The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-03-22

in the Wabash case. The railroa
authorities have but little to say.
| is expected the mail and express wi
! go through tomorrow. but furthe
than that there seems to be littl
hope.
The engineers are at this momen
holding a meeting, and what thei
action will be no one outside knows.
WANTS TO KNOW THE REASON.
TOPEKA. Kas., March 45.-This at
ternoon at exactly $50 p. m. j. F
Goddard, general manager of the A.
the following telegram at his Office IL
Topeka:
To J. F. Goddard:
Engineers and firemen of the SAINTS
Fe system quit at 4 o'clock this after.
To which MI. Goddard transmitted
this reply:
Topeka, Kas., March 10.
To L. Conroe, Chairman Grievance Commit
tee A, T. s. 8. F. Railway, Kansas City:
At $50 this afternoon 1 received
your telegram notifying me that the
engineers and firemen whom you rep
resent would quit at 4 p. m. to-day
As we have faithfully kept every writ
ten and verbal agreement made with
your organization. your action is a
surprise, and I would be glad to
know on what grounds it is
taken. Also do you intend that it
shall cover passenger train service as
well as freight?
(Signed) J. F. GODDARD.
This action of the brotherhood on
the Santa Fe system will be surprise
to the public as well as to the general
manager. The Associated Press agent
has been at the pains to learn the facts
concerning the relationship of brother
hood engineers to the Santa Fe COM
pany, and brief, dispassionate
statement of the facts concerning
that relationship without commentary
will probably place the railroad COM
pany and the brotherhood in a proper
light before the public, so that the
latter may fairly judge the merits of
this latest and most startling move
ment for several years. The Brother
hood of Engineers has been recognized
and fostered as legitimate and reput-
able trade association by the Santa Fe
railroad company. Fully 80 per cent.
of the engineers employed by the COM
pany are, and have been
for years, brotherhood engineers.
From time to time the rep
of the brotherhood have
met with the managers of the railroad
company and discussed the grievances.
or entered into a final consideration of
matters looking to the improvement of
the condition and remuneration of the
engineers. The company has done this
in pursuance of a policy which it has
believed, it was its duty to the public
to pursue, viz: To have stability and
in its motive power depart
nent in the interest of the safety of
the lives and property of
it's patrons. No just request
which has been made to the company
by the representatives of the brother
hood has ever been refused, and but
very recently, the very mileage sched-
ule which is the cause of quarrel be-
tween the brotherhood and the %"
railway company was submitted to
he A. T. s. Santa Fe railway COM
pany, and in due and friendly confer
5he company. The Atchison, Topeka
Santa Fe railroad company,
through its proper officers, thereupOn,
about February 1st, entered into
4 contract with the locomotive engin-
GERS and firemen upon the Santa Fe
and Southern Kansas railway system.
By this contract large benefits and
advantages were given to this class of
employees. The very first provision of
his written contract is in substance as
follows: That no engineer or fireman
should be suspended or discharged up
IN any charge whatever without first
having an impartial hearing. a
BOARD of inquiries is established. COM
posed of the division superintendents,
iivisiOn master mechanics, and disin-
crested engineers from the division on
which the complaint may arise, who
shall investigate the charges of mis-
and right Of appeal is in all
cases given from the local to the gen.
eral officers. Rights of firemen and
engineers to act as a committee or con-
terence are recognized, and leave of
absence granted for that purpose. Ev-
cry item in this long contract, consist
ng OF tWenty-Six articles, the larger
part of which looked to the benefit
If the employees was carefully gone
'ver at Chicago by the representatives
If the Brotherhood of Engineers and
he vice president of the company. In
of the concession made,
md the large benefits and advantages
given, and the perfect confidence be-
slowed by the company upon this class
IF its employers, the engineers and
iremen agreed through their repre-
Jentatives that they would not
;ail to perform their duties under
the contract and agreement without
giving the company thirty days no
ice. On the Sth and 9th days of March
conferences were held at the request
If representatives of the brotherhood
With the managing officers OF the Santa
Fe at Topeka upon the subject OF the
@" strike, at which meetings the
question of the duty of connecting
;oads to haul 80" freight was dis
;ussed, and finally resulted in the
service of notice by the representa-
ives of the brotherhood upon this
company to the effect that after Sun
lay morning, the 18th inst.
the engineers and firemen would
refuse to haul "Q'' cars. There
was no notice of a strike or
of work, no notice
Of any grievance. On the contrary
there was on the part of the representa-
lives of the b. otherhood repeated dis
Chalmers of any purpose to injure the
Atchison, Topeka s. Santa Fe railroad
company or to refuse to perform their
duties as engineers. They also admit
ted repeatedly that they had no eriev-
ance against the Santa Fe road, but
that they sympathiZed with their
friends on the s. ;" and desired to aid
them in their fight. The griev ance
repeatedly stated that no
strike would be order ed, that each man
would act for himself. The company
assured the grievance committee that
they could not expect that the COM
pany would act in violation of the laws
of the United States, that it was COM
monty understood and was their be-
lief that the act of congress required
them to haul the freight of all con-
Meeting lines, when presented, with
out discrimination. They would lay
their notice before the board of direc-
tors for their consideration, pending,
which it was presumed that no
action would be taken by the
engineers, certainly not without the
notice provided for in their contract.
Since that time in no instance has any
engineer against his wishes been asked
to haul any train containing 20" cars.
At no time, however, has the company
put itself beyond the pale of the law,
or done anything to visit upon it PEN
alties and punishment for its dis
THE STRIKE AT ABILENE.
ABILENE, Kas., March 15.-No