The Portland daily press., 1886-03-11
THE LABOR QUESTION
The Situation on the Gould System
of Railroads Serious.
Five Thousand Operatives Interested
in a Strike at Troy, N. Y.
Want TO Settle the Bates Mill Trouble
by Arbitration.

by Afcitf0tlons
LEWISTON, Me-, March 1o.-The district ex
ecutiye committee of the knights OF Labor pub
lish a card today proposing to settle the trouble
in the Bates mil by arbitration. "They say we
will leave the matter to committee of three one
to be selected by us, one by the corporation, and
the third by the said representatives of the
Knights of Labor and the corporation. Their de-
cision to be final.'
The Southwestern Railroads Strike.
ST. LOUIS, NO., March 1o.-The employees of
the Bridge and Tunnel Company have struck at
the command of the Knights of Labor, and not a
pound of freight has passed over the great bridge
or into out of st. Louis except over the lines of
the St Louis and San Francisco Railroad, and its
tracks can penetrate the city only as far as the
Grant avenue depot From thence to the Union
depot, a distance of about two miles. they are
obliged TO use the Missouri Pacific tracks, if any,
and this the strikers will not allow.
Outside merchants are now beginning to under
stand the seriousness OF the situation, and to
points along the Gould system shipments have
entirely ceased, or in very urgent cases orders
filled by express. Many prominent business men
of st. LOUIS express the opinion that the diversion
of trade ON the city on account of the strike is
not temporary, but will be permanent
The passenger traffic has not been interfered
with, excepting the suburban travel, which has
been almost entirely suspended All through
trains are made up by officials of the different
ROADS ana JnOSe Oh In6 Bfluge ana Iunnel COM
pany. The Knights of Labor have offered to
furnish men to do this work, but their offers have
been refused on account of the unwlllingneSS of
the companies to trust their property in the hands
of inexperienced men,
At O'Clock this morning perfect quiet reigned
at all the yards and depots owned by the roads
whose employees have struck. All passenger
trains left from their accustomed positions at the
Union depot this morning, and most of them on
time. AT the Iron Mountain yards no force is on
duty except one sufficient to make up passenger
trains All the engines there have been placed i'll
the round house, except one used for switching
purposes. No disturbance of any kind has oc-
CURED at that place. At the Missouri Pacific
yards the same quietness prevails
General Superintendent Kerrigan, of the Mis-
souri, Pacific this morning issued an order eXpe-
ling from the Missouri Pacific yards all Knights of
Labor. This order includes delegation OF men
appointed by the knights to guard the company's
property.
MARSHALL, Tex, March 1O-Quiet prevails
among the strikers, but extra policemen have
been detailed for duty about the railroad yards.
The report current here today that all freight
and passenger trains were to be stopped. The
knights of Labor declare that if passenger trains
are stopped it will be through no fault OF theirs.
The Knights have sent out circulars asking la
boring men not to go to any poils on the Texas
Pacific IN search OF employment until the strike
shall have been ended. They have also issued
circulars to the laboring men of all classes asking
them to fall into line, and stating that the Mis-
souri, Pacific, its leased and operated lines, and
the Texas Pacific are now employing convict and
Chinese labor to the detriment of honorable la
Dor. The circular also asserts that the said rail-
fOduS are constantly NIUldLlIlS luGI NOntldCb
March 10, 1885, and declares that the Knights OF
Labor have resolved to come to the rescue OF their
downtrOdden brethren. The Knights call upon
all employees connected with the railroads mem
toned to lend their aid in driving convict and
Chinese labor from the road
Spinners Ordered Out.
TROY, N. w. March 10.-The spinners in the
knitting mills at Cohoes were ordered out this
morning by the knights of Labor causing a gem
eral shut down. The SpinnerS claim that in the
recent adjustment of wages they were not given a
fair consideration. 1t looks like long lockout.
About 5000 operatives are interested.
Notes.
The twister tenders at Green & Daniels mill at
Pawtucket, II. l., have left work on demand OF a
1923 per cent. advance.
The miners and laborerS of the Amalgalnated
Association OF the Fourth district in the Vlcnlty
of Pittsburg Pa are now considering proposal
to demand an advance in wages and the adoption
of an eight hour law. About 1000 miners are EN-
pOyed In the fourth district
Fort WORTH, Tex, March 1o.-The first
tToublee here between the Knights and nom
new men employed by the railroad company to
run its engines were attacked while performing
their duty and forced to vacate their cabs Ihe
strikers then "killed" the engines.
HUNTINGDON, Pa, March 10.-Five hundred
and fifty miners have struck in the Broadtop coal
district