, 1888-03-15
The LONG STRIKE.
The Situation Among Strikers
Still Unchanged.
A Strange Illness Among Union
Pacific Employees.
An Answer Filed in the United
States Court.

OMAHA, March 14.-At 2 o'clock this
morning every switch engine in the employ
of the Union Pacific railroad had it's fires
drawn and stood silently in the round
house. No freight LEFT the city all night.
Ordinarily from eight to fourteen freghts
depart from here daily. The sudden sick
ness which developed among engineers yes
terday at the sight of the Chicago, Burling-
ton ~ Quincy cars, continued to spread
when the night crews came on and found
a co. car on nearly every side track This
morning eighteen engineers were sick and
only four OF the seventeen yard engines
were at work. "A freight train bound west
with one so" car in its makeup waited for
a.crew, but one after another pleaded ILL
ness, until the car was marked "in bad or
convalesced and took the train out. Two
crews of engineers and fremen
in the day service and two of the
night crews have quit service
altogether. The grievance committee of
the road held consultation with General
Superint tendant Dickinson during tn, day
the outcome of which is not r, vealed. AS
however, a number of sick employees re-
turved to work, the general impression Is
that the road Will not compel men to
handle Burlington freight.
The answer Of Nicholas Weeks, repre-.
sentng the Union Pacific engineer, was
filed to-day in the United States court by
their attorney, General Gown, in the in
junction suit. The answer, which is vol
luminous, denies the allegation of the
bin which alleged that the Union Pacific
refused to exchange traffic with
lie its cars, etc The answer
AYERS, on the contrary, the Union Pacific
does exchange traffic with the complainant
and handle its cars in the same manner as
those of other roads, and this performances
OF duty on the part of the Union Pacific,
Ia
answer claims because the present suit as
MI Midertaken and Instituted by perfect un-
,le standing between the two roads for the
purpose OF iibelling, intinidating and OPP
pressing defendants to bill, and
this action is claimed to have
every arbitrary order that railroads may
issue for the benefit of the Burlington az
Missouri, by either driving out of employ
Ioent engineers or compelling them LO
work for Unfortunately low wages. The
charges of conspiracy are denied in toto,
and the sole reason of the strike is claird
To be the inability of tho engineers 'te-
support, maintain, and educate their
families becomiNgly on wages paid
them by the Burlington II Missouri,
the road Is complained ofand
all legal means to resist, whether by meet
ings on the part OF the engineers or other
wise, is claimed as u right. In conclusion
the answer denies the power OF the court to
him or any OF defendants continue to
work whenever its his or their desire to
quit and asks that the company restraining
order to be dissolved. The answer is u
great surprise and further time is asked by
the Burlington Missouri counsel in which
to submit aitidavits denying the statements
in 1t. The Union Pacific attorney
urged speedy decision as it was of the
greatest importance to the interest of the
road Judge Dunley, however, deferred a
hearing until Friday.