Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-08

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roads throughout the United States who
deem it necessary to strike and formally
decide to do so in order to uphold their
brethren on the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy. This information was oo.
tanned this evening on the best OF
authority, and was verified through
another source II can also he
stated upon authority that gene
raj meetings OF local grievance com.
mittees of the various roads held
to-day were in each case convened for
the purpose OF discussing the advisa-
bility OF striking on that particular road,
and If such radical step was not con-
sidered essential, the object was to de-
eide what measures in lieu thereof should
be adopted. The sanction Of the Gene
raj Executive of the Brotherhood thus
given in advance 20 the strike of the men
on any road was secretly obtained at the
conference of general grievance commit
tees OF the Brotherhood held here Mon
day. 1t no longerrests with Chiefs Arthur
and Sargent 10 say that the men on any
road should they strike, will be backed
up DN lLt DiOAAlEiHOON 40 ~ NDOlts LhS
men on any single railroad system, or a
half dozen systems, have it now abso-
lutely in their power not only 20 say
whether they shall strike, but also
whether they shall strike with the
whole might OF the Brotherhood behind
them. That the men are not disposed
TO use with undue haste the weapons
in their grasp may be partly inferred
from the fact that although several meet
ings we're held to-day each clothed with
complete authority to declare strike
aft, citing vast stretch of territory, no
such declaration had been made up to
this evening. At least two meetings OF
the kind mentioned are known to have
been held in this city to-day. Others
are said to have been convened at Rock
Island, Omaha, and Kansas City.
So far as heard from this morning not
a single road upon which the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy had made de-
maud to handle freight had responded
favorably. The Wabash refused point
blank. ST. Paul declined, and a heavy
train switched on to its tracks from the
Burlington tracks at Western avenue for
transportation over the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul was
hauled back. Other western roads to
whom a formal request was sent have
either refused or are prepared to reject
freight when offered. 1--WE would rather
have law suit than a strike" said Gen
eral Agent W. S. Ninelin, of the Mime
sofa and Northwest road-now the
Chicago, st. Paul and Kansas City.
PIrTsBURGH, March 7.-Another party
Of engineers from the Philadelphia and
Reading railroad passed through Pitts
burgh this morning en- route to Chicago
to accept positions on the Chicago, Bur
lington and Quincy railroad. The leader
of the party stated that The men in his
charge, all being Knights of Labor. had
held of from accepting the overtures OF
the 90" people until the last moment,
expecting Chief Arthur to make good his
word and compel the Brotherhood men
to cease work on the Reading. Had he
done so the knights would not have gone
West, but would have renamed Phila-
delphia.
A CRISIS ABOUT REACHED.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. March THE in
dications tonight are that a strike on the
Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf system
Is inevitable. IN fact it is given out that
all the engineers and fremen will aban-
don their engines at or before o'clock
tomorrow afternoon The Burlington
road to-day notified all roads entering
here OF its readiness to resume all busI-
ness as usual and followed this announce.
ment by pushing twenty-five freiRht-csrs
from the Hannibal division into the Gull
wards. The Gulf road has announced
its willingness to handle the freight and
unless it reconsiders this determination
the men will surely go out. Chairman
Chase, OF the Grievance Committee,
whose jurisdiction extends over that por-
ton of the system extending from Mem
phls to Birmingham, left for Memphis
tonight for the purpose OF calling the
men off tomorrow. About 800 men are
employed on the system as engineers and
fremen.
Assistant General Superintendent Fish,
of the Burlington, declares that he has
received assurances from nearly all the
roads that they will accept Burlington
freight.
At the Missouri Pacific local offices
here day it is SAID that the road felt
obliged to accept any freight offered it.
In the face of these facts the men declare
that as soon as any of the roads attempt
to haul Burlington freight the engineers
will strike. 1t is accordingly thought
that a crisis has been reached, and that
to morrow will bring forth startling
developments. 1t is the general talk
among the men here that the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe, the Missouri Pa
cifc, and possibly the Union Pacific will
be drawn into the strike in a very few
days.
HOPING FOR AN ASICABLE SETTLEMENT.
New YORK, March An official
meeting of Division No. 105 of the Bro
therhood of Locomotive Engineers was
held tonight Resolutions were adopted
expressing the hope that the newspapers
of the land may use their good influence
in favor OF an amicable settlement of the
existing difficulties in the West, and with
a view of averting the impending crisis
OF general strike of engineers.
REMARKABLE CONSPIRACY.