Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-10
A MYSTIC MESSAGE.
"Webster's Dictionary" the
Words Authorizing a Strike.
The New York Central Railway Com
pletely Tied Up-Engineers, Brake
men and Switchmen 90 Out.
The Company Confident of Short Siege, and
the Hen Preparing for Long and Bitter
One-spreadlng Out


THE FIRST TRAIN OUT.
New YORK, Aug. 9.-The first train which
lett the Grand Central depoS this morning
passed underneath the big bridge AT forty-ntth
street exactly at 3:5O o'clCek. Five cars were
attached to this train ana they were occup ed Dy
mil sorters, whose duty it was TO distribute
mails before the train reached Albany. There
were no passengers aboard. The tie-up on the
road was complete. Every trainmHn-orake-
men, switchmen, engineer ana CON
ductor, except those necessary TO attend the
running of mail trains, stopped WORK on the
order of the executive board OF directors OF AS
sembly No. 246. The railroad men by mutual
consent agreed to furnish enough assistance 10
allow mail trains to run, but they declared that
not single passenger nor q pound of freight
should be carried on the lines OF the New YORK
Central and HUDSON River railway company atter
I O'Clock last night.
From 1850 until $50 this morning trains
were run. About O'Clock, however, great
number of train hands who did not belong TO the
knights of Labor, reported at the yard Tor
work. They were instructed 10 set about r.
ing the tracks. Third Vice President Webb
took charge OF the men as soon aS they entered
the yard. He
HAD BEEN UP NIGHT
uTerintendng the company business and con-
sulting with police officials from time 10 time
regarding the safety OF passengers who arrived
ON incoming trains. These were compelled -
gel off he cars at Matthaven instead OF coming
into the Grand Central depot, as usual, and
they had to rely upon accommo 1atlons OF the
elevated road and street cars to bring them
down Town.
The Inspector sent officers to all the switching
stations. The inspector also had the bridges
over the track guarded, so that trains shouid
not be assaiIed by missilej. The North river
front was particularly guarded. THIS is
The gram elevator district Inspector Byrnes
remained at his post all night. To-day he has
del eclives all along the bridges and III the tun-
nels. No freight cars will be run to-day. but
the officials vii. try to run passenger train at
10 O'Clock. Police reserves are held at most OF
the precincts, and the inspector says he Will
preserve order al any cost.
AT BUFFALO.
BUFFALo, N. Y, Aug. "a number OF Few
York Central men belonging to the knights OF
Labor went out on a strike this morning on
orders received from New York. This caused
much Inconvenience and delay in the morning
train, which had been running regularly. The
strike, however, is not general here so far, Di-
vision Superintendent Burrows said he did not
know what the strike was for. He mad received
no complaints OH his end of the line.
AT UTICA.
UTICA. n. Y, Aug. 9.-EveEy Knight Of
Labor working for the Centra1 and Hud-
son River railroad in thiS city and
towns both east and west for fifty
miles has quit work. In this city the force may
outuumber forty. 1t is composed OF switchmen,
baggagemen, gate tenders at street crossings,
freight handlers, freight car inspectors and
men occupying positions Of like nature Only
one OF two passenger trains have besl rum and
no ireignts have gone through here since last
uight- The railroad authorities have had many
applications from men desiring TO go to work.
and it Is Thought when the company IS ready TO
be rilled il two hours. There is no trouble on
the West Shore road,
SERIOUS AND GROWING WORSE.
BUFFALO, y. Y, Aug. 9.-1nere is no getting
the point that the strike in Buffalo is
serious, with probability OF 1t becoming worse.
This morning the sCeua- about the Exchange
street depot was most unusual and confusion
reigned everywhere. The first evidence that any
thing out of the ordinary was in progress was the
sight of a Michigan Central express stalled
across Main and washington streets. 1t could
go no further, every track in the great train
house occupied with cars, and the incoming
flyer could net be received. he express trains
due from New York at 6l5 and T:l5 respectively,
reached Buffalo at $3.50 O'Clock. Passengers for
the West, it was thought. would have no trouble
in getting through Michigan Central and Lake
shore trains were awaiting their arrival so as to
proceed.
''wEBsTER's DICTIONARY
NEW YORK, Aug. 9.-After the strike hid
bers of the general executive board of Knights
went home and left j. j. Holland in charge.
few minutes after o clock cipher messages con-
tanning only the words Webster 8 Dictionary
flashed over the telegraph wires along the Hnd-
on oGH the ''i New York Central railroad,
oficisl of the local assembly Of Knights of La
Dor in that town. The message had been ex-
pected three days ago. Every member OF the
order had been notified that in case the words
contained in the above cipher were repeated to
him he was to consider it an order from the
general executive board to stop wors, with the
needed support,
The mystic signal was given at this end, that
Is in the Grand Central depot and the freight
yards at 1hirty-second street and Sixty-ffth
street and John park at about or 20 minutes
after I. Many OF the switchmen, yardmen
and brakeman had just come on to-day few
minutes before the order was given. As soon
as the cipher read to them they quietly put
on their hats and coats and left the yard.
delegate who went around among them with the
cipher message held in his hand one of the
cheap Webster's dictionaries, sold on the street
for ten or fifteen cents. This was his badge OF
authority.
man in the yards at the Grand Central depot. At
the yards of the company at Thirty third street
freight rolled in at just O'Clock. Immediately
the entire crew, including engineer and fireman,
jumped off and scattered. At the same time
switchmen employed in the yards quit work.
When. few minutes later, engine NO. l ar
rived from Hudson at the Laight street yard il
was obliged to stop at the switches. The fire
drawn, and the engineer left his post.
About 1850 all quit work ct this point.
including dozen engineers. The men left
quietly. Many or them didn't know that
strike had been ordered until they were told to
stop work. At Sixty third street yards the en-
tire force quit work with the exception of q few
warehouse workmen. Tracks are blocked and
OVER ONE THOUSAND CARS
stand around with nobody to move them. J.. ].
Lof.us. chief dispatc her at these yards, said:
at was a complete and q most disagreeable
surprise to me. We are completely blocked.
strength Of ths Knights Even tine the
eight cen engineers whom had under me have
left us. There are close TO 200 men out in this
yard
On the river front from Fifty-niuth to
Seventy ninth streets all barges and boats of
the company were tied up. Great loads of
coffee. sugar, etc, were Waiting TO be moved.
Here again the company met with surprise in
the strength of the knights. It was not known
that many OF the freight handlers on the docks
were members of the Knights of Labor, but yet
on dock G alone seventy-eight men gu it work.
Seven hundred men will be Obliged to quit
work on account of the tie-up in the Hudson
street yard of the company Only small por-
on ofthese, however, are Knights
There was considerable of an Improvement in
the situation at the Grand Central depot this
morning as compared with that OF last night,
and a notice announcing the temporary suspen-
sion OF passenger trains was taken down. Be-
tween and 10 O'Clock seven trains came in
some through trains, Others local:
AT the general managers Office vice-President
Webb said he did not think the matter woul
assume any gigantic proportions, and tina,
men could be found to maa the trains.
A majority of those who have left a:e switch
men an yardmen, and their Places are being
filed as rapidly as possible. This morning
large crowd of rarcs men came over the fer
ries from Jersey City, all tonnd Tor the Grand
Central danOt They are Sly switchmen ouf