New-York tribune., 1888-03-25
CHARGES AGAINST THE BURLINGTON.
DENoUNcING THE EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT COM
BINArroN OF RAILROAD coMPANIEs-DAp
FAITH ALLEGED-THE BURLINGTON
BLOCKED BY LACK OF



FAITH ALLEGED-THE BURLINGTON
BLOCKED BY LACK OF
swITCHMES
lsr rELEoRArH 70 THE TRIBUNAL
CHICAGO. March 24.-The most interesting In
cident of the day in connection with the Burling
ton strike was not the action Of the switchmen IN
quitting work, but the answer which tho Chicago
Rock Island and Pacific Railway filed late this
afternoon in reply to the suit brought by the
Burlington yesterday to compel the Chicago hock
Island and Pacific to interchange freight cars with
1t In the way that prevailed before the striKc'
The bill filed In the United States Court yesterday
In behalf Of the Burlington asked Tor mandatory
Injunction against the Rock Island Railroad CON-
pany to restrain its officers and agents from re
fusing to handle Burlington cars, or to take ana
forward the same over its line The bill sets forth
that the Rock Island Railroad Company is COM
mon carrier under the provisions of the Interstate
Commerce BILL and as such cannot refuse to inter-
change cars for interstate traffic; that ever since
the strike on the Burlington system, the company
has persistently declined to receive, move, or
transfer any Burlington cars alleging as the reason
for refusal its inability to compel its engineers 10
haul such cars; also. that the Rock Island Com
pany has been peculiarly stubborn in this refusal
TO BRING ABOUT RAILROAD TRUST
In the answer which the Rock Island makes this
afternoon, it says that before this bill was filed,
the Rock Island Company had arranged with ats
engineers and iremen to raise the boycott, and
that orders had been issued before this sult was
begun, direct ng that business be intcrchansed with
all railroads before the strike. Ibis dlspoSes vi
the demand Of the Burlington; but the Rock
Island has something further to say, and alleges
that in January the Chicago, Burlington and Gum
cy Railroad Company began a war OF rates, and
prosecuted the same 50 vigorously that on Marcn 10
the rates through these States were reduced 10
about ne-thlrd Of the rates which existed DelOrc
the war begun; that 1t has avowed u the
management Of other railway systems thtt the
purpose OF this to compel the railroads In the
States of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota Iowa ana
Missouri to place the exclusive and absolute con-
troll of all rates in the hands Of trust, to be
controlled by three commissioners, VINO snoulu
also have power to pay compensation TO lines Tor
losses sustained because OF any rates by the trust
fixed, and to impose lines and iorfeltures ior
disobedience to orders. 1t also alleges that the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Com
pany permitted the strke which is now in progress,
because it would aid the rate war in demorallzlng
business, reducing revenues, and IN bringing about
q state Of things which would compel the railroads
of the West to submit to the Burlington scheme
for placing the railroads under the control OF the
proposed trust 1t sets out distinctly that 1T was
the purpose Of the Burlington Company, by bring
ing about strike on its own line first to absorb
all of the engineers and fremen Of the United
States who were not members OF the Brotherhood,
and thereby to render 1t impossible for its COM
petitors to man their roads; that its demand for
the interchange Of traffic. with competing lines
has not been made In good faith, but for the ex-
press purpose Of bringing about strike on those
lines
The court postponed the further hearing of the
case till Tuesday
FREIGHT TRAINS AGAIN BLOCKED.
The Burlington Railway will have another
large entry to make on the wrong side of their
ledger to show for their work to-day: and two
OF thee hundred more OF their employees Will prob
ably find themselves out OF work for some
time to come. No freight was moved on the line
to-day as the result OF the strike OF the switch
men here and at Aurora and Galesburg this morn
ing. When the officials heard OF the determination
OF the men, they decided to attempt to move
no freight at all to-day. The night swltchmen
quit work at midnight and the day crews failed
to report for work this morning. The switch
engines that have been handling freight the last
few days are sidc-tracked where the crews left
them last night The strike Is not because OF the
pay. The men object to working Oh an engine
not handled by Brotherhood mcD. As one OF
them put it this mornings
l don't throw another switch for non Broth
erhood man, and man can make me-
Clearly the sudden move Of the switchmen was
a surprise to the Burlington. Three weeks ago
Manager Stone anticipated move Of some kind |;
but as nothing occurred, his fears were quieted
and for once the strikers were given the benefit
Of the doubt. Mr.. Stone saw the whole import
of the delay this morning, which was to allow
the road thoroughly to equip itself with, new
engineers and then play a, trump card and put
the road In almost as helpless condition as 1t
was on the day after the Brotherhood stepped
out
1t was a surprise to US" said Mr.. Morton, gen:
eral passenger agent "We had heard rumors Of
such move, but placed little faith in them In
fact Mr.. Bessler had talk yesterday with some
Of the switchmen and they had emphatically de-
clared that they were not going to strike. They
have no grievance. They have sent no one here
to complain. have heard that they struck on
a plea that they did not wish to endanger their
lives by working with incompetent engineers, re-
ferring Of course, to the men who have taken the
bsre Ses NOT been n aede
to single switchman since the strike began
on account Of the incompetency OF the new en-
rineers The only cause for their striking Is
their hope TO assist the Brotherhood. Well, they
will do nothing Of the sort II is the policy OF this
road to run its own business, to 90 as 1t deems
to be in accordance with It's best interests; You,
and all, may be assured that IL Will continue W
follow ont that policy"
The brakomrn on the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy Railroad It Is said on goo, good az authority,
men who went out to-day: as they are determlncd
TO snnnort the -,,siton taken by the Brotherhood
Of Engineers The result the engineers t th,TE ~;
matelv he tied ur' Chief Arthur states that
the members Of the Brotherhood are determined 70
abide by their decision rs published two weeks
ago and getting funds contributed faster IMAM
is required at present.
DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR GRIEVANCE WAS.
Hornellsville n. Y. March "a tspeclai'.-Ihe So
called strike IN the New-York, Lake Ee ana western
ward in this city which began yesterday morning a.
pIO Is practically ended. Twenty-elght men qu''
work II was eight hours after the men ien oeiolo
the SUPERINTENDENT the ground knew the caus" "
the troube One freight train was out Into aud thirty
pins and links thrown away.
This morning eleven Of the twenty-cight who went
out returned time to save their places: Ihey say
%sv do not now know what their grievance was. Inc
leaders aege that their pay was too small ana , one
ward master, Miles Hawey was promoted mpEoperss,
Thev demand his dismissal and 10 per cent hcrens1
81 wages. The wages paid In this yard are az MN MN
os s any on the Erie system Mr.. Hawley was promoted
some years ago to the position OF assistant yau ""''
SEIRCHING FOR IN INFANT DE'IA
r,r.rvrt srspIcIoN sT HORNS AND CLovEN
FEET IN CLEVELAND.