The Portland daily press., 1888-04-04
RADICALS ASSUME CONTROL.
MotIonIess Wheels in the Yards of
Chicago Roads.
Michigan Central Employees Strike
and Return to Work.
Status OF the Legal Proceedings
Which Have Been Instituted

CHICAGO, April 3.-The general advisory
committee Of the Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive Engineers held meeting last night for
the purpose of considering what steps were
necessary to prevent radicals from pursuing
course that, it is feared, will end in the
dis intregation Of the Brotherhood. The
blame for the actions Of switchmen is placed
ON the engineers. The switchmen, aided by
the radicals in the Brotherhood, 1t is claimed
have assumed the management OF the strike,
ignoring the officers Of the Brotherhood.
Chief Arthur will be consulted :in the mat
ter.
The traffic on the Rock Island railroad has
increased 200 per lcent since the inaugura-
tion of the Burlington strike and 1t Is still
on the up grade. The company is prepared
to enforce its announcement made to the
Burlington yesterday that it would take nc
80" freight. At all points where there are
connecting tracks over which 80" cars could
enter the Rock Island yards, the latter has
placed locks on the switches and given orders
to their switchman to allow no Burlington
trains TO go in. The Burlington has renewed
its complaint against the Rock Island in the
United States circuit court.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
strikers held a meeting last night. The
chairman Of the grievance committee de.
clared that the road was now positively tied
up. He advised the men to stand firm, and
predicted that every road in the city would
be tied up inside Of As hours. An unsuc-
cessful effort was made to induce passenger
engineers and fremen to declare on the side
Of the switchmen and switch engineers. The
strike, 1t is understood has already seriously
crippled the st. Paul road.
Today the St. Paul joined the Burlington
in its attempt to force the Tight upon roads
that are now reaping the benefits OF the
strike. The strikers say they have positive
assurances that the Northwestern yardmea
will strike rather than touch 20" car.
Not wheel turned in the Michigan Cen
tral yards this morning and while no strike
had been declared the Chicago end Of the
road was completely tied up, engineers, fire
men and switchmen all having deserted their
posts. The officials would not admit that
there is a strike but simply say that they are
doing no work today. 1t is learned that a
committee of the Brotherhood are laboring
with their brethren in the Central yards to
prevent strike.
Central officials have counted upon to replace
the striking yard crews are in jackson walt
ing. They will not go to work, however, as
they claim they were not told the real situa-
ti0n when they were engaged and that they
cannot take the places of the strikers, being
Brotherhood men themselves.
This morning 100 special policemen were
sworn in and turned over to the CHIEF OF
railroad police.
In the afternoon, however, the men
changed their determination and decided TO
go to work and handle Burlington freight.
An officer Of the Michigan Central said the
men went back Internationally at confer
ence between the strikers, officers and del
egatiOn of the Brotherhood men from jack
son. The settlement was agreed upon at
about p. m. and the men began returning.
stated At the comPoppys e Offices s.asd that
all the commotion was forwarded this after
noon.
The Final Struggle.
CHICAGO, April 3.-The Burlington Off
cials announced this afternoon that tomor-
row the delivery of cars will be attempted to
large number Of roads and the final strug
gle in the great strike in all likelihood will
take place, At the police headquarters spec
ial officers were sworn in all day from the
reserve lists. No attempt to do business was
made by the Burlington today. the plea be-
ing that the police were needed at the polls.
The switches Of the Rock Island yards con-
Meeting with the Burlington tracks ale
locked so that no Burlington cars can be run
into the Rock Island yards. The officials Of
the st. Paul road discovered today that
switches communicating with the Northwest
ern tracks at Western Avenue whereby all
the freight is transferred fIom one road to
another. were spiked.during the night. The
st. Paul officials hold that the spiking was
done at the instigation of Northwestern Off
cials, who probably thought this the safest
way by which to avoid trouble.
Five Thousand Delegates.
Five thousand delegates representing the
engineers, fremen and switchmen Of all the
roads leading to Chicago, held a meeting
this afternoon to discuss the strike situation.
General Manager jeffrey, of the Illinois
Central, made an extended speech, at the
conclusion Of which 1t was resolved that the
men of each road be allowed to use their own
judgment in all questions growing out of the
strike. This was considered virtual en-
dorsement of the Michigan Central mems
action in returning to work today.
kilograms passed today between Fort
Wayne strikers and Supt. McCrea which
that rasd bs stpiEsrs asR Wbetber if
they returned to work in body, they would
be taken back McCrea replied affirmative
ly, provided they would handle business
without discrimination. General Manager
Carson of the Belt line met delegates Of the
engineers, fremen and Switchmen tonight
and Informed them that under the injunction
they would have to handle 'Q' freight.
The men said they would stand by the
road and handle freight as instructed.
The surIington's Answer.
CHICAGO, April 3.-When the Burlington
Railroad asked Judge Gresham for an order
to compel the Rock Island to handle 80"
freight. the Rock Island answered by charg-
ing that the present strike was simply part
Of the Burlington programme to force other
lines to join railway trust" which the
general manager of the Burlington, in
answer to the charges, in his affidavit. filed
this afternoon, denies, in detail, all the
charges Of the Rock Island, which he pro-
nounces scandalous and false. He says the
rate war was Initiated by the Rock Island
and other lines against the most earnest
efforts Of the Burlington.
The Burlington road this afternoon APP
piled TO Judge Gresham for an Injunction
against the Bet line to restrain the latter
from refusing to handle "Q' freight or re-
fusing the "Q' road such facilities in hand
ling freight as it furnished other roads. Sew
eral weeks ago the same proceedings were
begun against the Belt road, but the matter
was allowed to drop with the understanding
that the former road would handle 20
file pending emergencies. The proceedings
today indicate that the Belt road is being
badly pushed by its employe, and has tactily
agreed to reviving the original bill. Judge
Gresham granted temporary writ.
Attacked by the Conductors
An afternoon paper publishes advance
sheets from the report of the grand secretary
Of the Order Of Railway Conductors which
has been sent out to the managers of the
various railroads. The report Is made up
almost entirely Of bitter denunciation Of the