The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-28
IRON HORSES LEFT IDLE.
ALL THE BURLINGTONS ENGINE
CREWS ON A STRIKE.

Flocking to the Road from Pennsyl-
vania- Traffic at a Standstill Yester-
day, However-The Battle One Be
tween Giants.
CHICAGO, Feb. 27.-A few minutes be
fore o'clock this morning the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy yards, at Canal and
Sixteenth streets, presented their usual ap-
pearance The early morning mail train
had left on time, and the switch engines
were at work. One engineer took the switch
train to the Chicago and Attica junction
shortly before 8 o'clock. He said he had
heard nothing of an order to strike, and he
would certainly take his train to the june
ton and run the engine back to the round
house. The other engineers of switch en-
gines also said they had not been ordered to
strike.
At $50 o'clock there was
the usual movement of cars at
the freight and switching stations
at Nineteenth street and Western avenue,
where cars for the East and the stock yards
are handled. just before the time ao-
pointed for the strike, Train Master 5. 7.
Pope issued an order that no trains should
be moved west of Chicago. This was taken
y
sion that the company had secured no men
worth mentioning and that the road would
in moment more be practically tied up.
BEGINNING OF THE STRIKE.
At 4 o'clock precisely switch engine No.
447 went into the Western avenue round
house, three others soon followed it and the
engineers and firemen quit work. The
strike was on in earnest. The strike promises
to be the most remarkable ever known, for in
it the strongest single labor organization in
existence has been pitted against The largest
railroad corporation in the West, and one
of the greatest in mileage and wealth in the
world Should the strike long continue it
is probable that in addition to the !, 400 men
directly involved great majority of the
IA. 900 employees of the company will be
thrown out Of work and $4,000 members
of the Engineers Brotherhood throughout
the country called upon to contribute of
their earnings, and the industries of vast
section of country tributary 10 the road
subjected to partial paralysis. The far
reaching effects of the strike can be inferred
from the fact that the road has 5000 miles
of main and leased lines gridironing the
States of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Ne
braska. From Chicago it reaches to Den
yer, over LOCO miles away, and Cheyenne,
wy, equally as far. Minneapolis to the
north and st. Louis to the south are within
|
SUBURBAN TRAINS STOPPED.
A couple of suburban trains were the
only ones to come in over the Burlington
road this morning. Master Mechanic How
land was in charge of one engine, and s;upt
Rinth ran the other. After the arrival of
these trains the depot master said he did not
expect another suburban train before noon,
as there were no engineers and firemen to
man one, and until the General Superintend-
ent could secure some engineers and fire
men he was unable to say whether there
would be another train during the day.
The only train that left the depot up to 1C
O'Clock this morning was the fast mail
which departed at 8 O'Clock and was manned
by the regular engineer and fireman from
the Brotherhood.
The financial loss of the company by the
strike is the subject of curious comment
Ordinarily the gross earnings of the road
ranged from 81, 900, 900 TO SO 600 per
month but, owing to the rate war in pro-
gress for some time past among the Western
railroads, large proportion of the Burling-
ton business has been done at anactual loss
Whether the margin of profit on the re-
mainder of traffic taken as whole was SC
small as to make the strike almost a boon
to the company the higher officials proba-
bly, alone know. 1t is point that seems to
have escaped close attention by the
|
ton with the hostilities of the Knights OF
Labor, may prove disastrous to the strikers
The depots and round house Of the road are
located at Aurora and Galesburg, ILL.,, OF
tumwa, Burlington and CresstOn, Ia, and
Lincoln, Omaha and McCook, Neb. These
cities are at the ends of the working divis
ions of the road AT Omaha arrangements
have been made with the Union Pacific
road to honor all Burlington tickets to com
| ic nj
arrangements have been made with Other
roads.
THROUGH TRAFFIC TRANSFERRED.
The Burlington road has arranged with
other roads to have its business transferred
to them SO that all traffic is protected ex
cept at local points. All through trave
and freight traffic and all business with
points in Burlington territory touched by
other roads will he cared for by those roads
and the agents have been notified to receive
all consignments subject to delay. sTht
Burlington road intends for the present tc
give all its attention to local traffic.
The Burlington division at the stock yardi
was as silent as on Sunday. Only one car
of stock arrived by the Burlington road to
day, although that road brings more live
stock to the Chicago market than any Other
road.
The Burlington is the only road that has
ton there is critical, as the tracks are full
of cars loaded with lumber ready for ship
ment, and cannot be removed. No foreign
engine will be allowed to take away cars
even if another road consented to pull them
the men, who are in sympathy with the
strikers, will not work.
CHIEF ARTHUR's STATEMENT.
Chief Engineer Arthur in an interview
to-day, said: THE publication by Genera
Manager Stone of all the propositions
offered by the men might mislead the pub
lie. We were willing TO discuss these
propositions one by one, and in case We
failed to convince General Manager Stone
that they were just and fair we would have
made concessions The strike did not Occur
because the schednle we offered was moi
adopted, but because when the question OF
wages was reached Mr.. Stone refused TO do
anything at all. The fight is purely O
question Of wages We receded from oui
first proposition and offered 10 accept a half
cent, which Mr.. Stone refused in mos
positive manner He made no propo
sition TO us at all and the
fight now is purely on the question
of pay" Chief Arthur was asked what at
titude he expected the knights Of Labor Il
assume toward the engineers during th'
strike. 81 don't see be said, why th'
Knights Of Labor should be hostile 10 th'
Brotherhood of Engineers, and ] have nc
! information that they will try 70 assist thf