The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-24
THE STRIKE SPREADING
Union Switehmsn in Every Railroad Yard in
Kansas City, Missouri, Quit Work.
Vice President Hoxie's Proposition NotlAe.
ceptable to the knights of Labor-Rail-
road Property Burned az B1g
Springs, Texas.

this morning the sounding of locomotive
other strike. At that hour the Union
switchmen in every railroad yard in the
city quit work, and freight business generally
was stopped. The Chicago and Alton officials
made up train by the help of non-union
men and sent il out, but the strikers are said
to have boarded and stopped it at the eastern
city limits. The Wabash is working
city freight, and being under the protection
of the Federal Court, have invoked the pro-
lection of the United States Marshal. A mass
meeting of strikers will be held at noon. At
present the cause of the strike can not be
learned. Some of the men say: "We bad
orders from the headquarters of the knights
of Labor"
The switchmen made general demand
for advance in wages a week ago of the vari-
Gus roads and it was granted, and there are
flying rumors TO the effect that several other
departments are to be ordered out.
The local railroad officials unite in saying
that the strike was a complete surprise TO
them. The men made no complaints since
the recent settlement. Business at the
Stock Yards is about suspended and sn the
Board OF Trade wheat dropped two cents in
as many seconds. 1t is said that the truck
men and section hands are also out, bnt this
is not confirmed. They did not resume
work this afternoon for the reason that bust
ness is practically suspended. Orders are
being sent to points beyond here by railroad
officials to refuse perishable freight. Includ-
ing the Missouri Pacific there are fifty crews
OF yardmen on eleven roads engaged in this
strike. There were two trains that started
out over the Chicago and Alton Road, but
men from the 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 further. A
meeting of the representatives of all the
roads is being held this afternoon to con-
slider the situation.
1t is reported that the most OF the packing
houses will close tomorrow. Plankinton q
Armour discharged one-fourth of their
forces to-day. The great Smelling Works at
Argentine will also be compelled TO shut
down. Large quantities of perishable freight
is now on the trains in the yards awaiting
transfer or shipment, and the loss will be
great il they do not speedily move it. As
ucdIlI dS Cdn DC dSCefI1lUtu, the Slrlkc was
ordered by the switchmen's division because
of complaints that the agreement made last
week was not kept by some of the roses.
One of the local members of the Executive
Committee of the Knights of Labor, who is
supposed to be well informed, de-
ciares that the Missouri Pacific trouble
has nothing to do with the present difficulty.
The striking yardmen, he says, have gone out
by the orders of the Switchmen's Union, re-
gardless of the fact whether or not they
belong to the Knights of Labor.
The situation in railroad circles is become
so complicated that the outcome crows more
and more uncertain. Lethargy prevails to-
night throughout the freight yards in the
city and Armourdale and other places. All
that branch remains undisturbed.
A Wabash train was made up late this
afternoon. large crowd gathered about as
the train prepared to start. At a signal
twenty coupling pins were pulled stimuli
taneously from between the cars and the
train was effectually disabled. The move
ment was so quick that no one could tell
who was responsible for it. Another effort
was made, however, later on, and at s O'Clock
the company succeeded in starting two
freight trains. There is a disposition among
the strikers to avoid complications
with the Federal authorities. The
only resistance offered the strikers was
u.
Joseph Road, who was about to pull out with
a cabOose. A half dozen strikers mounted
the engine, whereupon the engineer seized
an iron pin and ordered them off. An Off
cial OF the road appeared however, and or
dered the engine into the round-house.
An Official present at the local freight
agents meeting this afternoon states that the
strike was not mentioned, and said that no
action had been taken in the matter.
The following statement will be published
tomorrow morning by the Committee OF the
Switchmens' Union:
KANSAS CITY. March p.
To the Merchants and Citizens OF Kansas City and
Vicinity:
The switchmen of the various yards of this city
and vicinity deem it due to you as citizens and
friends to make brief explanation OF our walk
out this merning and the reason; therefore. we
day of March asking them TO pay us the standard
wages paid switchmen in Chicago. They met us
and we and they made a verbal contract that was
published, or at least part OF it, in the
daily morning papers, Sunday, March IA;
up to their part of the contract, but some
OF our Superintendents have violated snd evaded
with them as a body of the whole, we expected
them to live up to their contract as a whole. but
as one or more violated it, we claim they all did
wages paid switchmen in Chicago, ILL.,, and the
signature OF the various Superintendents to such
All agreement we are sorry III we cause you loss
trouble, but we feel that we are right aud will
not agree to go to work until we have settled our
differences with our employers. Respectfully,
THE COMMITTEE.
There are 230 switchmen out, which en-
forces idleness upon 80 engineers and as
many fremen.
The roads involved are the Chicago and
Alton. Rock Island, Wabash, Missouri Pa
ciiic, Hannibal and st. Joseph, Kansas City,
st. Joseph and Council Bluffs, the Burling-
ton and Missouri River, Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe, Union Pacific and Kansas
City, Fort Scott and Gulf.
The packing houses are expected to close
tomorrow. One thousand of their employees
had already been laid off on account of the
the Missouri Pacific strike. and general
closing down will cut off the daily income of
1000 men.
1t is stated tonight that a conference of
railway superin.endents will be held here
Tomorrow. Several are in the city tonight,
one OF whom said I'VE are yet under
termined as to whether or not this strike is
the work of the Knights Of Labor. II so, then
the present time is as good as any for meet.
ing the issue with them, and in this case
am in favor Of doing so; filling the place of
the strikers and invoking the protection of
the law for resumption of our business"
Not an animal was shipped out OF the city
for the Stock yards to-day, and nothing but
very small retail trade was done. The