River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-03-29
THE ROCK ISLAND FIGHTS.

In Its Answer to the Suit Brought by the
burlington Road IL Charges the Latter
with an Attempt to Force Western
Roads Into a Trust-The switchmeB
sun Out.
CHICAGO, March 26.-The answer of the
Rock Island to the bill filed by the Burling-
ton Company in Judge Gresham's court to
compel the former to haul Burlington
freight and cars is highly sensational in
character The charge made by the Rock
Island is. in substance, as follows:
In January, 1855, the 90 road began a syste-
matte reduction OF rates over its lines, which
ultimately resulted in the reduction not only Of
It's own revenues but of the competing lines
as they were compelled TO meet cuts made by
the g" people Under these circumstances
rates became reduced 10 about one-third their
former amounts. Some time last month. or
early in the present, the Chicago, Burl ngton a
Quincy, under threat 10 prosecute the rate
war, indefinitely proposed 10 some OF its com
petitoTs the formation OF a trust" which
should make and maintain passenger and
freight rates, fine members for non-observance
OF rules in making cuts, and compens lte those
roads which were compelled 10 run at . loss
The Rock Island road refused 10 consent to
this scheme on the ground that IL would
eject financial injury 10 its stockholders, and
that II was IN violation OF the laws OF the
United States. On February Is the
engineers and fremen OF the 20"
road struck because the road refused 70 comply
with their demands for increased wages, etc
The same, or nearly the same, demands
were made upon other roads, some of
which had been granted and some others re-
fused The " g" road IL Is claimed, cou d have
made similar peaceable compromise with its
men had IL been willing to comply with the de-
mand of its men 20 pay them the same wages as
were paid by other roads. This, however, i
would not do, and, instead of seeking for
practical adjustment of the difficuitles viva its
employees, IL determined TO use the d.sanec-
ton OF its engineers and fremen for its own
benefit 10 coercs its rivals into proposing the
proposed railway trust. Settlements with
the men were delayed until It had completed
arrangements to secure the services OF men out.
SIDE the Brotherhoods OF Engineers ana Fire
men, intending TO force strikes on other
roads, after it had absorbed the entire supply
OF skilled labor Then IL began 10 insist that
its competitors should rece We from II freight
which il could well enough carry itself,
by longer routes, as well as freight for
foreign FONTS. The trafic between
the complainants and defendants roads,
it is claimed, has always been of
light volume. To exchange, or attempt to ex-
change, freight with the %" road at present
would be greatly injurious 10 defendants busi-
ness interests; its employees will not handle 20"
freight, and TO order them to do so would only
precipitate more trouble. II claims that il
can not be compelled TO do impossible things
and only declined to receive freight
when IL found that IL was impossible to do so
without resulting in the stoppage OF its bust
ness and giving its rival an advantage. FINAL
", the Rock Island people say, they decided
last Thursday 10 resume traffic relations with
the 20" road, and gave the latter notice to
that effect on Friday before II filed its bill
The Burlington officials deny these allie
cations and characterize them as baseless
and absurd
CHICAGO, March 26-Not a wheel of a
freight car turned in the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy yards Saturday or yesterday.
For the second timo within a month
the freightbus ness of this road is tempo
rarily paralyzed. this time by the action of
the switchmen.
The immediate reason given by the
switchmen for striking is a plausible one.
Tue railroad officials admit that the switch
mans calling Is the most hazardous in
ra.lroading, and the striking engineers
have often claimed openly that the switch
men would go out after a few
weeks work with green hands on
the engines The company is expected to
utilize freight conductors and brakemen in
handling switches in case of prolonged
strike, and this, it Is claimed, will precipi-
tate a strike among the brakemen, who
object to any increased risk
Yesterday the switchmen were out at Au-
rora, Galesburg, 0ttumna. Ia, and Chicago,
four of the principal switching
points ON the 80" system. The
committee from Chicago reached Burlng-
ton on Saturday, but the men at that point
refused to go out The local switch
men said yesterday that the strike would
spread TO all points on the entire system
and might involve other roads through the
question of handling 20" freight No at
tempt was made by the Burlington
yesterday either TO move freight
or to fill the places of the strik-
ing switchmen.
Passenger Agent Morton said yesterday;
The company he's received kilograms from
various places. some of them offering to
furnish as many as thirty or forty swi tch-
men The position of the company is now
one of unmistakable fight Not one of the
officials favors any SOFT of concession, now
that the second attempt h as Leen made to
wreck the business of the road.