Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-03-24

HE Missouri paCaao and Fort Scott
KANSAS Orr, March l6.-At 2 o'clock the
Unien depot is. deserted, there being NO
movements Of trains until 40 An Asso-
mated Press representative visited the room
Of the union grievance committee at the
Now Albany hotel, and in response to .
question q to the future action of the en-.
ginssrs, was told by Chairman Carroll that
the men on the Kansas City, Fort Scott q
Gulf would leave their engines at TINS
afternoon and that, furthermore, men
would 90 out at tho rate of road DAY
until the matter was settled. The men on
the Missouri Pacific are very uneasy. and
this morning delegation Of them visited
the rooms of the committee and asked Tor
orders to strike. This was not granted,
but the inference drawn from the con-
versation with the committee was that the
men on the Missouri Pacific would go out
SUNDAY. The committee says positively
that there can be no compromise IL this
matter, but not road will be run until the
men are reinstated On the Ihe
woman who won't ont on No. 8 to-day as
fireman was Hattie Reed, formerly. OF
Kewaunee. III. During the strike OF 1877
she acted - fireman for her husband from
Galssburg to Burlington.
THE SITUATION CRITICAL.
KANSAS CrTY, March 16.-The situation on
the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf system
is critical. It vas thought certain that the
mon would strike at this afternoon, and
the men In the yards are said to have OK
pressed surprise that no order came. Cen
eral Manager Nettleton was in tho yards
most OF the day, and he fully anticipated q
strike. Chairman Carroll, Of tho union
grievance committee, who was authority for
the statement that the strike would occur,
said this evening that it was only prevented
by word from Chairman Hitchkins, of the
Fort Scott grievance COMMITTEES, who
requested that positive action be
deferred until his arrival here.
He is expected in tonight or
tomorrow morning, and Chairman Carroll
has already intimated that the strike is less
than twenty -four hours away. The Fort
Scott accommodation left this evening on
time, at 4:3O o'clock, and everything is re-
ported as going on as usual all along the
system. It is not thought likely that the
road will be tied up tonight, as everything
depends on the action of Chairman Hitch
kins. One feature of the situation on the
Fort Scott has been frequently remarked,
and that is the fact that some days after the
beginning of the Burlington strike the Fort
Scott men demanded higher wages and the
adjustment of the classification system.
These requests were promptly granted and
the officials hoped that they were
out of danger. The recent trouble grows
out of the positive decision of the road to
receive and handle Burlington business, and
if the men strike that will be the chief cause.
It ia reported that the Fort Scott system has
already made arrangements for hiring men
in case of strike.
General Manager Nettleton said to-day:
''We have received no notification of
strike, nor are we likely to. It does seem to
be the plan of the engineers to prepare the
road officials for a strike. They merely
drop the lever and quit at q moments
notice."
care you prepared for striker"
''No; cannot say that We are. We have
q few engineers at our disposal, but not
enough, of course, to carry on both freight
and passenger business. It would delay US
to considerable extent in all our depart
ments."
The realization Of the Brotherhood mem
bers, especially those who are members or
chairmen of the grievance committee, that
an open order to strike might lay them
liable to prosecution, under various statues,
has had the effect of making them close
mouthed on the subject of future plans on
other roads, but the general tenor of their
speech has operated to create strong inn
preston in this city that every day is likely
to sec another road drawn into the great
contest.