The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-01
KNIGHTS are not likely to be modified as the re-

men, provid ed 8 proposition to that effect came
! from the company. communicated TO the
railroad officials Apparently it took them by
surprise, although, according TO the Chief, they
had known all along thar the representatives of
| the men were willing to submit their cause to
| the judgment of unbiased tribunal At any
rate, it furnished justification for prolonged
| conference between President Perkins, General
Manager Stone. General Passenger Agent Nor
/ ton, and representative of the legal depart
/ ment. and it was several hours later when the
following issued as the reply of the company:
! I'm reply to the suggestion that shs road
should make proposition to arbitrate. presi-
| dent Perkins says: Unfortunately, there is
nothing to arbitrase, because the demands made
upon us are of such nature TO make it i'm
possible. We must control our property. and
cannot submit TO anybody questions which
relate to the best exercise of the skill and ex-
| perlence of the management in the conduct of
| the road No other questions are involved.
/ answer to the demands to adjust and equalze
wages. and they are ready TO take that question
/ mp At any time"
This reply was generally received among the
| men ultmatum that the company was dis
| posed to fight to the bitter end, and that no
| hopes for . compromise remained, and that
nothing now remained for the Brotherhoods but
| prolonged strike or unconditional surrender
The thirty more engineers that arrived here
last night from the East were taken to the gem
eral Offices of the road at an early hour this
morning and put through an exhaustive exam
ination. According 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 best be told in the
language of Mr. Morton: 1--WE sent out eighteen
suburban trains each way" he said tonight
''against four Monday and nine yesterday,
while our3 P. NJ. 1890 P. NJ and $50 mail trains
Went through though nothing unusual had
occurred. The early morning and night through
trains. both of which have but little passenger
patronage, were abandoned. The incoming
through trains arrived in good shape. From
Superintendent Holdridge, of the Burlington g
Missouri ir Nebraska. with headquarters at
Omaha. we have a dispatch saying shat he is
clearing up what freight there is now on the
lines OF most of his division, and that he expects
to move all freight offered tomorrow. Super
intendent Duggan, at Creston, Ia, wires US
that he sent this afternoon, two freights weat
and one south. Reports from the south are 70
the effect that the prospects are good for the
prompt movement of both freight and passenger
traffic. We not yet at liberty to assert that
the backbone of the strike is broken, but we do
think we have both feet on its spinal column
and that the column is slowly giving way"
A large number of dispatches was received at
the Offices of the company during the day Offer
ing the services of fremeu. To all replies were
returned that the road had more than it would
need Other dispatches stated that.a batch of
seventy engineers from New York, New Eng
land Pennsylvania and Michigan, another batch
of forty from Pennsylvania, and third batch
Of thirty-fve from Nsw York. would be here to-
A -. g. r
the Wabash engineers who run trains over the
th.-1S -three<nile stretch of the St Louis, Keo-
kuk & Northwestern, between Keokuk and St.
Peters, operated By the Burlington, had notified
the district superintendent that they did not
propo 50 to do any more running after to-day.
According to reports received up to late
hour, very few of the strikers responded to the
notification Of the company by applying for
their time-cheeks at noon to-day. In fact the
dispatches indicated that less than bakers
dozen were in so urgent need of funds as to
warrant them in drawing the paw that due
to them MP to o'clock Monday morning.
By the officials this was taken an indication
that the men were anything but desirous of
having their connection with the company
terminated In accordance with the ultimatum
The men at this end, however. do not look at
the matter in the same light. "We not so
hard-up for the almighty dollar" said the
spokesman for group at the Fourteenth street
rendezvous, as to go rushing after 1t the mo
ment il is there. When we want it we will go
for it, but that won't be yet awhile"
As a unique contribution to the literature of
the strike the following is interesting 1t was
received this afternoon from q one-dollar
ploYe, located at division headq quarters point |
IN Illinois, and bore numerous signatures:
please pardon this intrusion, but wish to say |
In regard to this strike. employe, and in |
behalf OF the employees of the company at this |
place, who are working for less wages-some of |
Us for mere pitttance and can hardly exc out |
living-and the most of as with as much intelh- |
n ha an pima md ha%
some OF us do requires more education and /
much common sense as that of this very smart |
gentleman who sits there and pulls the throttle. |
Some of as work ten, twelve and even thirteen |
hours for day for the sums OF 81. 81 10, 81 20 |
and $1.33 per day. It don't seem reasonable /
20 US to increase the wages of those who are now /
getting the highest pay of any other workmen |
on the road. Therefore, we most earnestly pro-
test and object to the company's complying with |
their demands without considering the condition
of those who are working for these low wages.
We have never formed any organization. We |
have not entered any complaint, and have not
asked TOR higher pay. We desire the prosperity /
of the company, and will not do anything to
cripple and lnjure its business, the present
strike is bound to do Again we say. we sarnest-
~ enter our protest against your acceding to the
demand of this conspiracy TO the detrimeut of |
the rest of your employees"
Summed up, the third day of the greatest
strike in the history OF the twin brothsrhoods
of engineers and fremen closes with the COM
pany satisfied with the headway it has made and
sanguine as to the future. and with its ex-em-
pioyes good natured and confident that in their
game OF waiting aud watching they bold the
trump card
Taking the number of trains moved during
the day a criterion the company may be said
to have made considerable hsadway within the !
past ssenty-four hours in furnishing accommo-
datlon for their enormous pasaen ger traffic, and
to have gained noins the Brotherhood, and
so fattering do the officials of the road consider
their prospects that they predict a resumption
of their entirs passenger service within the next
two days. The supply OF new men is increasing
every hour. Many of the men came from out
of town, and every train over The Pennsylvania
road brings a numb from the Reading regions.
Nearly all. according TO the compauy's story.
are competent in every way, TO take the places
vacated by strikers.
at the meeting of strikers this morning the
character of the men engaged TO take their
places freely discussed. One of the en-