The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-14
ANOTHER Big STRIKE.
Engineers and Firemen on the
c., B. & @. R. r. Quit Work.
More than $4,000 Men Affected
By the Tie-up.

A great strike of 1000 engineers and
1000 tiremen on the Chicago, 3urling-
ton and Quincy Railroad system began
promptly in Chicago and other points at
o'clock Monday morning. Precisely at
that hour switch engine Al went into the
round d-house at Chicago. Three others soon
followed it, and the engineers and firemen
quit work. The strike was on in earnest,
and all the switch engines started for the
round house.
Just before the time appointed for the
strike Train Master s. T. Pope issued an
order that no trains should be moved west OF
Chicago. This was regarded as confession
that the company had not obtained men 10
take the place of the strikers.
The strike affected about $4,000 men en-
ployed on the whole system in Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Min
nesota and Wisconsin, embracing 5,5O0 miles
of road.
Chief Arthur, of the Brotherhood Of Lo-
comotive Engineers, announced that the men
would run mail cars, but no other cars must
be attached to them, and they would not
At St. Louis about forty engineers and hre,
men notified the manager that they would
not resume their places on their engines OF
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Kali.
road Monday morning, and they were joined
by the platform men and brakemen. Ihey
said this was in compliance with an order
from Chief Arthur, the cause of which was
known to the officials. They further stated
that no opposition would be made to men fill
inc their places, nor would any obstruction
to the movement of trains be sanctioned by
their body.
The shutdown at Aurora, ILL.,, was com.
plete. All operations ceased even before the
hour set for the strike. Several trains came
in Just previous to four o'clock and as they
arrived in the yards one by one, each was
quietly abandoned by the trainmen. The
through on time, and when the appointed
moment came for the strike nothing was
stirring and the company's premises were
At Kansas City the Rock Island road had
quietly put some Chicago. Burlington
and Quincy cars in its freight
trains with the apparent intention OF
helping the latter road in its freight
business Monday afternoon. The Rock Island
engineers on discovering this became furious
and every engine in the yard was pulled into
the round-house, leaving a score or more of
freight trains on the track. The fremen
Joined in the emovement, and the consequence
was for time q total tie-up of the Rock
Islands freight traffic.
The Executive Board of D. A. "a, K. OF L.,
at Chicago, adopted a proclamation to the
members of Assembly, in which reference
was made to the reports that the K OF l.. en-
gineers were to take the places Of the strikers
as retaliatory step. The assembly pro-
tested against any of its members taking the
places Of the strikers and concluded: "lf the
members of the Brotherhood have ever been
guilty of any wrong toward our order, this
wrong cannot be righted by committing
another. Let no Knight fire an engine or
pull throttle on the Chicago Burlington
During the first day of the strike there
were two bad smash-ups on the road. owing
to the attempt to run trains with green
hands. In one accident three postal clerks
we're badly injured; in the other two express
employes and a master mechanic were dan
gerously. if not mortally, hurt.
The chief depots or round-houses OF the
road are located at Aurora and Galesburg,
ILL.,; Ottumwa, Burlington and Creston, la. ;
Lincoln, Omaha and McCook, Neb: These
cities are at the ends of working divisions Of
the road.
Should the strike long continue, says a
Chicago dispatch, it is probable that in adj
dition to the 1,40O men directly involved,
the great majority of the Il, 600 employees OF
the company will be thrown out Of work,
the %, 900 members of the Engineers Brother
hood throug ghout the country called upon to
contribute of their savings, and the in
dustries of a vast section Of country tributary
to the road subjected to a'partial paralysis.
The far-reaching effects Of the strike can be
inferred from the fact that the road has 1000
miles of main and leased lines gridironing
the States Of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Ne
braska From Chicago it reaches to Denver,
Co.., over 1000 miles away, and Cheyenne,
wy. Ty., equally far. Minneapolis to the
north and St Louis to the south are within
itc roach