New-York tribune., 1888-04-15
SUNDAY EDITION.
APRIL Is, 1888.
UNABLE TO OIL HIS ENGINE.
STATEMENT OF A BURLINGTON EMpLoYE.
DECLARING THAT HE WAS PROMOTED IN SPITE OF
HIS IGN0RAScE-HIs STORY DENIED BIZ TIE
oFrIciALs-DIsTuRBAscEs AMONG THE SWITCH
fsY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE.l

CHicAGo, April H.-Thc room Of Chairman r c.
hoge, OF the Burlington Grievance Committee at tho
Grand Pacific. filed with different committees
rom the striking engineers and remen assembled 10
investigate the case Of John Blake, discharged Bur-
hngton engineer. Blake came from New-York in COM
pany With sixtyfve Others within few days after the
STRIKE to work for the Burlington company. The man
says first that be deceived we'll as the Others
Ia regard to the situation here When be called at the
New-fork agents Office he aflrms, the agent told him
dstinctiy that ho was wanted to go to work on a
road and not to take the place Of any Striker This
was contained in tho advertisements placed 10 German
papers he says that the agent agreed pay the trans
portation for the men, and any who got sick
found to DO incompetent would be sent back, tho
company furnishing tickets. He was not ex
amined, but was sent TO firing engine "a, Of tho
GaeSburg division, the strength of his papers, which
showed that he had been an engineer In the old
country.
81 worked two weeks on 3D." said Mr.. Blake, when
went to Master Mechanic Coville and told him
didn't want to work any more for the company
Why didn't You want to work ~ asked.
found that had the place OF a striker which the
agent told me would not have to take. belong to
the Nachinsts' Union, and we friendly to tho
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
What did Mr.. ColvIe saygo
He said: That's all right and promoted me. giving
me charge Of engine 19s. l found some difference
came from, and was often bothered to know what to
do with my engine My fireman was mex perienced and
couldn't assist me-,
few questions ct this point by tho engineer dis
closed the fact that the stranger ignorant OF tho
workings OF the Injector and able TO oil his
engine Blake continued:
II told the boss wanted TO 60 back home didn't
know how TO run my locomotive and as ked him for
trans poratlon He laughed at me- and said that in
few days could have the best machine on the
road replied that felt incompetent, and he said:
Well TX You quit you can pay your own way home.
You have been drawing salary and won't give
you ticket y
With that he quit. and not having any letter OF
discharge from tho Master Mechanic when ho applied
at General Manager Stones office, he was refused
pass to his homo in New-YOrk The man said he
was paid only 80 so day engineer instead of s4
The officials at the Burlington offices absolutely de-
MED Bake's story.
\ non-unlOn OF Burlington switch
mon went TO tho Western Avenue yards Of the ST.
Paul road late yesterday afternoon with train OF
thirty cars. Upon its arrival there some ST. Paul
swltchmen and lot Of outsiders began pull COUP
ling pins and throwing them away fast the Bur-
lingtOn switchmen could replace them. The pOllco
attempted TO protect the Burlington men, and finally
made some arrests BY this time a crowd Of about a
hundred had gathered, and. the crowd did not pro-
pose TO anybody taken TO the station. They
rescued the prisoners fast they were arrested.
Finally call turned In which was responded 10
by eight additional officers and three St Paul switch
arrested and are now locked up at the West
Chicago Avenue Police Station.
NJ j. Welsh, the Chicago engineer who was shot a
few days ago by Charles Sommess one of the new
Burlington switchmen, died yesterday. sommers "a
under arrest