Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-08
The Engineers and Firemen OF
the Montana Union.
HAD GRIEVANCES,
Caused by Master Mechanic
I Ross Arbitrary Action.
is H A COMPROMISED
The Arrangements Proposed
BY the Anaconda Company.

AJ IN 1tAAA0SVlANOp SoAkAPdny
The Engineers Case as Represented-State
ments by Superintendent Dickinson an,
the Men-The Anaconda Company
Proposition Made tn a Meeting "A
Miners Union Habits Tendency ans
EfIect-Notes and Incidents of tn,
Lay-of.
About 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon 6
blowing OF whistles in South Butte an
n~ounced the fact that something unusua
had transpired there, and the news quickly
spread that the engineers and firemen o
the Montana Union had struck. Numbers
of people went down there at once to learr
the cause of the strike and view the situa,
ton. The yards at South Butte presented
nothing unusual for observation. The only
thing at all out Of the way was the unusual
stiffness in place OF activity. Only one
gagged in hauling dead" engines to the
round house. None OF the men on strike
were willing to talk about the affair then,
but it was learned that they had a griev-
ance against Master Mechanic Ross on &C.
count OF his arbitrary action in discharg-
ing some engineers without, as they re-
garded it, sufficient cause.
About l p. m. Sheriff Lloyd vent down
to South Butte with about fifty special
deputy sheriffs sworn in for the occasion
the purpose OF guarding the company's
property from destruction. The deputies
were stationed at various parts OF the
yard, but apparently their services were
not needed, as there was no interference
with the road or it's property by any one.
The last train to go out from the South
Butte depot was the LAO train for CARR.
son, which left on time. After that no
other traias went out last evening. The
ore train for Anaconda was standing in the
yard, but was not moved.
The switch engine taking thedead engines
into toe round house was manned by
Master Mechanic Ross Himself and O
helper.
In the course OF the afternoon the men
on strike assembled in their hall 1T South
Butte, where they were in session about
two hours, but no result OF public import
OF their conference.
SUPERINTENDENT %DlCKINsoN's STATEMENT.
A visit was paid to the Office OF Superin-
tendent Dickinson on West Granite street
in the afternoon and be wal asked what
was the cause Of the strike. He said:
ut is confined to the engineers and fire.
men of Che Montana Union OF whom there
are about twenty.seven Of each. The men
sent a committee to see me yesterday after.
and handed me this list OF grievances"
He took a paper out OF the drawer and
handed it to the reporter. 1t was from
the local division OF the Brotherhood OF
Engineers at South Butte, and was ad-
to Master Mechanic Ross. 1t set
forth the cases of John Meeks, Charles De-
Camp and Tom Mclaughlin as requiring
remedy. Attached to this was a
resolution which set forth that the said
grievances had not been remedied by Ross
and appointing q committee to visit Super
intendent Dickinson, set forth the facts of
their grievance against Ross and ask that
the latter be discharged, giving Mr.. Dickin-
time to replace him. Mr.. Dickinson
1.-THE committee presented this paper to
and asked for the reinstatement OF
Meeks and Mclaughlin and the r%emedyins
Of De Camps complaint and 1 granted it.
Then they asked that Master Mechanic
Ross be discharged. This [ refused. |
lid Tell them, however, that for some time
past l have had it in contemplation to re-
place him as soon as l could get a suitable |
man,"
"Well, according to this resolution, that
vas all they asked. Why did that not
them2"
'That l can't tell. The committee asked
or his immediate discharge and that I
would not consent to-. Ever since I have
ome here, l have treated all their griev-
noes in a spirit OF more than fairness.
they cannot point to a request l have not
They thought, perhaps, that l
Vould not dare to close up the Anaconda,
nut l might as we'll prepare to hand in my
'Wn resignation at their request as comply
nth this"
"Do you regard Ross as q perfectly COM
etent man for the position?"
Entirely so. He is a little too quick
.mpered and for that rIason as I said, |
ave intended to have him transferred to !
mother branch of She system and to re-
lace him. The committee met me at II
clock to-day and gave me an hours notice
comply with their demand for Ross dis
lissal. | refused. Then 1 got this tele
am after they returned to South Butte
wing me till l O'Clock or they would quit.
that ends it," |,
How does the matter stand now. be-
veen the company and the men who have
"They are simply out Of the Montana
MONS service, and will get their time" ,
AND the company" !
1.-THE company will supply their places ,
fast as possible, and that will be the !
ID of it," =
"How many engines has the company" 7
About sixteen. OF these three are on !
% bill. where their engineers killed .
EN-, and three more in Anaconda. The )
lly engines moving are the one on the way
Garrison now and that switch engine in
9 yard, manned by Master Mechanic
j.,
How many engineers and firemen does =.
9 road EMPLOY" t
tIwenty-seven OF each, and I think all q
It two or thr, g will quit" [
'Can the company replace them read t
,p"s -
Certainly. We can get lots OF men right D
10 WIZ 0ah odho tHelr places, ana Will r
oceed to do so at once" r.
Who will be affected by the striker" t
Principally the mines, mills and smclt- s.
J. There will be no coal famine for the 81
ems, as the Union Pacific and Northern il
lcific can run their trains in here, under el
agreement constituting the Montana c.
h
many cars OF fuel do the mines on b
hill consume in O day ?"
'Ihlrty-ive, about. l am going to wait n
til l get the engines into the round house Il
then see ii l can get men to work them" a
THE ENGINEERS d
'ome OF the engineers were seen last even .,
and asked to give their version of the o,
up on the road. Charles DeCamp, the 81
rotary OF the South Butte division ofthe /
otherhood, stated in answer to cues. =,
ns: ~
This trouble is not OF recent growth. It IL IL
tes almost from the time Master Me. ~
mic Ross came OF the road, about q wear u
last month. He has made himself gen. = -
lily disliked by all the engineers, and has -
ed In an arbitrary manner with the men ~
r since. He has been discharging men :;
along without cause. You must under. "a ~
thai the engineers of this .ystem A,
70 an agreement with the company W.,
submit all individual eriey. ",
es for trial before taking ~
lon. No man can be discharged with. h.
cause, but Ross has been discharpiup ~
! Tor the most trivial reasons. Ever