The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-06
TRUE TO THE CHIEF.
MORAL AND MONETARY SUPPORT
Pledged BY the BrOthsrhoOd ohHirmen ri
the EnEinssrO' Meeting Mt OhioaEo-A
Secret OOnfOrSnoe-A General Strike
wan Ansos q Million LAbOrers.

: the Chicago 4 Alton, the Wisconsin Cen
trail, the Illinois Central, the Wabash, thl
! Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City, and al
: Of the branch and leased lines Of the abovt
named railroads would be involved
Roughly estimated, this will embrace
about 23, 900 miles OF road, and will com
pletsly close the Channels OF Communica
ton between Chicago and the West. i
will lay complete embargo on the North
west, cut off communication to Council
Bluffs, Omaha and Missouri river points
except BY. cirCuitous routes, and to q par
tisl degree the same thing to the South
west. It will destroy express business
paralyzs trade, suspend the operation oi
all mining and manufacturing industries
and transform busy hives OF industry into
centres of idleneeS and stsgnstion, and
this In territory oil over u thousand
square miles.
'"When it ia remembered that these
roads penetrate to the Canadian boundary
on the noEth, to the Rocky mountains on
the west, and to the Indian Territory on
the south, the scope OF their operations
and the magnitude OF the interests they
serve can be better comprehendod. More
than this it would cut oil the great north
ern and middle transcontinental routes,
reducing them to local roade at once, the
consequence being that the great interior
basin from Utah to Oregon would suffer
equally with the Mississippi and Missouri
river valleys.
at is not only trade and commerce
which would suffer. Labor, both skilled
and common, would feel the eHecte, and
most disastrously. The general managers
OF the railroads named freely state that in
cRse OF strike upon their lines, there ia
but one course for them to pursus-shut
down the shops and the freight houses,
discharge the workers, and await the end.
Cessation Of operations would mean the
immediate discharge OF four-hfths OF the
lumber. This would throw out Of work
81, 900 men, and according to the average
wages paid entail upon them daily loss
Of over 100000. This is the direct result.
Beyond that comes the stoppage Of manu-.
factories, the suspension OF mines, the
cessation oflumber operatiors, etc which
must follow any shutting down OF the rail-
roads mentioned, and il is a conservative
statement to estimate this great outside
army employed in the named industries
at one million men,"
About O'Clock this afternoon General
Manager Harris, OF the Chicago, Burling.
ton and Northern, called at Ohief Arthur's
private room. Mr.. Harris is the manager
Of the road on which strike was to occur
at o'clock this evening. The road ex-
tends from Savannah, ILL.,, to Minneapolis.
Chief Arthur came from the grievance
committee meeting to Mr.. Harris. Mr..
Harris equested MIR. Arthur's assistance
in aveTting the threatened strike. To
this Mr.. Arthur replied that he had not
been consulted by tine men about striking
and therefore II they struck 1t was their
own fight. He could not interfere either
for or against.
This made It necessary for Mr.. Harris
to discuss the differences with his own
men. The grievance committee OF the
road wss called in from the general meet.
ing and talk vas had. An hours dis
cussion resulted in an order to the men
not 10 strike, and the whole matter is
held in allegiance until the chairman OF
the committee can reach home and have
a talk.
Though Chief Engineer Arthur and
Grand Master Sargent utterly refused to
permit any questioning concerning what
had been going on in the engineers meet.
ing to-day, it was learned from one who
occupies position of Importance on the
committee what had trauspirsd.
"In the first place." said he to the As.
ISOLATED Press reporter, "Ohiet Arthur
called the heads Of the Grievance Com
mittees together for the purpose Of ascer-
tanning how the engineers and firemen OF
the roads centreing in Chicago felt toward
the Burlington men. He wanted to be
sure Of his position before he took any
further steps in regard to the Burlington
management. When the meeting was
opened the Chief requested full and free
report from each one. He asked them not
to blind him by giving him exaggerated
reports, but to simply cay whether or not
the men on their lines were willing to back
him up II he still fought for the cause OF
the Burlington men. One by one the
chairmen reported, and 1t is q fact that all
the reports were OF the same tenor. Ale
glance 10 the chief and moral and none
tary support to the fullest degree. This
accounts for the universal good humor OF
the delegates when they separated, and
the confident air OF the Chief Engineer
and Grand Master this evening""
"Did the Chief issue any ordeTs to his
subordinaIes, or indicate any line Of action
for the future2"
mo he did not. He thanked them for
their loyalty, told them to 90 to their
various divisions, report to the men that
he was in the fight to win and II they
stood firm to the pledges given at to.dRy's
meeting he would win the Burlington
fight, and that in short order"
After the meeting It was announced that
the public mass meeting called by the
engineers and fremen for tomorrow
night had been indefinitely postponed.
No reason for the postponement was
given.
An attempt was made this evening to
obtain an expression Of opinion from the
officers sot the Chicago, Burlington& & Quincy
as TO whether they were In favor oil
% Congressional investigation OF the
strike or were at all disposed to agree to
the Intervention OF arbitration from
Washington. A dishear.sninH failure was
met at the very outeet. General Manager
Stone refused even to see the
reporter. The question, what did Mr..
Stone think OF Congressman Whites
resolution was sent in through third
. party TO the general manager. An an.
sWer WAS quickly returned that Mr.. Stone
had nothing whatever he desired to say
on the subject, and would not be led into
any discussion.
THE GLASS SITUATION.
No Conference Arranged by the Flint Men.
Position of tho AIAnuIactassEs.
PEETsBuRaH, March 5.-The situation ol
the flint glass strikers remains unchanged.