He
then telegraphed that if a reply was not received
by the next day he would call out the men. No
answer came, and he ordered the strike. The
witness recounted the after events the strike on
the Missouri Pacific, the conference at Kansas
City, the Governors attempt to settle the strike,
Hoxie's action, etc.. bringing the matter down
to the general executive committees attempt to
interview Mr. Hoxie, and the means by which
the strike was finally ended.
A speech of Martin Irons was recited the COM
mittee. during the railway testimony, by R. F.
Walsh. secretary and clerk Of Division Superin-
tendent r. G. Brown, of the c., B. g. O., in East
ST. Louis Mr. Walsh said that during the
strike he had been asked by Mr.. Brown to 60 to
meeting of strikers in Flannagans Hall. He
had attended the meeting and had taken in
shorthand short address OF Chairman Irons to
the crowd. 1t was:
Talk to the scabs and 90 to their homes and talk to
their wives. and make them go out. Do everything
you can to make them out and they won't go out
give them the pills and pyhs Ct them out
the Chinese and won, and we'll win this fight
This speech of Chairman Irons, the witness
said, had been received with applause
Possible Strike of Third District Miners.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
BLooMINGToN. ILL.,, May 14-The coal miners
of Mantle, Macon county, struck to-day, and it
is not unlikely that the strike will spread
throughout the entire nine counties of the Third
district, which covers the most extensive coal
fields of Illinois. The Mantle company refused
to nay for Dead or "horse- back" work few
days ago. The arbitration board at Springfield
raised the miners pay to 62k cents per ton for
mining, but the company, on submitting re-
fms tn fnp vyh hav I'D
been paving fifty cents square yard. At De-
catur the miners still at work, but will prob
ably go out The mines there pay 20 cents per
ton and so cents a square yard for dead work.
The new scale fixes 70 cents per ton and so cents
per yard for dead work. and the propretors say
they will not pay it. The mines at Pana. Lin
coin. Mount Pulaski and Bloomington are all in
the Third district.