Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-08-13
THE CENTRAL TIED UP.
Big Strike the New York Central Raj
road.

Big Strike on the New York Central RAT
road.
A New York dispatch of the 9Th says:
The rumblings of an expected storm
among the thousands of employees of
the New York Central and Vanderbilt
lines, owing to the discharge of Knights
of Labor and Brotherhood men, broke
like flash from a clear sky shortly
after O. clock tonight All the length
of the Central was tied up. Trains
were left by the crews where they
stood when the order came Two pas
senger trains were left at Eighty-sixtn
Street, in the tunnel, one going
in each direction. The latest report
is that the West Shore Railroad may be
tied up throughout it's length, as wels
as the New York & New Haven Rail-
road. Great throngs of people are.
crowded into the Grand Central depot,
trying to have tickets changed, and
asking all manner of questions. No
one seems to know how it was, or who
ordered the strike. Even J. j. Hol-
land, the labor leader, denied that he
knew who ordered it, or even that il
was ordered.
The representatives of the railroad
company called upon Acting Superin-
tendent of Police Byrnes for protection.
serve policemen in all the precincts of
the East Side below Forty second Street
All the reserves on the East Side above
Forty Street to Yonkers, and ON
the West Side from St. Johns
Park to Yonkers, were placed ON
duty guarding the tracks and property
Of the railroad company. The depot at
Forty-second Street was under the pro-
lection of the full force of police from
the Twenty-third sub-precinct, and
these were assisted by the members OF
the boat patrol. Inspector Byrnes' de-
tectives guarded the switches and sig
Vice President Webb, of the New
York Central, on being interviewed by
reporter, said that the strike extend
ed to West Albany. All men who went
out from the employ of the road this
evening, Mr.. Webb said, would be,
promptly discharged in the morning
Those men who remained true to the
company would be well taken
care of and amply protected, as well
as all men who came to work for the
road. The road would take on all GOOD
men who applied for work in the morn
ing, as far as they were needed to fill
the places Of the deserters, and they
would be guaranteed against all harm as
well. With great emphasis the vice
president announced that he would
fight the strikers to the bitter end. He
said that the new set of demands he
had never seen and knew moth
ing whatever about-in effect these.
demands are for minimum DAYS
wages of $1.50; station agents to receive
an increase of So a month; men in yards
at Troy and Green Island to receive the
same compensation as at Schenectady
Ill
wheel connected engines shall receive,
p cents per mile; all engineers Oh
same 4 cents; four-wheel engine
engineers 81 cents per mile; fremen Z
cents per mile; for all overtime double
pay.
MIR. Webb announced that the fast.
mail had pulled out of the depot at g
O'Clock with four mail cars, but no pas
sengers were attached to the train. The
president further announced that
no attempt would be made to run any
trains tonight. Everything would be-
left at standstill just where the men
left off. There are no means to get to-
Albany or New England tonight, but
the opening up Of the great avenues OF
trade would be begun tomorrow.
1t is announced that the vice-presi-
dent will give out an official statement
of the present controversy; that the.
people OF the country may Judge who
is right and who is wrong.
The strike was ordered on account Of
discharge Of certain employees. Under
the orders every train was abandoned,
no matter where it might be. The 7:1Cs
train for Montreal was waiting
the signal at the Grand Central
depot when the engineer, fireman.
and brakemen left it and walked out
of the depot. Efforts made to secure
men to fill their places were without
avail. The men on other trains also left
them. Travel was not only blocked on.
the Central road, but also on the New
York & New England, and New York &
Harlem roads, which use the tracks of
the Central road as far as Melrose
]. J. Holland, of the Executive Board
of the Knights of Labor, was seen few
moments later at the Grand Union Ho-
tel. He expressed himself as firmly as
did Mr.. Webb, only his way Of putting.
it was that the trains would not move
for several mornings. He stated that
he had not ordered the strike, but
thought that the head Of the local di-
vision K of T, niubf have done IT