, 1888-03-03

CHICAGO, March 2.-The agreement
between the brotherhood engineers and
fremen and the Knights of Labor had no
apparent effect on the number of appli-
cants at the Burlington Office this morn
ing. The majority of the men, however,
look more like firemen than engineers.
The officials of the company claim that
the situation is steadily improving. -Four
teen passenger trains were sent out from
Chicago to-day and sixteen came in. The
company commenced running coal trains
on the Chicago division to-day and claim
they are running local freight trains on
most parts of their system.
At the %roundhouse on Twelfth street a
foreman said to a reporter to-day: II am
tired of looking at some Of the men who
are employed to take the places of the
strikers. The engines are in horrible
condition; three OF our finest locomotives
are ruined and Others are badly broken
down"
A most important move was made to-
day by Chief Arthur in the strike. The
following telegram was sent to each chair
man of the general grievance committee
of the Brotherhood of Engineers and Fire
men on the following lines of railroad, viz:
Chicago & Alton, Chicago & Northwest
ern, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific,
Wabash railroad, Wabash & Western,
Missouri Pacific, Union Pacific, Atchi-
SON, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Wiscon
sin Central.
DEAR SIR AND BRoTHER:-You are
hereby authorized and ordered to come to
the city of Chicago at once and report at
headquarters. There are many import
ant matters to consider in connection with
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy strike
and our immediate presence is impera.
tive. Be prepared to convene your COM
mIttcc from here at a moment notice"
A STATEMENT FROM ARTHUR.
Chief Engineer Arthur tonight gave
out a long statement concerning the posi-
ton Of the engineers and fremen as to
the present attitude toward the Burling-
ton road. In it he says in part:
The men are striking not to compel the
railway company to pay them for services
they do not perform, nor to compel the
company to accept blind men to run en-
gines; neither do the men demand that
the company shall furnish free passes for
all their relatives. The main issue is:
Shall the Chicago, Burlington L. Quincy
railway pay the same wages for the same
work that is paid by 90 per cent in mile
age VI III ldlMdNb III llt OUlJGu OIaIpS.
This is almost the only question at issue.
The principle of grading men according
to years OF service as engineers adopted
by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy is
illogical and unjust.
Under that system a nan serves from
three to five years as a fireman, when he
is supposed to be an apprentice learning
the rudiments of engineering. He then
takes a places as hostler and rum
an engine from the round house, in which
capacity he may serve for a year or more
before he gets q switch engine for anoth-
err year or two, when he may get on the
road. By this time he has served an APP
premiership of from five to nine years
and still the company expect him to serve
three years longer before he gets full
pay.
There is no other trade in existence
that Is asked, or would submit to the in
justice of being a candidate for a super
animated list before becoming n full
fedgod master Of his trade. There is
practically no difference in the service
rendered or the results to the railway be-
tween an engineer of the first grade and
one of the third. There is no trade or
calling in which years of service will de.
termine a mans ability, and an engineer
Of one years service is often better quail.
fed to run an engine than one who has
twenty years experience. There is one.
and only one, just rule to determine the
position, and that is equal pay for equal
service,
In the present controversy the engineers
and firemen can afford to lose the fight,
but there is no possible way in which they
can rcccde from their demands on a quos
ton Of wages except at a sacrifice of their
entire organizations. There is no other
way out of the difficulty but by a conccs
sion On the part of the company on the
question Of wages or a fight to the bitter
end.