Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-07
POWER OF THE KNIGHTS.
A STRIKE BEGUN ALL ALONG
THE GOULD SYSTEM.

NOlVed-0,OOO Men of the system M em-
bsrs Ofthe Order.
ST. LOUIS, March 6.--All the Knights OF
Labor at this place, TO the number OF 400,
employed on the Gould system OF rail-
roads, struck this morning and it was un-
derstood that all tine knights upon the en-
tire system will follow their example be-
fore this evening. The officials of the
Missouri Pacific railroad are very retl-
cent and positively decline to make any
statement other than that they do not an
ticipate the possibility of supplying the
places of the strikers.
The order calling upon the Knights of
| Labor to strike on the Gould Southwest
ern system applies to the shOpmen en-
| tirely, and does not affect in the least the
| tratnmen.
THE GOULD SYSTEM FORCE.
The running force of the Gould system,
| including the shipmen, trackmen and
| trainmen, Is 1900. OF these 5000 are
| claimed to be Knights of Labor, but up
| to this afternoon only those employed in
the machine shops had struck. 1t is
estimated that at the present time from
| $500 to 1900 men have gone out, but it is
thought probable that ii the managers do
not aceede promptly TO the demands OF
the strikers all the remaining knights on
| the system Will be ordered out. The
| cauee of the strike has been very difficult
| to get at, but the following statement Is
| comprehensive, and perhaps as accurate
as has vet been made: On Feb. 10 Dis
trict Assembly No. 101 of the Knights of
Labor, held general business convention
at Marshall, Tex.
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
| Among the delegates TO that meeting
was NJ. G. Hall, foreman of. the wood
| workers OF the Texas Pacific car shops at
! Marshall. He had secured, it is alleged,
leave Of absence for the purpose Of attend
ing the convention from his immediate
| superior, J. A. Cosby, master car builder.
| by j. j. McGeary, of st. Louis, and John
| Thornborn, of DeSota, Mo-, visiting
| Knights.
The convention, with Foreman Hall as
a delegate, sat four days and on Feb. 10
adjourned. At noon on that day Foreman
| Hall resumed his work as usual. On
| quitting his duty In the evening he re-
| ceived note from Master Cosby stating
that his services were no longer required,
and, it is said, assigning as a cause of his
| discharge that he had been absent from
| his business without leave.
FORCED TO STRIKE.
The local grievance committee of the
Knights at once considered the matter.
His reinstatement was demanded and
either refused or neglected. A strike was
then ordered by this local committee, and
upon the failure of the men to obey the
order a meeting of the executive board of
the Knights was called. The executive
board ratified the action Of the local COM
mittee, and issued a general order upon
which the men quit work at Fort Worth,
Marshall and Dallas. This action Of the
executive board, il is claimed, was not so
much i'm the interest of the one man Hall
as a strike for the principle involved.
AN AGREEMENT VIOLATED.
| One year ago there was an agreement
made between the knights aud managers
OF the system that no man should be dis
charged without due notice and inVest-
cation. This contract the Knights con
| tend has been violated in this instance of
| Foreman Halps discharge. The Texas
Pacific Railway is one Of the five roads in
the States of Missouri. Kansas, Texas,
/ Arkansas and Louisiana which comprise
the South western Gould system. The
knights of Labor employed on these five
roads are under the immediate
direction Of District Assembly
4 No. 1O1. When the local strike
/ in Texas failed OF the desired result. the
executive board OF the Knight of Labor
of this Northwestern system, in ses-
sion at Marshall and in communication
with Receiver Brown and other officers OF
the Texas Pacific railroad since March /,
when the first lot Of men walked out,
asked an adjustment of the trouble by
the reinstatement OF Foreman Hall aud
some others who were subsequently dis
| charged. With this request the board
gave notice that a refusal to comply
would be followed by strike on the
Gould system. The railroad has failed to
do as directed and to-day the executive
board gave word for a general strike OF
the shOpmen.
ALL QUIET AT sEDALIA.
sEDALTA, Mo-, March 6.-The order for
a general strike on the Gould Southwest
eTn system reached here at 10:30 O'Clock
this morning, and every man in the Mis-
souri, Pacific shops put up his tools and
walked out. The employees here number
about 700. No effort has been made to
interfere with trains, except TO carry out
the boycott Instituted against the Texas
and Pacific cars, which are side.tracked
as soon as they reach this place.
THE QUIT AT KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, March 6.--Fhe men
In the Missouri Pacific freight yards here
quit work to-day, stopping business in
the Yards. There Is no trouble IN the
Wabash yards.
REACHES LITTLE ROCK.
LITTLE Rock, ARK, March 6.-The
trouble with the operatives OF the Texas
and Pacific railroad has extended TO
| Little Rock. This morning all the work
men in the ST. Louis and Iron Mountain
| railroad machine shops, over 300 10 all,
! stopped work, and business is at a stand
still The men are quiet, and good order
prevails.
The strike OF the employees OF the Iron
Mountain railroad at this point Was
ordered by the central committee Of the
Knights Of Labor, who ordered the men
20 cease work on account Of the strike on
the Texas and Pacific railroad. There
has been no interference with passenger
trains, but no freight is being handled
here.
A CALL FOR POLICE PROTECTION.
NEW YORK, March 6.-Late this after.
noon the New York Steam Heating Com
pany addressed letter W the police com
missi0ners notifying them that the com.
pany's property and the lives Of It's en-
plOyes were In danger from the violence
Of the striking firemeu, and that the city
would be held responsible for all damage
done. Police Commissioner French al
once went 90 the office Of the company and
assured the officers that their property
should be protected. Arrangements were
made for police protection to the cOmpa.
ny's coal carts tonight, and permission
was given TO the company 70 cart GOAL TO-
49,