The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-04-07
GROWING SERIOUS.
Striking Switchmen Oppose the Run
ming Of Trains Belonging to
the %" Road.


Thursday was an important day In the
strike. The lethargy which has permeated
this great labor struggle was broken with a
ripple OF excitement that threatened for
time TO recall TO the public mind the dayso OF
III.
Ever since the Burlington switchmen
went out the police have anticipated trouble,
for when the switchmen strike they don't
wear kid gloves and do business from no
tel parlor but they engage in strike 10
win, IL they can, just the same. The aver
age switchman looks upon a "scab" with an
aversion which portends trouble II the scab
gets In the way, and the scab got right into
the path OF the swltchmen.
The yards OF the Burlington have been so
crowded Of late that The company has been
forced 20 move out the empty cars belonging
10 other railroads. Thirty new Chicago,
Milwaukee a. 81. Paul cars were started lit
tie after after p. m Trouble was anticl-
pated with the switchmen, and for this rea-
son Superintendent Bessler took charge OF
the train and put II under the protection Of
the Pinkerton men. IL was the intention OF
superintendent Besslcr TO run the new cars
into the Chicago, Milwaukee a. ST. Paul
yards. About one hundred feet west OF
the Milwaukee Road which Is always filed
with idlers. There was a crowd OF railroad
switchmen there when the '.Qp engine with
the train OF new cars passed, and they made
preparations 10 stall the tram.
The trouble was hot, short, and decisive,
and victory perched upon the banners OF the
strikers. IL was the fight OF perhaps two
hundred determined sympathizers with the
strikers against a train drawn by "Q' en-
gine, uader command Of Superintendent
Bessler, and guarded 10y squad of Pinker-
ton men. The mob disarmed and drove %
the pinkerton men. All the latter were
hurt, but none seriously. Mr.. Bcssler had
both OF his eyes BACKED. The fireman on
the Burlington engine was cut on the back OF
the head, and the engineer was struck In the
face.
At the switchmen's headquarters In Chi
cago, men were coming and going as usual,
and meeting was In progress In the union
room. Much stress was laid on the reports
that were coming I'm Of accidents 10 the new
men. They said: 1--WE have contendod all
along that we were rlsKing our lives In work.
ing with the new and incompetent engineers,
and these accidents show that we were
right. You don't hear OF half Of them. A
man was hurt Thursday out near the yards,
anu tUts put uI ul cuklut uuu
hurried him To town, and no one knows
where they took him. We are making no
over;ures 10 the company because we don't
believe that they will be accepted. The
company claims 10 be employing plenty OF
men, but don't think they are doing them
mich good. Lots OF them were gotten here
by misrepresentation, and as soon as they
found how matters stood they went back
home. Our men are standing firm, but are
willing 20 return TO work II the company
will put competent men on the engines"
AT $3.50 Thursday night every man en-
pIoyed In the yards Of the Chicago, Milwaut
kec a ST. Paul Railroad In Chicago left his
post, and the freight business OF that road
was suspended No interference with pass
enger trains bearing United States mail was
offered. At midnight officials OF the road
were In consultation with a committee OF the
strikers In q ear at the Western Avc. yards,
but no conclusion had been reached, and the
yards were rs silent and deserted as were the
Burlington yards at o'clock on the morning
OF the Inauguration of the stlkc. The men,
IL Il understood, are now ready 10 take up
the fight Of the Burlington engineers in dead
earnest, and they say they are ready 20 figh-
II to the bitter end. They are emphatic In
their statement that they will handle no more
so" cars while they ATE manned by scabs.
The situation as a whole Is becoming moro
serious every hour, aud the possibility OF n
general strike is rapidly approaching prob.
ability.