Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-18
THE B. q @. PUZZLE.
WHO WILL SAY IP THE INSURANCE PLAN
is A BBNBPII'
Very Contrary Testimony Coming from Newark
Snd Pitsb1rg-Ths Men Won't Strike and
They Will Srks-The Local Sit
uaton-ML Clare Shops.

NEWARK, o, April 1.-THE talk Of a
threatened strike on the Baltimore aud
Ohio system, should an attempt be made
to compel the employees to accept the new
plan Of insurance, is without foundation in
fact, so far as the trans Ohio divisions are
concerned. In this city alone, which is
the general headquarters on this side Of
the Ohio river, the company employs about
one thousand men, almost six hundred
of whom are employed in shops here In
d canvass among the men, it Is found there
are but few who object to the plau or its
eXpenee. OF all the men employed every
one has taken the insurance except one,
and he was not discharged. All of these
signed the paper of their own accord. OF
tho men in the transportation department,
there are some who oppose the scheme, but
as they continue at work they will proba-
bly take it, A Pittsburg dispatch says:
From what was learned yesterday 3
strike seems certsin, unless the company
reVOkes the order or take other action 10
satisfy the men. The order fleets brake
men, conductors, switehmen and all en-
plOyes alike The men, hardly without
exception, are against the innovation aud
declare tney will fight it with all their
strength. Committees have been sent out
by all the unions along the line to feel the
pulse Of the men and a crisis will soon be
reached, il is thought.
A reporter was yesterday shown s letter
sent to the chairman Of the Grievance
Committee of the Baltimore and Ohio
Switchmen's Union, and signed by the Sec
retary of the Bellaire, Ohio, Union. 1t
stated that the Bellaire Union had sent
committees to Newark aud ChicsgO 10 con-
fer with the men at those places The
men were reported as undecided, but
thought il best not 10 resist the order at
once. The Bellaire Union accordingly de-
ciied to sign the blanks for the insurance
order and await for further developments
The letter stated that ''we al i'll burst the
Insurance scheme in two or three weeks, -
and that the men we're al unanimous that
il was sn injustice and should be downed.
The PittsbuTg employees also decided 10
sign the blanks until they can hear the
sentiments of the other men along the
lines 1t is expected that conference of
the Grievance Committee will be held soon
to confer with the men at Bellaire, Colum-
bus and Chicago.
THE LOCAL SITUATION.
The REGIsTER's interviews with B. x
o. employees, upon the insurance policy
insisted upon by the Company, created a
great deal of talk among railroad men yes
terdsy, and copies OF the paper were in
great demand about the yards of the B. &
o. and upon the trains. Almost every
brakeman, fireman and engineer had
copy Of the paper, and read the article
upon the first opportunity.
The statement made yesterday, that the
Office force of the Company, and Others Of
its employees who had snug positions were
generally favorably disposed towards the
insurance scheme, while the rsnk and file
of car hustlers and track men were opposed
to it, turned out to be correct. Several OF
the latter classes Of employees took occasion
to say Yesterday that they were bitterly
opposed to the entire scheme and assured
toe reporters that they would gladly em-
brace an opportunity to upset the whole
thing if they could find way to do so.
One man, who got down out Of an engine
cab with an oil can in his hand, said;
'If you 20 to a passenger engineer, or a
conductor, OF an agent, or a ticket seller,
or some one Of tina. class, they will tell
YOU the insurance plan is a good thing.
Don't you believe it. They will also tell
Won the employees are satisfied with 1t.
That is rank lie. The large majority OF
the employees recognize the thing as the
rankest sort of extOrtion, and tell you, II
they we're not sfraid to talk about it, You
would hear a good deal more on this side
than YOU do. You people don't under
stand the sort OF terrorism the employees OF
the Company are under. They are afraid
Of being fred if they chirp, aud they keep
quiet" "
Other employees had about the same TO
say and several related interesting tNper-
fences touching on the insurance plan,
which indicated that the men were made
10 feel that they were safest in signing.