Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-08-23
Two Weeks Strike on The
New York Central.
No Prospect Of a Settlement
Yet in View.
Vice-President Webb Obstinately Re-
fuses to Arbitrate.
Depew Coming Home to Assume Contro
Of The Company's Affairs-Strikes
in Chicago.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

-~"|OO-~NNN =
New YORK, August 22.-With the
close of today ends the second week of
the strike. The men who two weeks
ago left their places with the confidence
OF reinstatement upon their own terms,
are considering the situation tonight in
their local assemblies. where they were
joined in council by the members of the
executive board. Undoubtedly tits true
that the rank and file of the men
feel at present strong in the near pres
ence OF their leaders, The heads have
been considering their immediate inter
ests, and the men are pleased. They
feel reinforced and more hopeful.
The state board of arbitration once
more presented itself perfunctorily to
aid in settlement. Powderly has has
tened to acceede, but the railroad has
declined. There is growing belief
among persons who are following the
course OF events closely. that there will
be no further strike. 1t was rumored
that possibly the next move would be
the ordering out of all mechanics along
the lines of the Central. On this point
Webb was questioned.
Anticipating" he said, "some ten
days ago that by allowing the men en-
ployed in our various shops to remain,
l was furnishing ammunition to the
knights, at once ordered the shops
to be, closed and directed that only
enough men be retained to perform the
actual necessary repairs that are re-
quired each day. At the present time
we have fully six thousand cars in
course of construction at West Albany
and 1900 men have been laid Off"
Efforts at Arbitration.
State Arbitration Commissioner Dono-
van this afternoon sent letter to Vice
President Webb, stating: 1t having
come to the knowlenge OF the state board
of mediation and arbitration, that another
strike was seriously threatened on the
lines of the road ofyour company, l am
instructed by the board to again
communicate with you and invite
joint conference in the offices of your
company between you and representa-
tives of your employees, with the view
OF devising some means, either by arbl-
tration or such other method as may be
mutually agreed upon, whereby the
threatened strike may be averted and
the abrupt interruption of travel and
transportation Of freight be prevented"
A similar letter was sent to Powderly.
Powderly in his reply stated that the
general executive board of Knights of
Labor is willing to comply with the re-
quest, and holds itself in readiness to re-
spond at moments notice. POwderly
says: eve hold ourselves in readiness
to do any honorable thing to terminate
the strike or avert another one, and sim
cerely hope that either arbitration or
such other method as may be agreed
upon, will have the desired effect"
Webb Refuses to Arbitrate.
Webb responded thus: "The further
strike referred to by you will not take
place, as the efforts of the persons who
have. left our service may or may not
meet with success. l believe that such
efforts will fail. l am not aware of any
difference or grievance existing between
the company and its employees, and
| must assume that the conference sug-
gested by you was designed to be between
officers of the company and officials of
the Knights of Labor. These officials
represent not our employees, but per-
sons who have left our service and have
not asked to be re-employed, but who,
through the same officials of the Knights
of Labor, have asked that the discharge
by the company of certain persons, be
submitted to their investigation, and to
arbitrate by some tribunal to be selected.
shall take every means in my power
to prevent the interruption OF passenger
and freight traffic, and if the
constituted authorities will prevent
lawless interference with our operatives,
| do not anticipate any interruption.
For the above reasons it seems to me in
appropriate and unnecessary to have
the conference suggested by you.
webb Issues a Manifesto.
Webb comes forward tonight with a
prepared statement, evidently prompted
by Powderly's manifesto. Webb starts
out with the statement that no man had
been discharged by his company because
he was Knight of Labor or member of
any other organization. Then
for the first time since the
beginning of the controversy,
Webb nam es list of offenses, among
which are those because of which
Knights of Labor are said to have been
discharged.
Webb continues: The company dis
charge the men, irrespective OF their
membership in the order of the Knights
of Labor, for drunkenness, incapacity,
breach OF duty, insubordination and for
lack OF sufficient work to employ
them, and it will
continue to do so whenever the proper
occasion arises. 1t would be moral and
criminal neglect of duty for me to omit to
to discharge man for drunkenness only
whose sobriety and fidelity to duty de-
pends the safety of life and limb of mil
lions OF passengers transported annually
by this company. What private or
public business can be carried on sub
ject to dictation from the workmen
that there shall be performed only this
or that amount of work? What em-
ployer can tolerate insolence and in
subordiation, based upon the belief that
the offenders will be supported therein
by the secret organization
to which he belongs, by any agency by
which the employers business can be
damaged or stopped. The foregoing
gives, without setting forth the name or
place of employment the causes