Morning journal and courier., 1890-08-23
| NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
From ALI Quarters.
THE CENTRAL TROUBLE.
Some Correspondence on
The Subject.
THE RAILROAD ASKED TO ARBITRATE.
Mr.. Webb's Reply to Com
missioner Donovan.
A FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT At READING.
The Proceedings of House
And Senate.
A FRIGH1FUL ACCIDENT At READING.
THE CENTRAL STRIKE.

Anu StIlHUt.
THE CENTRAL STRIKE.
The Road Invited by State Commits
siOner Donovan to Arbitrate "A
Similar Proposal Made to Mr..
Powderly-What Powderly Says
Vice President Webb,s Manly
Stand-Five Thousand Men Now
Under Pay and Ready to Take the
Strikers Places.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-State Commits
sioner Donovan this afternoon sent the
to Mr. Webb:
MURRAY HILL HOTEL, Aug. %, 1890.
Dear Sir-It having come to the knowledge of
The state board of mediation and arbitration that
another strike is seriously threatened on the
lines of your company, am instructed by the
4 joint conference in the offices of your company
between you and representatives of your en-
ployes, with view of devising some means,
either by arbitration or such other method as
may be mutually agreed upon, whereby the
threatened strike may be be- averted and abrupt
freight be prevented. remain
Respectfully Yours,
FLORENCE E. DONOVAN.
A similar letter was sent to Mr. Powder
ly and his reply is as follows:
New YORK, Aug. q, 1890.
F. E. Donovan, ESQ.,;
DEAR SIR:.I take pleasure in acknowledging
the receipt of your letter in which the general
executive board of the Knights of Labor is invited
New York Central railroad Our board is willing
to comply with your request at a moments no.
honorable thing to terminate the strike or avert
another one and sincerely hope that either ''arbi
upon will have-the desired effett Recognizing
in you an officer of the state and assuring you
that we have from the beginning been willing
and anxious to submit the matter to you for adj
justment, am Very sincerely your,
T. v. PowDERLY
Mr.. Webb's reply to Commissioner Don
ovan was as follows:
NEW York, Aug. q, 1890.
Hon. F. E. Donovan.
Dear Sr-I have received your letter of this
date. AS is well known to you and to the public,
a large number of persons recently and suddenly
quit the service of this company, and with but
few exceptions have not applied for reemploy-
ment, but are engaged in holding meetings, con-
ferring with the officials of the order known
the Knights of Labor, other labor organizations,
and seeking to prevent, by persuasion, threats,
in lawful employment of the persons who did not
leave the company's service and others who
have been employed in the place of those who
did,
This constitutes the existing ''strike,'' and the
further strike referred to by you will will not
take place as the efforts of the persons who have
cess. believe that such efforts will fail.
The operating force of this company is full, the
service of the company is regularly
performed and there is no obstruction to its
freight service, except lawless interference and
l am not aware of any difference or grievance
existing between the company and its employees,
and must assume that the conference suggest
and the representatives of our employees is
conference suggested between the officers Of
the company and the officials of the Knights
T abor These Officials represent not
ployes, but persons who have left our service
and have not asked to be re -employed; but who,
through these same officials OF the knights of
Labor, have asked that the discharge by the
of certain persons prior to the Sth OF
August be submitted to Jheir xessaga5oa ana 40
some way-a request which ] have felt it to be
my duty to decline. OF course we deprecate any
to travel, or delay in the transporta
ton of freight upon the lines of this any other
l shall take every means in my power
to prevent such an occurrence, and If the consti-
tuted authorities prevent lawless interference
with our operatives do not anticipate any inter-
ruption of passenger or freight traffic.
pirate and unnecessary to have the conference
by you.
II. WALTER WEBB.
Mr.. Webb was also interviewed at some
length ON the situation. He said no man
had been discharged by this company be-
cause he was Knight of Labor or mem
Der of any other organization. This COM
pany has discharged men, irrespective of
their membership in the order of the
knights of Labor, for drunkenness, inca
pacity, breach of duty, INSTRUMENTATION
and for lack of sufficient work to employ
them, and it will continue do SO whenever
proper occasion arises. The people of this
state granted to this company its fran
chise and made obligatory upon it to rem
der certain services to the public, and
Id Ill 1SY,.r
the employment and discharge of all classes
of agents should be performed by certain
officers and its officers do not propose to
surrender, abandon or transfer the dis
charge of these duties or any part of them
to any one except their duly appointed
successors"
Mr.. Webb then goes on to say that some
sixty men were dismissed for the above
causes and he has been asked by Mr. Pow
derly to arbitrate in order to avoid a
threatened strike. He concludes by say
ing as long as he holds his position in the
railroad company he will decline to submit
the question of dismissal of employees to
arbitration.
Mr.. Webb said to-day that the New York
Central has now 5000 men under pay and
ready to take the strikers places and that
he has the names of as many more whom
he can call ON if wanted.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug, 22.-F. p
Sargent, grand master of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen, and other mem
bers of the executive committees of the
council of the United Order of Railroad
Employees, have arrived here to attend to
morrow's meeting. Mr.. Sargent will re
| port to the meeting the result of his inves
| LEGATIONS at New York In an interview
| tonight he said he was individually il
sympathy with Mr.. Powderly. He said:
'sWhile I have no other motive than t.
spbserve the interest of the public, yet
have also at heart the welfare of organized
| labor and as member of the federation
dot think Mr.. Powderly was treated right
When in New York l was sent for by Mr.
| Webb. 1 should not have called other
wise. Personally was treated in gen
| tlemanly manner by Mr. Webb. / asket
him Why he did not treat with Mr.. Powderly
He said he did not want any third party 6
interfere. then said, Suppose you ha'
| discharged certain firemen, and came t
you as grand master of the fremen to AS
the reason for their discharge. Would yo
refuse to talk to me! To this he made al
evasive reply and left" Mr.. Sargent wen
on to say that there was no disposition O
the part of the employees to force matters
All they wanted was chance to presen
their grievances to the officials OF the var
derbilt system and have just arbltratlo
of the existing difficulties. AS to tn
final result of the council, Mr.. Sargent d.
clared that the public need have no appr'
tensions The council realized the RI
sponsibilities which had been placed o
its shoulders. 1t was burden which ha
to be borne. The public might rest assure
that each member of the council was
man who had been through crises OF Il
like before and no hasty action would
taken. Mr.. Sergeant hoped that no e
tended strike would ensue, but his partil
, words were that he was ready to stand
. the champion of organized labor and
wanted the whole country to know it.
Four Persons Killed.
DhNvLR, Col, Aug. pa freight e
gineer lost control of his train on dov
grade near Lyons, Col, this morning, t
9 air breaks refusing to hold, and the ira
3 ran away. Four men were killed in
v | smashun that followed and several We