Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-27
A BROTHERHOOD TIE UP.
BIG STRIKE AGAINST THE, MACkEY
SYSTEM OF ROADS.

Failing to Obtain the Discharge Of a Mas
ter Mechanic Chief Arthur's Organize
ton Quits Work on 500 Miles of Rail
Many Exeursionists Inconvenienced-Mr
Mackey's Grim Determination.
EVANSVILLE, Ind Aug. 27-The loco
Motive engineers firemen, brakemen and
switchmen on the Peoria. Decatur & Evans
vile, Evansville & Terre Hauts, Evansville
& Indianapolis and Evansville Belt railroads,
about 500 miles in all, went out on strike
yesterday at 2 p. m. The immediate cause
of the trouble was the refusal of President
Mackey to discharge F. C. Smith, master
mechanic of the p d. & F.. at Nation, Ills.
The men claim that Smith is overbearing
and unreasonable, and that they are unable
to agree with him. Smith has been on the road
since October, 1887 Chief Arthur, Of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and
Chief Sargent, of the Firemen's brotherhood
| arrived in this city last Friday, and in a
| conference with General Manager Ewing, of
| the Mackey system, demanded the immediate
discharge of Master Mechanic Smith. This
was refused. Upon the receipt Of the re.
fusal of the Mackey company to comply
|
gent notified president Mackey that the men
would strike on Sunday afternoon. Accord
inglv, at the hour mentioned, the engineers,
firemen, brakemen and switchmen left their
places No riot or trouble is reported so far.
| Little is known of the motives of the
switchmen and the brakemen in joining the
engineers and tiremen, as all refuse to talk.
However, the common cause of complaint
the obnoxious treatment of Master Mechanic
Smiths believed TO be the prime reason for
the move
The strikers assert that Master Mechanic
Smith is an arrogant man who has heaped
abuse and insult upon them until patience
has ceased to be a virtue. They also say
that Smith has grievances against the two
brotherhoods and has been using his official
position to bring the men into disfavor by
constantly preferring charges against the
more prominent ones, and gradually weed
ing them out. They say they have placed
their trouble before the officials of the sys
tenn and they have refused to give them re
lief
The management asserts that it has beer
treated unjustly in the matter. holding thai
the order TO strike was held until the city
|
could not handle their business and b.
brought into disfavor with the general pub
lie The officials also claim that they have
been given no opportunity to investigate the
charges against Smith All the officials in
terviewed are very bitter in their denuncia
ton of Chief Arthur, and hold that he 4
@leading the engineers brotheIho around
by the nose
I
President Msckey stated yesterday after
noon that every man who struck yesterja,
would never again be given work so long a
he had control of the system of roads. H
said he would give up his entire fortune be
fore he would yield point.
The situation is an embarrassing one to tn
Mackey people. There were between 500
and 10000 people at the encampmen
grounds who bad to be brought home, an,
, of these about !, 500 were excursionists fron
other points, who had to be taken home Be
sides there were |, so soldiers who brok
camp last night Finally two engines wit
, trains started out, one in charge of Col Ew
ing and a boiler shop cab fireman, and tn
, other in charge Of Master Mechanic job
4 Terrence and Frank Smith, foreman of th
boiler shops They made several trips owe
, the Belt road and brought the encampmer
. visitors home, but matters were in littl
better shape, as it filled the Union static
with passengers for neighboring points, a
clamoring to go home and cursiug the raj
! road The p, D. & E regular train Wa
a made up, and j H. Larash. conductor an
: a member of the Order of Railway Conduc
t ors, agreed to take the train through if "
e D. Ewing, general manager, would agree I
It fire and keep the boiler full of water. Tn
l. was agreed Ia, and at $40 the train pulle
); ont amid volley of curses and taunts La,
s night the station was full of weary and an,
!, ious eScurSiouists