New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-03-21
yHE STRIKING ENGINEERS.

particular change in the situation.
The Iowa board ofrailway commissioners
nave been investigat charges OF incompe
Iency made against engineerson the Burling
ton road who have taken the place OF
strikers They took considerable testi-
mony at Creston from engineers who stat
ed that they did not consider themselves
as tirst-class engineers. They have sum
med up this testimony and submitted it
to the governor. After reciting this testi-
mony the commissioners say:
MIR. Brown, superintendent OF the Iowa
lines admits that under the conditions OF
all his engineers leaving on twelve hours's
notice he WAS compelled to run passenger
trains with new and inexperienced men. 1t
may be regarded as proven beyond ques-
11on and admitted that the men above
designated were inexperienced, under the
general rules laid down by railroad com
panles for the running OF trains, and tried
by their own statements. The commits
sioners do not hesitate to say that they
are incompetent
Alter discussing the employment OF in
competent engineers, the commissioners
say:
- We think we are safe in assuming that in
these particulars the new men running
these trains cannot be equal to those who
had been previously selected from the
Oldest and most competent engineers to
sloners believe that the examinations
that have been made and tests that have
been applied to determine whether
engineers are competent to run locomo-
tlYes are dictated by prudence, and to
neglect them is unwise. They would adj
wise the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
company to allow no engineer to run pas
senger trains that is not fully up to the
established standard OF skill and ability.
The If
!, gers says he must use extraordinary care
and caution, the highest skill, the greatest
foresight and the best appliances"
the highest degree OF care, skill
and diligence Of which human
effort is capable" the diligence must be
extraordinary and liability follows slight
negligence" It not being in issue the COM
m,ssioners have not thought it within the
scope OF this investigation to discuss the
merits OF the differences that led to the en-
glneers and tiremen leaving the service OF
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railway.
Gov. Larabee has sent q letter to Presi-
dent Perkins Of the Burlingtonadvisin him
to settle the trouble with the strik ars by
arbitration
Prominent members OF the brotherhood
at New York thus define their position:
They do not propose or desire to commit
any act conflicting with the laws OF the
country. Thelaws of the Brotherhood have
been modified, under the advice OF eminent
counsel so that authorized acts ofits MEM
bers may not conflict with stringent con-
splracy laws. Each individual member is
free agent to engage in strike
or not as he may elect The Brotherhood
never has nor ever will attempt to dictate
to any railroad company whom they shall
or shall not employ. lp the case OF the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, we do not
object to their hiring such men as they
can get to run their engines, nor 10 we say
to the managers OF other lines how near
) they shall go towards infringing upon the
Interstate commerce law, but we presume
that they, knowing our demands to be
just are willing to give us all the
moral support they can; but we
do object to managers OF other roads sup
plying the BurIs ton with men to take
our places, thereby conspiring to our de-
1eat and thus depriving us OF the rights Of
Jar light to sustain our just demands.
Neither will our organizations Interfere with
any railway company in discharglng its
duties as a common carrier, but ii any in
dividual member OF our organization shall
decline to work for any railway company
handling Chicago Burlington & Quincy
traffic, he has a perfect right to do so. We
say individually to the managers who
have been instrumental in supplying the
JfhiCagO, Burlington & Quincy with men,
CllclU IL IllGg no uDU WlUnQFaW SAID men we
will quit their employ. At Kansas City
at a meeting of the Brotherhood OF Lo-
comotive Engineers and Firemen Grand
Master g. b. Wilkinson, OF the Br other
hood OF Brakemen said that organization
had determined to give it's might to the
cause OF the engineers and firemen. The
brakemen knew, he said, that the en-
gineers now employed by the Burlington
system were incompetent. They let the
t0r low i,,+ loL I,o
brakemen were constrained to take refuge
in the cabooses for fear Of being blown up.
They have in many instances reported
this state OF affairs to the officers OF the
other roads. Mr.. Wilkinson believed that
some time in the future there would be
one grand organization OF trainmen, com
!, posed OF engineers, fremen, brakemen,
conductors, aud switchmen. and then
all would get their rights He i'll the
brakemen would refuse to run for the Bur-
lington road il asked to do SO. In the
meeting were representatives OF the
Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf rail
road, the Kansas City, Wyando tte &
Northwestern road, the Missouri Pacific
and others. All reported their men ready
to strike fit was necessary for the success
OF those now out on the Burlington.
AT Denver, Col. the striking engineers is
sued a notice to the officials OF the Denver,
Utah & Pacific that all their engineers and
fremen would go out next day. This road
is narrow gauge running from Denver to
Lyons, and is controlled by the Burlington
by lease, and is used by the latter as
feeder to one OF the richest coal districts
of the,state.
Postmaster General Dickinson has di.
rected General Superintendent Nash, OF
the railway mail service, to proceed at
once to Chicago. there to remain during
the present railroad troubles. Mr.. Nash
received instructions which will govern in
any action he may take.
The general manager OF the Milwaukee
road says:
1t seems to me to be ridiculous for
court to order road to han,lle Burling-
ton freight when it is not in a position to
obey the order. How can the ST. Paul
haul Burlington cars when our engineers
refuse to work? Discharge them and get
men that will? That's all very WE'LL but
suppose we did discharge some OF our en-.
gineers, would we be in a better position or
would the public be in a better position to
stop our road altogether? could stop
the ST. Paul road to-day. but don't pro-
pose to do it, because it would only result
in iniury TO the nublic The ST. Paul ia