Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-01
DEVELOPMENTS OF A DAY.


Train Service Further Improved-Arbitra-
tion Talked About.
CHICAGO, March l. -Powderly's manifesto
Chief Arthur's expression OF opinion concern
ing arbitration, and the Roadway mada by
the company as a result of the incurson of
new hands were the chief features of the
Burlington imbroglio Wednesday. AS for
the first, reception which it encountered was
anything but complimentary to the invalid
general master workman of the noble army
of knights. 1t was almost more than a
newspaper man dared to breach the subject
in the presence of Chief Arthur A bare
reference to it was enough to cause knit
ting of brows, followed by sharp peremptory
notice from the head of the engineers
brotherhood to the effect that he didn't want
to hear it mentioned ard wouldn't discuss it
Chief Sargent, of the Firemens Brother
hood, was little more communicative, and
candidly confessed that, read in the proper
light, the letter was all right, and that Pow
derby meant we'll But down at the hall on
Fourteenth street, where the strikers assem-
bled to discuss the situation, very different
view was entertained. Fguratively speak
ing. both Powderly, his letter and the
knights of Labor were "ripped up the back"
ats diplomatic letter." said one gray
haired, grzzled engineer; diplomatic in the
sense that it stabs US in the back and offers us
the hand of friendship at the same time. To
my mind he simply mops the floor with us.
All the grievances which the knights have
against our organization are rehearsed in Wig
orous language and then a demand is made
for the exercise of Christian charity and for
bearance. If that isn't tearing open the
wounds and then commissioning with
condition, then can't understand plain Eng
lish. The pen that wrote that letter was
dipped in gall, and the animosity is so trans
parent that he who runs may read"
This is an indication of the general con-
census of opinion expressed by the strikers
1t is very certain that the antagonistic rela-
lions already in existence between the BROTH
hood and the knights are not likely to be
modified as a result of the Scranton letter.
Chief Arthur's statement that he would
be willing to submit the case of the men to
n board of arbitration composed of practical
railroad men, provided proposition to that
effect came from the company was first
communicated to the railroad officials by
the United Press. Apparently it took them
by surprise, although, according to the chief,
they had known all along that the representa-
tives of the men were willing to submit their
cause to the Justice of an unbiased tribunal.
At any rate it furnished justification for a
prolonged conference between President
Perkins, General Manager Stone General
Passenger Agent Morton, and representa-
tive of the legal department, and it was sew
eral hours later when the following was
issued as the reply of the company:
I'm reply to the suggestion that the road
should make proposition to arbtrate President
Perkins says that unfortunately there is nothing
to arbitrate, because the demands made upon us
are of such a nature to make 1t impossible.
We must control our property and cannot submit
% anybody questions which relate to the best ex-
ercise OF the skill and experience of the manage
nent in the conduct of the road No other ques-
lions are involved, because the managers have
offered in their answer to the demands to adjust
and equalze wages and are ready to take that
question up at any time"
This reply was generally accepted among
the men an ultimatum that the company
was disposed to fight to the bitter end; that
no hope for a compromise remained, and
that nothing now remained for the brother
hood but prolonged strike or unconditional
surrender.
Thirty or more engineers arrived her .
from the east Tuesday night and were taken
to the general offices of the railroad at an
early hour Wednesday morning and put
through an exhaustive examination. Ac-
cordng to the officials one and all came off
with flying colors and were at once dis
patched to various points on the system
where their services were most needed.
How the road Jared during the day, from
the official standpoint can best be told in
the language of Mr.. Morton ave sent out
eighteen suburban trains each way" be
said, against four on Monday and nine
yesterday, while our a. m, leo D. m and
5 80 p. m. trains went through as though
nothing unusual had occurred. The early