The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-02
Lake Shore and Fort Wayne Men Ready
to Join the Strike at Any Moment.
Trouble Is Imminent with the Local Engi-
neers, Firemen and Switchmen Who Have
Decided to Boycott the CO. Cars.
THE GENERAL SITUATION.
Prospects of = Tie-Up on the Chicago Bell
Tho st. Paul TO Force the Fight.


aspect to the railroad situation this evening
than at any time since the Brotherhood of Engi-
neers and Firemen Quit the services of the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. Every railroad
entering Chicago depends almost wholly upon
the Bels-line as the means by which an inter
change of freight is to be conducted with any
other road. Practically. every railroad track
stretching from Chicago is intersected by the
Belt, and there has been general feeling from
the that the issue of the struggle might be
swayed one way or the other by the attitude of
the Belt-line officials and the men in their en-
ploy. The latter have all along been among the
sta1chest allies of the Brotherhood, willis the
management of that company have apparently
sought. as far possible. to maintain position
of so-called neutrality. A new face put on at
fairs. some time yesterday, when Gen FL. Fl.
Porter president Of the Chicago g. Eastern I'LL
nois railway sent q stron gly-worded letter to
John B. Carson, president of the Belt line. The
Eastern Illinois company holds controlling ln-
terest in the Belt corporation. and General Por-
ter's letter demanded formally and explicitly
that: ''The Belt line transfer cars for every rail-
road and individual in exactly the same manner,
and that any and all employees that 10 not choose
to do their whole duty, and the same duty to-
ward any one car or railroad company OF indi-
yidual as another shall Immediately be dis
missed and no employe shall in any way be
allowed to handle any particular car that win
not handle every other in the same way"
President Carson replied, asserting to General
Perter's letter. To-day meeting of employees
OF the Belt line was held, at which the whole
subject was earnestly debated. It
rently reported this evening that the Belt men
decided to stand by their guns. and see whether
the company would discharge them en- masse.
No provocation for an extension of the strike
was given to-day by the Burlington Whether,
as alleged it was for the purpose OF resting the
new men, or that there business. it be-
ing Sunday and many men being idle, the dan
ger of riot was increased, there certainly was
no attempt in any quarter to handle Burlington
cars IN the Burlinetop's own yards.
The managers of the Milwaukee & st. Paul
pursued exactly the opposite course They
made the most strenuous efforts to keep things
moving. and a result it is probable that the
strike on the st. Paul will eliminate tomorrow
in a renewal of the strike the Panhandle. A
train was got in readiness SO that tomorrow
attempt can be made TO transfer St Paul freight
to the Panhandle, and as the employees of the
latter were pledged to support the St Paul
strikers. there is little doubt they will refuse
handle the freight and strike will ensue.
Eight switch-engines were at work in the st.
Paul yards to-day, and cleared blockade at
Union. street and another at Western avenue.
Four freight trains were started to Milwaukee,
and the suburban passenger service was got into
much better shape than Saturday. Large
crowds of siehtseers were scattered along the
tracks and on the viaducts throughout the day,
but there attempt at rioting. %.
A stormy meeting of the ST. Paul strikers
was in progress during the afternoon. The
engineers and fremen said to have favored
returning to work the terms offered By Gen 4
eral Manager Miller. while the switchmen and
brakemen insisted standing out. Without
reaching any conclusion. an adjournment was
taken until tomorrow morning. saI
The Fort Wayne men nre fully determined
not to handle any 20" cars, and may refuse to
have anything to do with St. Paul transfers
On Saturday night Foreman Behm, of the
shops, asked every engineer to go to Sixteenth
street after train, but all refused. On Satur- !
day, when the engineers, fremen and switch.
men quit work, the hands in the shops were
told that they might go home.
The firemen, engineers and switchmen e1ny 4,
ployed by the Lake Shore are dissatisfied with
affairs, and may not wait until election day to
60 ont. The switchmen, it will be remembered,
were set to work during the big strike. It is
now known that the Switchmen's Union has
offered to take them into the union, and thus
square the differences that have existed for
nearly two years. For this generous offer on 4
the part of the union, the Lake Shore switch
mon hare about decided not to handle any more /
20" cars.
In the stockyards the switchmen employed by. |
the Stockyards Company finding new deal /
to play against Usually the Wabash takes |
Milwaukee e. ST. Paul cars from Hammond,
Ind, and at the stockyards turns them over to
the Michigan Central To-day, as usual, the |
train was brought in. and thes sswitchmen OBJ
jected to the Michigan Central handling the |
cara. Committees were appointed by the switch |
men to wait the stockyards officials. The |
committees failed 10 do anything, and the men |
refused to handle the St Paul cars. The |
dissatisfaction among the stockyards men was |
communicated to the men employed by the Chi |
cago & Eastern Illinois and with the Lake Shore |
and they simply waiting for their turn to |
step out Wednesday has been settled upon as I
the day, and unless there is a decided change |
the men employed the Lake Shore, Chicago |
& Eastern Illinois, and the Louisville IL New |
Albany will go out.
A General Tie-Up Expected Wednesday,
CHICAGO, April L Judging from appearances, |
end from the talk INDUCED in by railroad men,