New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-25
ENGINEERS TO STRIKE.
TROUBLE ON THE BURLINGTON ROAD.
REFUSAL OF THE OFFICIALS TO CONSIDER THE
CLAIMS OF VETERAN wORKMEN-A REFORM
IN WAGES CLASSIFICATION.


CHICAGO, Feb. 24.-Probaby tomorrow the
Chlcago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad will be
tied up from one end to the other. Freight as
well as passenger traffic will be stopped, and most
OF the switch engines will be abandoned The
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers and the
brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen have decided
upon strike as last resort to enforce their de-
mands upon the railroad company and as both
organizations are strong on this road, as we'll MS
elsewhere, they confidently expect to tie up the
road completely and win the strike. This step
derives its importance not only from the large
interests involved, IL the strikers succeed In
paralyzfng one of the biggest railroads OF the
West but because Of late it has generally been ac-
cepted that the locomotive engineers were so op-
posed to strikes that no circumstances could be
imagined that would induce the members to take
part in one
The resolution of the men is genuine surprise.
few days ago Chief Arthur startled the labor
world by the announcement that it was the in
tention Of his organization to do away with class-
fled wages and make the pay of all men the same
for the same work without reference to the length
Of time they have been employed by the company.
Thus the Locomotive Engineers, hitherto con.
sdered the most conservative labor organization or
the country, placed itself in the matter OF wages,
on the same ground as the most advanced
trades unions
In the wages Of the engineers was reached by the
brotherhood at It's session in Chicago in October,
1887 and resolution was adopted to enforce tlls
new plan all over the United States wherever tne
organization strong enough to do so Ihls
proviso was added for the purpose of avoiding a
conflict where the organization was sure 10 De
beaten. The principal reason for tins step, as
Mr. Arthur explains, was that the railroads were
beginning to discharge men who had been In the
service long time and were drawing better pay
and to put in their places men who were not
CAPABLE
the work and willing TO take lower wages.
The result that the engineers OF long ex-
perience had difficulty In getting work ana me
general standard Of wages was reduced Inc
same applied to the fremen who got 30 to go per
cent of the pay OF the engineers. After several
months Of labor the men have succeeded IN intro
ducing uniform scale Of wages for all engineers
on road service on the Chica ago Milwaukee and 81
Paul. the Chicago and Northwestern, the Chicago
and Alton, the Wabash, the Chicago and Atlanuc,
the Atchson, Topeka and Santa Fe ana other
Western lines. The new scale Is 3 2 centS n
mile for freight engineers and cents for mssen-
ger engineers. and 60 per cent Tor the nremeh.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Is working
under an arran cement made last year with wee
President Potter II makes special arrangements
with It's men by the trip, paying certain amount %
for n trp from Chicago to Galeshurg. or from
Aurora to Chicago. or wherever IT may he. and the
engineers complain that they get the worst OF thls
arrangement The number of engineers ana llie-
men on the Chicago. Burlington and QUINCY Is
about 800, which is about evenly divided De
tween the two trades =,
~ have given the official sanction or the
brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to the rcso-
lution Of the Chicago, Burlington and quincy
men, said Chief Arthur this evening because
/ think they have asked nothing but what is right
roads have granted, ard II they can grant It there
is no reason why the Chicago. Burlington ana
Quincy cannot. They aim that It would largely
increase their expenses do net believe II wouIi'
n wouId average the wages of the men and posSl-
/ bly, advance the average little but II w9nd oc
very little. and the road could well afford it, as
well as all the trunk lines can
rnE COST OF MINING A TON OF CoM"
ARIo PARprE PUTS IT At 4 DOLLAR ANn HALF
-oTHHR WITNESSES BgFoRE THE CONGRESS-
IoNAL COMMITTEE.
u,ztErox, Penn, Feb o4.-The Congressional Com
matce continued It's inquiry here today INTO inc
n,ncrs strike in the Iehigh coal regions Thomas
Campbell who keeps general store al ft'eiahu'
testified that the company stores charged - per cent
profit I'm somo above the ordinary prices charged
at the individual stores lie knew this from personal
Ins pcctlon OF miners pass books at company stores
He could not give any absolute data OF the prohts
charged by tho company stores at present
Thomas A. Buckley, a miner and a justice OK the
peace thought that the average wages Of minors In
/ tbe Lcbgh region were not over S35 month In
1871 the average was 80 day and some miners
/ could then mako "a or 50 day. IIo thought the
strike premature.
Ario pardoe. one Of the largest coal operators In
the State has been coal operator for iortS -t'oo
oors uo was the first individual operator In the
ebrh region He at first refused to say What the oos'
NJ mining ton Of coal and fatty told the COM
,,oo that II was none Of It's business, but finally
enswered tho question. He said that exclusive oi
roval,v and not considering the interest OK capltai
invested 1t cost TO mine and put ton OK coal on
tho cars 81 so The labor cost Is over al ton
Al his coicries the labor was last year paIu oNcr
100000 cash and as mnch MOP III miners,
vis ans hing, etc. fore the strhe' @ mllcIs -,
wages were - so week. mns MIN Tho bCors rea cause
of the strke that tho operators roiuscu 10 w. ai
or have any communication WIN mo hat cost tho
tons. He corrected the statement lhat Gus oaI m
miner nine cents for powder for each ton Oh @ ooai
mined but admitted that the compares me a1p s" snd
to them When he was asked to eotlnate 'he COS,
of ton OF coal delivered at tidewo'cr ne nsuTr ~ fo
81 so for mining, 45 cents for royalty ana ~ oV lot
| fcIpbt a total Of 50 75, and exhibited accounts OF
sales Of coal al New-York for from SO 90 to "a In
CaIvin Pardce. the son of tho former Witness re-
fcrred to Mr.. Evans, tho member OF me l@gsiauic,
Who testified yesterday, as tho representative liar
VI The committee went to Maueh Chunk this even,
ing but failed find Echlcy b. Coke who teeSrapneo
that he had missed the train from New orh inc
committee will return to Washington Tomorrow al
noon
ROIsTEROUs STRIKERS PUT UNDER BONDS.
The strike Committee of the Cigarmakers' Union was
occupied Yesterday in the Yokvile Police Court where
the cases of the alleged dsordery strikers arrested on
/ Thursday came up Herman Lougfellow, OF No. 22O
East seventy-t thirdst, put under 800 bonds 10
keep the peace and Isaac Kanrowitz OF No 22l East
seyenty-thrd St, was neld for trial on charge OF
assault for attempting to snatch officer Youngs CLUB
7 Fishman OF No. 23l East Seventy ST., picket
who was arrested previously, also put under 500
honls 40 keep the peace The strike COMMITTEE
furnished necessary security In each case ana he
rinnnara ware relea sed from custody The union
leaders strongly assert that none of the men went pe
yond proper bounds In quietly requesting applicants or
not to 20 In the factories, and they regaru tno to-
buke OF the Court unjust. ...,
The promoters OF the svement to abolish the lhter'i
revenue tax are making extensive preparations for an
other s--Deeng They have gathered s1i blo
amount OF mOnev by subscription papers ane Mn MI % The
preliminary meeting tonight AT schhlut . mum "
union leaders are bitter against them ,,,,. Cor,
ittec toeeI her with the strike Committee ana aUou,
200 delegates representing all the loal rsnorfs