The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-16

4
J. Z. GODDARD.
This action of the Brotherhood on the Santa
| Fe system will be surprise to the public
| well as to she general manager. The Associated
Press agent has been at pains to learn the facts
| concerning the relationship of Brotherhood
| engineers to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
| Railway Company. ard a brief, dispsssionats
statement of the facts concerning that relation
| ship without commentary. will probably place
the railroad company and the Brotherhood in
proper light before the public so that the latter
may fairly judge the merits of this latest and
most startling movement.
For several years, the Brotherhood of En-
gineers has been recognized and fostsred as
legitimate and reputable trade association by
the Santa Fe Railroad Company; fully 30 per
cent. of the engineers employed by the company
are and have been for years Brotherhood en-
gineers From time to time the representatives
of the Brotherhood have met with the managers
Of the railroad company and discussed griev-
auces. or entered into q friendly consideration Of
matters looking to the improvement of their
condition and remuneration OF the engineers
The company has done this in pursuance
of policy which IL believed it
was it's duty to the public to pursue, viz:
To have stability and experience in its motive
power department, in the interest of safety OF
life ard property of its patrons. No just
quest " hich had ever been made to the COM
pany by the representatives of the Brotherhood
has ever been refused; and but very recently
the very mileage schedule which is the cause of
the quarrel between the Brotherhood and the
c., B. & @. company submitted to the At
Gibson, Topeka 6 Santa Fe Railroad Company.
and in friendly conference was accepted and put
in force by the company. The Atchison, Tope-
ka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, through its
proper officers thereupon. about Feb. ],
tered into a contract with the locomotive engi-
PEERS and fremen upon the Santa Fe and South
ern Kansas railway system. By this contract
large benefits and advantages given to this
class of employees. The very first provision of
this written contract is, in substance. follows
That engineer fireman should be suspended
or discharged upon any charge whatever. without
first having fair and impartial hearing. board of
inquiries is established. composed of the division
terested engineers from the division which the
complaint may arise who shall investigate the
all cases. given the local the general officers.
Rights of iremen and engineers to act committee
of conference recognized, and leave of absence
granted for that purpose
every item in this long contract, consisting
of twenty six articles the larger part of which
looked to the benefit of the employees was care
fully gone over at Chicago by the representa-
tives of the Brotherhood engineers and the vice
president of the company In consideration of
the concessions made and the large benefits and
advantages given, and the perfect confdence
bestowed by th company upon this class Of its
employees, the engineers and fremen agreed,
through their representatives, that they would
not fail to perform their duties under the con-
tract and agreement without giving the COM
pany thirty days notice On the 18th and 9th
days of March. conferences were held at the
quest of representatives of the Brotherhood with
the managing officers of the Santa Fe railroad
at Topeka. upon the subject of the c.. B.. g @.
strike, at which meetings the question of the duty
of connecting roads to haul c., B. & O. freight
ass discussed, and finally resulted IN service oE
a notice by the representatives Of the Brother
hood upon the company to the effect that after
Sunday morning, the 1Ith the engineers and
fremen would refuse to haul c., B. 6 Q. cars.
There was notice Of strike suspension of
work and no notice of any grievance; the
contrary, there was on the part of the repre-
of any purpose to injure the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company,
or to refuse to perform their duties as en-
gineers. They also admitted repeatedly that they
had no grievance against the Santa Fe road, but
that they sympathized with their friends the
so" and desired to aid them in their fight The
grievance committee repeatedly stated that no
strike would be ordered; that each man would
act for himself. The company assured the
the company would act in violation of the laws
of the United States; thatit was commonly un-
derstood, and was their belief, that
the freight of all connecting lines when pre-
Fented, without discrimination. They would lay
their notice before the board of directors for
their consideration, pending which 1t was pre-
sumed that no action would be taken by the en-
gineers, certainly not without the notice provid
ed for in their contract. Since that time. in
no instance, has any enginser against his wish,
been asked to haul any train containing c., b.
& O. cars. At no time. however, has the COM
pany put itself beyond the pale of the law
done anything to visit upon it the penalties and
punishments for its disooedience
The chairman of the general grievance COM
mittee of the brotherhood of Engineers, who is
now in Kansas City, received telegram from
Mr. Arthur tonight. instructing him to send
Santa Fe committeeman to Chicago at once. and
intimating that the Santa Fe mDany was
ready to compromise. The chairman replied by
asking if the Burlington company would yield
to its strikers demands in case the Santa Fe
strike was lifted. No reply has been received
from Mr.. Arthur yet
The Usage City express. which left at $50 p
NJ, an hour late, arrived at its destination on
time. This was the only train sent out this
evening. The 1915 NJ. California train had
not left at midnight. and there seemed to be
small chance for its getting out tonight
ALBUQUERQUE, N. NJ, March I5-Ar the
engineers and fremen on the Santa Fe system,
including the Atlantic & Pacific, went out at 4
o'clock this afternoon Not wheel is turning
on either road except of passenger trains in
transit at the hour named, which to be taken
through to destination. All freights are held
here. Trains made up and ready go out are
left on the side-tracks AS fast as the engineS
come in they are taken the round-house.
1t is understood that the of the strike
on the Santa Fe was because the company
quested the men TO haul Burlington
mittee of engineers waited on the manager
of the road and informed him of their determi-
nation. The officials told the committee that
the intersta te commerce law compelled them to
handle the Burlington This the
fused to do There are 1000 engineers and |
an nm ha anfn Ea md All m, thn
Atlantic 81 Pacific who have stopped work All |
passenger trains which started before o'clock |
this evening will be taken to their destination.
DENVER, Col, March 15-The superintendent |
of the Santa Fe company tonight stated that he |
had no information to the exact hour the
giueers and fremen on his road would go out,