Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-29
SWITCHMEN STRIKE.
The Burlington Railroad Again
Tied UP by a Strike of the
Switchmen.
1.-The Men Claim That Their Lives Are
in Jeopardy Owing to IncOmpe-
tent Engineers.
a Nom Brotherhood Man Assaulted by
Striksrs-Strike of Switchmen on
the Erie Road.

CHICAGO, March Pat exactly twelve
o'clock last night strike was inaugurated
among the switchmen employed by the
Chicago, Burlington d Quincy railway.
Whispers of such a move had been heard
ever since the beginning OF the strlke or
the Burlington engineers and hremen, but
not until the past few days did the rumors
assume tangible shape. Notification OF the
reports was lacking and yesterday the i'm
portance at first attached to the matter had
dwindled almost to nothing. The inactiv
ity at the headquarters of the engineers
and firemen all day and evening was so no
ticeable as to cause the remark that 1T was
studied, but no outsider, it is safe to say,
suspected the surprise that was in store.
Owing to the unexpectedness of the
event, the exact details of the situation
were difficult to obtain. The general i'm
preston is that the strike was general over
the entire Burlington system and would
include the brakemeu. A basis for this
supposition lay in the fact that emissaries
from Chicago and elsewhere are known to
have been at work among the swltchmen
and brakemen along the entire line OF road
for some time past and considerable active
sympathy had been shown by these two
classes of employees with the engineers
and firemen, and in addition plea of self
protection had frequently been entered.
The plea was that the Switchmen and
brakemen were in constant danger of life
and limb from the alleged lncompetency of
the engineers and tiremen who had taken
the places OF the Burlington members OF
the Brotherhood.
The inauguration of the strike was cele-
brated by rousing mass meeting under
the auspices of the Brotherhood at West
Twelfth street Turner Hall Everybody
but railroad men was excluded from the
meeting, and guards were posted at the
door and stairways leading TO the hall to
challenge all strangers who attempted 10
gain admission. The announcement that
the switchmen OF the Chicago Burlington
& Quincy were in full sympathy with the
striking engineers and firemen and had de-
cided to stand by them was greeted with
roars of appreciation. kilograms from
points along the line were to the effect that
the switchmen were united in sentiment
and would go out promptly at the hour
designated.
At midnight the $50 switchmen EN-.
ployed in the. local yards. or as many of
them as were on duty at the time, picked
up their lanterns and walked away from
the tracks. There was no noise and nc
confusion. They gathered in little groups
and were Joined by their comrades from
more distant parts of the yards, discussing
the situation with more or less warmth and
making their way to the Twelfth street
hall, where the meeting at which it was
finally decided to strike was still in pro-
gress Not sWitchman refused to obey
the order, but each willingly threw up his
place and joined forces with the striking
engineers and firemen.
The effects of the new strike were illus
trated at once upon two locomotives that
were out on the tracks switching cars in
the vicinity of Sixteenth and Canal streets,
both being compelled to cease operations.
Tho swltchmen after the strike were as
mum as before, except to intimate that
they had assurances that none of the many
knights of Labor among the new engineers
and iremen on the Burlington would work
with non-union switchmen.
NoN-BRoTHERHooD FIREMAN ASSAULTED
ST. JOSEPH, Mo, March 24-Yesterday
morning about eleven o'clock Pat Brown,
a fireman in the employ OF the Chicago,
Burlington q Quincy, was assaulted while
on the way from his home to the Chicago.
Burlington q Quincy roundhouse by four
strikers, knocked down with a pair of brass
knuekles and left in the street to be picked
up by policeman. Brown was the only
member of the Brotherhood in this city
who refused to go out when the strike was
ordered. and had been continually su bjected
to insult While several members of the
Brotherhood were on their way to the hall
yesterday morning they stopped at his
house and insulted his family, and at
Brown waited until he thought the men
were in their hall then left the house. The
men were waiting for him, however. and
. surrounded him, crying, Kill the scabr'
Brown attempted to draw his pistol and
was struck over the eye by one of the men,
The men were arrested in the afternoon
They were Charles Roderick, an engineer
d Charles Christopher and George
Whaley, hremen. 1t is claimed that Rod.
ericl1 was the assailant Browns revolver
was taken from him and turned over to the
chIet OF police The men were arrested and
hnsd for assault and battery
TRAIN FIRED AT
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, March 24-The strike
situation on the Burlington still remains
exceedingly quiet, and railroad men claim
that unless there are some developments
within the next few days If will be declared
of The strikers seemed in better spirits
yesterday than they have for several DAYS,
and they will spring something within a
week that Will be great surprise to the
public aud the Burlington officials
As freight train No. 20 on the Council
Bluffs road reached point about a mile
and a half west of Parkvllle yesterday
afternoon the caboose was fred upon nv
parties in ambush. All the glass in the
rear end Of the car was broken. but no ono
was injured. Assistant Superintendent
FISH at once sent out a strong guard in
pursuit OF the guilty parties, and it is
thought they will be captured.
STRIKE ON TUE ERIE
HoRNELLsVILLE, n. Y, March 24.-Tbe
switchmen in the Erie railroad yards in this
city went on strike this morning at one
o'clock 1t is reported that the grievances
are low wages and an Objectionable ward
master.
Rah