Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-03-02
THE GREAT STRIKE BEGUN
THE ENGINEERS AND FlREMEN ON
THE QUINCY QUIT WORK.
The whole system Practically Tied up-Ef-
forts Made to Run the Trains-A state
ment ef the Case by chief Arthur
--Readiug Engineers secured.

CHICAGO, Feb. 27-The anticipated strike
of the 1900 locomotive engineers and fire
men on all the lines of the Chicago Bur
lington and Quincy railroad is now on,
The fight promises to be hard one be
tween the brotherhood aud the Knights OF
Labor. The latter still NUS a grievance
against the brotherhood, asserting that
had its members not aided the railroads
in the strike on the Missouri Pacific in 1856
as well as in more recent troubles, the
strikes would have been effectual. They
recall also the action averse to their inter
ests of the brotherhood in the freight
handlers strike in Chicago.
A knights of Labor official says the or
der will tIke no action, but their mem
bers have been notified of the situation
and informed that if they desire to fill the
strikers places there can certainly be no
objection. 1t IS not believed that the en-
gineers among the Knights are sufficient
ly numerous to supply the places of the
so strikers without weakening their grip
On the roads they leave so as to let the
brotherhood succeed them.
General Manager Stone says: "The sub
ject of concedng the mems demands was
fully considered and it was determined
that we could not grant what they asked
without destroying the discipline of the
road. The suburban and fast mail trains
Will be run as usual, aud all suburban
freights will be taken care of. Freight
for competitive points will be also handled,
too, but all local points will have to be
abandoned for the time being. We have
already made arrangements for POO men
to come here from Philadelphia and take
the places of the strikers, and they will
be here in time to save us from serious
inconvenience
The officers of the road to-day sent out a
notice that it would probably be week
Or more before they would be able to
handle freight. Their first efforts would
be to first serve the points wholly depend
ent upon them. This afternoon 5000 freight
handlers were laid off, and every freight
office in the city is shut down. These are
the same men who obtained work during
the freight handlers strike in 1856, ard
all are said to be loyal to the company,
but have to be laid off, us no work remains
to be done.
Chief Arthur and Mr.. Sargent of the
Firemen's Brotherhood are still in the
city. Arthur said the striking engi-
neers and tiremen were solid and won d
hold together to the end. adjudication
by General Manager Stone" he SAID, OF
all the propositions offered by the men,
to di.cn.s these nronositions one NV ONE
and in case we failed TO convince Stone
they were just and fair, We would have
made concessions. The fight Is purely
question of wages"
III the engineer who runs the limited
express is Wiling the engineer who runs
r. so'Ln @ 'iaili snuu,u ioef
the company object l don't see
why the Knights should be hostile
TO the brotherhood and have
no Information lhey VIII Try 10
that eent mon ~ tiliy & ,iaeas - @ thn
Reading strikers is a lie DOM know
what individual members of the
brotherhood may have done have
never iuterftrad in any waV win
any strike of the Knights at the time of
the Missouri Pacific Strike I simplv told
the brotherhood we had a contract VIM
the COMPANY and TO keen out of the strike
If a contract means ANYTHING at All. then
we nl,rsued The right course y
been engaged at Palo Alto. Pa. to take