The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-28
THE BURLINGTON STRIKERS.

Observation-Disclosures from the Switchmen.
CHICAGO, March 27-The officials of the
Burlington state that the men who have lately
left the service OF the road are not switch
tenders. but the men who make up the
trains and couple and uncouple the cars They
are known as yardmen. Forty new men, TO
take the places of the strikers. were secured to-
day, and by their efforts ninsty-slx cars of
freight, made up in six trains. were sent out of
the yard. By Friday next the Burlington peo-
pie say the full force of yardmen will have been
obtained. There were no disturbances to-day
A number of deputy sheriffs guard the property
of the railroad, and will be kept on duty until
the trouble has subsidized.
The following message was received to-day by
President Perkins. of the arlington:
BOSTON, Mass, March 27, 1883.
To G. E. Perkins, President G., B. s. @. r. R. Co.,
Chicago, ILL.,:
Resolved, That the board unanimously approve
consider it is their duty to offer steady resistance,
regardless of consequences attempt take the
management of the road from the bands of it's own
ers J. NJ. FORBES Chairman.
Boston telegram says that it was impossible
to verify the foregoing dispatch in that city.
An evening paper says: "The probability o e
the brakeman going out incr eases. and though
both the company, the strikers and the brake
men themselves deny any knowledge of such
move it is quite evident to q close observer that
another striks is in the air. and may material
izs at any moment From information received
by ENGINEER prominent in the councils of the
Brotherhood, the brakemens grievance COM
mlttee will, with out delay, present list of
grievances TO the Co. and unless the company
promises that the demands shall be granted it is
considered most likely that the brakemen will
strike. One of the brakemen, when questioned
about the matter said: The company has ad-
vertised in some of the papers for brakemen;
that is all know about it,
The Chicago. Burlington & Quincy switchmen
make the following statement:
Much has been said by the officials of the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy company about
the swltchmen quitting work without giving the
company any notification or presenting any
they did may be summed up as follows: Tne gem
eral superlntendent, Mr.. Besler and the train
master, Mr.. Pope, were both aware that the
sw1tchmen were dissatisfied with the incompe-
tent men that running engines in the
switch yards. AS a proof of this, it Ia only
necessary TO instance the following On Friday
afternoon and evening. March %, Mr. Pope re-
quested the switchmen to go up to the train
masters Office Mr.. Besler desired to talk
with them. Nearly all of them went to the
Office ana listened to what Mr. Beser had to saw
They told him then and there that they could
not work with the men who were then running
the engines, enumsrating hundreds of
incidents that to all railroad men would
prove beyond question their incompetency.
Hundreds of times men have had to Jump to
save their lives. Trains were constantly being
run at the rate of forty miles an hour right
through the yards. The present force of switch
engineers o not understand even the most simple
signals. The switchmen told Mr.. Besler that
they could not afford to risk their lives any more
than necessary. His only reply to all their com
plants was Have patience, gentlemen The
only thing they asked for competent men,
but they were given no assurance that the matter
would be remedied. It was a matter of life ana
death with them, ana they quit work indivic.i
ally. without any organized strike. Almost half
" init nrE do hall -
organization. There was no occasion for notif-
cation; the company were fully aware of the
complaints and made no move to remedy the
existing state of affairs. The officials mott
fed by nearly all the men that they would not
work with these men. and they acted in quitting
the same as they did in notifying them--as indi-
vlduals. The switchmen of the entHe Burling-
ton system were in the condition that the
Chicago switchmen we're. and acted in the same
manner Inasmuch as the engineers and fire. i
men. through their proper officers offered, be- i
fore their strike. since. and do now, TO submit
the whole matter pertaining to the strike to
COMMITTEES of three managers of any three first
class roads running into Chicago. we cannot see
the justice in asking men TO sacrifice their lives
and limbs upon the altar OF any mans petty
pride self-importance."
The Burlington officials received information
this evening that 100 switchmen from the Read
ing road have been secured and would be for
warded to Chicago at once. 1t was also stated
that 25 of the striking switchmen had secured
positions on other roads, and that larger num-
Der had gone East to fill positions in that section
of the country
Reports were received that the switchmen at
Plattsmouth. Quincy. Denver, Kansas City and
Creston, Iowa. had also gone out. It be-
iieyed that all the men along the line of rhe
road would 60 out before the end of the week.
This fact has. however, been fully considered
by the company, and new men will be engaged |
to take their places as soon as possible.
Rumors of secret preparations for another |
surprise to be sprung by the Burlington engi- |
neers and fremen were prevalent to night. The |
talk was that a special general convention of |
the Brotherhood is to be assembled in Chicago.
No substant basis for the reports could be i
found beyond the arrival of First Assistant |
Grand Master Kavanaugh from San Francisco. |
and the fact that an extremely close guarded |
meeting of the grievance committees from all |
the roads entering Chicago was held this after