Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-02-28
The WHEELS STOP
The Strike Of the O., =. D G
Engineers is . Fact.
All Traffic on Six thousand
Miles of Track Stopped
Instantly,
ADesperate Fight Insagursted Bstwssa
One of the Strongest Labor Orgaat.s-
tions In the Country and ths LsrEssi
Railway Corporation In the World.

CHICAGO, February 2s.-Four O'Clock yes
terday morning was the time set for tn,
engineers of the Z. b. g. @ system TO Qui
work. Just before the time appointed fo
the strike. Traiumaster 5. I. Pope ISSUED
an order that no trains should be moved
west of Chicago. This was taken by q few
trainmen in the yards rs . confession thai
the company had secured no men worth
mentioning, and that the road would in q
moment more be practically tied up. A
4 O'Clock precisely, switch engine No. Al
went into the Western avenue round house
Three Others soon followed and the en-
gineers and tiremen quit work. The strike
was on in earnest 1t promises TO be the
most remarkable event known, for in it the
strongest single labor organization in ex
istence has been pitted against the largest
railroad corporations in the West and one
of the greatest in mileage and wealth in The
world. Should the strike long continue il
Is probable that in addition 70 IA, CO.. men
directly involved, the majority of the
1900 employees OF the company will be
thrown out of work.
The 5000 members OF the Engineers
Bro herhood throughout the country will
be called upon to contribute of the savings
The effects of the strike can inferred from
the fact that the road has 1900 miles Of
main and leased lines, gridironing the
brssks From Chicago it reaches Denver.
over 1000 miles away, and Cheyenne, Wy
Oming. equally rs far. St Louis on the
south is W thin its reach.
A couple of suburban trains were the
only ones to come in over the Burlington
road in the morning. Master Mechanic How.
land was in charge of one engine, and Su.
perintendent Rinthran the other. After
the arrival OF these trains, the depot master
said he did not expect another suburban
train before noon, as there was no engins eF
or fireman to man one, and until the Gen.
eral Superintendent could secure some en-
gineers and firemen he was unsble 10 say
whether there would be another train in
during the day. The only train that left
the depot up to 10 O'Clock this morning was
the fast mail, which departed at 8 O'Clock,
and was manned by the regular engineer
and fireman from the brotherhood.
I'VE are Just about where We expected TO
be-" said General Manager Stone, of the
Burlington. when asked what the situation
was on his line. We brought in all our su-
burban passengers pretty much as usual.
Our principal train. the one which brings
in most of the business men and clerks, was
only ten minutes late. The engineers and
firemen on these trains were drawn from
our force of mechanics yard foremen, etc.
Each train was manned with a double force
OF brakemen and conductors 50 that if any
difficulties were encountered, We should
have plenty of help. We shall endeavor TO
run at least four suburban trains day"
Did every one of your l,6O0 firemen and
engineers striker asked the reporter.
Yes, all but one man, an engineer near
Galesburg"
ssNEhas tt,a ,r,th h.,o
Nothing. Napoleon used TO say that 2
O'Clock courage was rare thing l guess
O'Clock courage is equally unique. There
are doubtless q number Of other engineers
among our exemployes who do not belong
20 the Brotherhood, and who did not wish
70 strike, but they lacked 4 O'Clock courage
Not the slightest trouble has been reported
from any point SO far, and do not antici-
pate any violence or obstruction from any
source. The strikers did not bring their
engines through TO the end OF their runs,
O'Clock came. Thus, all our passengers
from the Missouri river were dumped at
Galesburg, and those which we take from
the Illinois Central at Forest were left AZ
Aurora From the latter point We were
able to bring them in without much delay,
but at Galesburg the passengers were
obliged to await until 10 before We could
start them in"
The Superintendent Office and the lobby
leading TO it are crowded with men who are
applying for the positions vacated. They
are put through an examination by the
Superintendent of Motive Power and il
they are found competent are taken to the
yards at once. Before IL this morning
about fifty of the applications had been &C.
oepted.
"You see there are apparently plenty of
men ready for the places" said II. Stone,
pointing to the line.
who are they and where do they come
tromT'
I'VE don't know"
How about your conductors, brakemsn
and other employees; are they going to
trouble your
mo. We have reasons to believe that
they are all with the company and general
are literally paid in comparison with other
employees Engineers get more than the
conductors. All We have thus far called on
have promptly responded"
"How is it with the freight conductors
and brakemenT'
II can't say from actual experience, as
we are not attempting to move any freight.
We shall start our noon trains to Kansas
City and 10 Missouri River points as usual"
The Burlington is the only road that haI
access into the lumber district, but having
no engineers on the engines, an attempt
was made to have q Chicago & Eastern
Illinois engineer switch his train into the
lumber district. He refused on the ground,
that it was switching for the c., B. & @.
and no further att mpt had been made up
70 noon to switch into the lumber district
Work of the Day.
CHICAGO. February 2s-Taken all in all,
the first day of the bloodless battle between
the Burlington system and its engineers
and firemen has closed with the advantage
in favor of the company. Yesterday the
employees were prophesying and the Off
GERS Of the road were fearing general tie
up, which would bring 9th the freight and
passenger traffic TO an absolute standstill.
so far as freight is concerned the prognosti
cations have been fulfilled 10 the letter. Not
6 pound Of il has gone mile. nor is any
likely. according 20 the present outlook, fol
several days 10 come. But with the pas
senger traffic the officials Of the operating de
pertment have had better luck. 80 much
better in fact that tonight they are rubbing
their hands and jubilantly declaring thai
within forty-eight hours so far as human
freight is concerned. nobody will know thai
. strike has been declared against the road
This map will show you how we made
out to day" said General Passenger Agent
Paul Morton this evening. -Four train
brought in the suburban passengers from
the territory tributary TO hicsgo this morn
ing, and four more will take them back to
nisht- These trains may be . little lonrs
and trife more crowded than ordinarily
but warrant you that not man or . vo
nsa working in the city and snl residing
sa our line was left at home this evening.
IL 70 the through traffic We sent out No. 5,
which left 1T noon for Council Blufs, in
charge of . new engineer and fireman. The
number I (canon bell which should have