Evening journal., 1890-08-21
FPOVDERLY'S CALL.
Every Knight on the Vanderbilt
~ Lines Ordered Out.
WAR TO THE BITTER END.
Webb Stlll Defiant and Prepared fos.
the Worst.

utive Board Of tho knights OF Labor.
and Has Called a Meeting OF His Order
for Next Saturday at Terre Haute Ind.
Powdcrly's Appeal to All Knights on
the Vanderbilt Llnes-The strike Prom
ises 70 Develop Into Most Formidable
Combat Between Organized Labor and
Determined Capital
NEW York, Aug. 2l.-General Master
Workman T. " Powderly today issued an
appeal to all the Knights Of Labor In the
employ Of the New York Central and Hud-
son railroad and upon the Vanderbilt CON
Meeting lines. He states the causes for the
strike and the Efforts made to obtain
peaceable settlement Of the difficulties, and
notifies each and every member Of the in
tention of the executive board Of the
knights Of Labor to prosecute the fight to
the bitter end. At the same time IL Is
made known that Grand Master Sergeant
has called a meeting Of the supreme couu-
Gil of the Federation Of Railway Employees
for Saturday, Aug %, at o a. m, in the city
of Terre Haute, Ind
All knights Called Out.
Mr. Powderly calls upon all knights in
the employ Of the Vanderbilt lines TO stop
work at once.
The Last Interview with webb.
In connection with the stirring events
above outlined Mr.. powderly has given out
the following statement Of the interview
Wednesday afternoon with Vice President
Webb and Superintendent Toucey, of the
Central Hudson division:
During the afternoon Mr. powderly and
Mr.. Deylin waited upon Mr.. Webb IN order
10 give the New York Central every op-
portunity to bring the strike to an end
They stated that the knights would de-
clare the strike of II the company would
agree 10 submit the cases Of the discharged
men to the investigation of disinterested
outside parties, on the understanding that
the men should be reinatated to their posi-.
tions II IL was found that there was no
cause for their dismissal except that they
were Knights Of Labo@
Webb Stands His Ground.
Mr.. Webb positively refused 10 agree to
this request in the interest of peace. Mr.
Powderly asked MIR. Webb, in view Of the
conflicting statements Of the men and the
company officials, If he would consent to
(Mr. .Powderly) 70 question them IN Mr..
Web5s presence upon the charges Of the
company against them.
Mr.. Webb refused to entertain this prop
osition. Mr.. Toucey, who came into the
room during the interview, reiterated the
oft made statement that they would insist
upon their right to discharge any Of their
employees without assigning a reason for
doing so, and that they would not admit
the right Of any labor organization, or
/ committee Of such organization, to inter
vene in the matter Being asked IL they
took the position that a railway was pri-
yate property, and that neither the en-
ployes Of the company nor the public had
/ any right to question the actions Of the
management, they hesitated and at last
took feru,ye j. Q silence, which the repre-
sentatiyes Of the knights Of Labor IN Vain
tried to break. The latter said that II II
was the policy Of the company to main
tain that they would not admit that either
the public or employees Of the road had any
right in the premises it was useless to
waste time or words on the matter and
shortly withdrew
This Indeed Means War
Upon the return of Messrs Powderlv and
Devlin to the st. Cloud hotel the executive
board of the knights and the representa-
tives Of the supreme council OF the Fedora
tion Of Railway Employees held a prolonged
conference. The position Of all the bodies
represented WAS freely stated The result
was that the representatives Of the fedora
tion decided to can a meeting OF the su-
preme council of the Federation Of Rail-
way Employees for Aug. % in Terre Haute,
Ind, for action in the matter. AT this
meeting hsT, Sargent said he would lay the
whole case befoSe the council. He fully
indorsed the position Of the Knights Of
Labor executive board.
No War with Labor Organizations.
Vice President Webb was seen by a re-
porter He said that the first OF the qnes
tions given In Mr. Powderly's statement
had been exaggerated. The question OF
public and employees rights was not touch
cd upon. The company Mr.. Webb de-
clared, had no war with labor organiza-
tions as such. He could not see why the
fremen should strike They were better
paid on the Central than on any other line
Prepared to Meet the shock.
Speaking Of the connecting lines, he re-
marked that he was in constant communi-
cation with their chief officers and that
the Bee Line, Lake Shore and every linked
railroad was prepared for a strike if it
came. 1t Is estimated that the entire
Vanderbilt system Of railways has fully
10000 men engaged in its operation, exclu-
siye of officials, Office clerks, etc. The fol
lowing is list of the lines comprised
within this colossal system and stretching
from this city to the far west:
The Vanderbilt Lines.
New York Central-New York to Buffalo and
Niagara Falls.
West shore-New York to Buffalo and Niagara
Falls.
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Buffalo to
Chicago.
Nickel Plate Buffalo TO Chicago.
Canada Southern-Buffalo 10 Detroit and Chi. |
cago, through Ontario Canada
Michigan Central-Detrot 70 Chicago gsi /
miles, with an eastern connection via the Grand /
Trunk, Of Canada.
Chicago and Northwestern-Ch Chicago to Omaha,
Chicago 70 Milwaukee and st. Paul and Mime
apOlis, and lines traversing Wisconsin Northern |
Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.
St. Paul, Minneapolis and omaha-A great
lumber and grain route, traversing Minnesota
Iowa aud Nebraska
The executive board Of the Knights of
Labor continued in session all night. II
now looks as though the strike will de-
velop into one of the greatest contests be-
tween employer and employed that the
country has seen in years.
Dead on His Train.
Charles Oswald, brakeman who had
taken the place Of striker, was found