The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-25
THE STRIKING SWITCHMEN.
Lake Shore Passenger Trains Moving,
but Freight Business BlOckaded.
Strikers Say To-Day Will Witness an Exten-
sion Of the Moyement-Possibility that
Other Departmental May Be Involved.
THE LAKE SHORE STRIKE.

THE LAKE. SHORE STRIKE.
The Situation Unchanged-Probabiiity that
Other Points Will Be Involved.
CHICAGO, June 24-The situation In the
yards of the Lake Shore railroad, in this city,
remains unchanged. The regular passenger
trains are moving as usual but an effectual
blockade of freight traffic has occurred No
freight trains have bean moved, and up to 8
o'clock attempt of any charastsr had been
made to make up trains. The incoming freight
trains have all been stopped at Englewood and
and at other stations outside the city, and judg-
Ing from the former experience of the railroad
company unless the State affords protec
ton, the company will be powerless
against the strikers. The town of
Lake, within the precincts of which
the strike is confined, has very small police
force, unable to cope with the crowd Of strikers
and their adnerents The sheriff Of the county,
during the former strike. made serious effort
to dispense the crowd, and In published inter
view to-day condemns the railroad company and
declares that it has not lived up to its agreement,
intimating that it offered to discharge the non
union men. What basis he has for this asser-
ton has not yet been explained. His attitude,
however, taken in connection with the expert
Bnce in the former strike, has occasioned sur
prise and subjected him to comment. A few of
the town of Lake police are at Forty-third street
this morning, where large crowd had already
gathered at o'clock.
One of the papers this morning says: 1.-THE
only attempt at an explanation of the cause Of
she strike appeared in rumor that it was the re-
suit of a preconcerted stock jobbing scheme. 1t
was alleged that party in the town of Lake
Ind stockyards spectators had sold short a
heavy block of Lake Shore stock. To bear the
market in their own interest they negotiated
with few of the leaders of the switchmen in
the town of Lake to bring about strike, with the
result that appeared yesterday afternoon. II
this be true it is not likely that the strike will
scntinue for any length of time"
Mr.. John Newell, president of the Lake Shore
railway, publishes an open card to-day. in which
he says, regarding the statement that the COM
paDy had agreed to discharge the non-union men
ia its employ: 81 desire to say that such
agreement was ever made by me with any per-
son. and 1 never made any promise. expressed
or implied, that the eight men in question should
be discharged removed TO other places, or trans
ferred to another position. nor was
any such promise made on behalf OF
the Lake Shore company, but. on the
contrary, l positively refused, at ell times,
to make any such promise or permit any such
understanding In connection with this a
shorthand account of the conference between
kr Newell and Sheriff Hanchett is published,
NJ t.
also shown that Sheriff Hauchett signed paper
pledging that the men would be discharged
within sixty days. and that when he endeavored
TO induce Mr.. Newell to sign this paper the
latter declared that he would not be party to
any auch compact and renewed the statement
that the men could remain, If they chose in the
eompauy's employ
Shortly after o'clock an engine in charge Of
an engineer named Shea pulled out of the round
house at Forty first street. and was Immediately
surrounded by strikers. The excitement be-
came very marked, and the men, for time,
were very threatening. The police arrested one
of the most violent of the strikers and succeed
ed in clearing the track. after which the engine
started up to Forty-third street, to the vicinity
of the csboose which was abandoned yesterday.
The crowd grew momentarily greater and more
boisterous and the courage of the engineer finally
deserving him, he took the engine back to the
roundho The crowd cheered frantically
when the effort to move q train was abandoned.
AT the various newspaper Offices this evening,
committee of strikers exhibited. as an explana-
tion of their course, the following communica-
lion, dated during the former strike, and written
in Sheriff Hanchett's chirography upon one of
his official letter-heads:
"SHERIFFs OFFICE CHICAGO April %, 1886.
''w. l.. stahl, Esq, Chairman Committee:
sSir-If all switchmen of the Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern Railroad Company in Chca-
60, or Cook county, return to work at once, |
will personally guarantee that within sixty days
from this date the eight Objectionable switchmen
will be furnished other employment, and perrna-
nently removed from their present positions.
seth F. HANCHETT Sheriff.
This evening, when the regular night watch
engine left the round house, Thomas Collins, one
of the strikers, boarded the machine and in a
moment had induced Charles Coles, the engineer,
to turn back. Coles informed the yardmaster
hat it would be impossible for him to go
through the mob. During the day. notice was
given the switchmen that unless they report for
nuty to morrow they are to consider themselves
discharged and requested to call for their
pay. 1t is asserted this evening by leaders
among the strikers that before nghtfall to-
morrow Toledo, Buffalo. Detroit and Cleveland
will be involved in the strike. and that general
lie-up in other departments of the company's
work is probable
Outlining Big Fight.
CHICAGO, June PA call has been issued and
quietly circulated for meeting of all the general
managers and general superintendent of the
railroads centering at Chicago. The object is to
discuss the merits of the switchmens strike and