New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-20
A CRISIS IN THE STRIKE.
KNIGHTS SEEMING AID FROM OTHER OR:
CARNATIONS.
A LONG CONFERENCE ENDS LATE AT NIGHT
WITHOUT A DECIsION-THIs MORNING THE
SWITCHMEN, TRAINMEN AND FIREMEN
on THE WHOLE VANDERBILT sYS.
TEN MAY BE ORDERED OUT
THE RAILROAD OFFICIALS

TEN NAY BE ORDERED OUT
THE RAILROAD OFFICIALS
CALM AND DETERMINED.
AT late hour last night there had been no
change in the condition of the strike on the New
York Central Railroad, although it would not
have been surprise 10 either the officers of the
company or the public if general tie-up OF the
switchmcn, tranmen and the conductors on all
of the trunk lines running into New-York, and
the other roads operating with these systems had
been ordered. Threats Of this kind were fire..
quently made during the day, and two distinct
hours for the men to leave work were reported
rs set. They were midday ard o'clocl, in tho
afternoon, but both hours passed and the strike
had not extended.
The officers of the y.w- -Yefk Central road we're
at the Grand Ctntral Station all day. ready to
act if furt,er trouble should come and they
were there last night and intended to stOy there
all night, as they have since the strike began.
ready TO get to work if further strike were
ordered. They did not expect the locomotive
iremen to join the Knights of Labor, and it
upon them that the officials based their
hopes Of there being no further extension Of the
strike. II. Walter Webb, the third vice presi-
dent of the company, seen late last night
| and he was in an exceedingly jubant frame Of
mind, he did not believe that the fremen
could be either coaxed or threatened into leav-
| ing their engines
The labor leaders who are in the city now
were in and around the Grand Union and st.
Cloud Hotels holding secret conferences and con-
sultatons with representatives of various rail-
| road employees organizations but they did not
reach definite conclusion. They were in session
m adj
morning.
\ report circulated yesterday that Chaun-
| cey NJ. Depew had sent cable dispatch from
! Milan to a man in this city that he would take
the first Cunard steamer from Liverpool. Mr..
| Webb said that the report was utterly without
foundation. Mr.. Dcpcw has not been in Milan
for several days. and he telegraphed 10 Mr. Webb
only two days ago from lIombnrg He said
nothing then that would lead Mr. Webb to be-
lieve that he intended to shorten his Aay abroad.
! The unanimous opini n of the officers OF the
| Knights of Labor and the railway employees that
the existence of the Knights of Labor in the East
ern States as an order depends entirely on the de-
csion of the men who are at the head of the vari-
ons unions Of railway employees relative 70 tho
extensions settlement of the strike. An officer
! Of the order said last night:
If the strike is extended and then lost, good
| r.
Bat If il is settled, why, we will he crippled only
in part and for a time 1t is case which re-
! quires the most careful consideration by those
responsible for the good of the ORDER and will not
| PERMIT any undue haste. " is a serious matter
to attempt to cripple railroad
Early Yesterday morning T. V. Powderlv Gem
cral Master Workman, and John w. Hayes, gen-
eral secretary, of the Knights of Labor: 5. Il.
wilkinson, chief of the Railroad Trainmens AS
ISOLATION, and George w. Howard, chief Of the
! IN tAerhood of Railroad Conductors, arrived IN
! tins city from Buffalo. F. p Sargent, chief of
the Federation of Railway Employees, and also Of
| the Brotherhood If Locomotive Firemen, ana 4.
Swceny chief Of the Swtchmens Mutual Associa-
ton, reached this city in the afternoon and at 80
all the labor leaders met in secret session at the
ST. Cloud Hotel with A. w. Wright and j. j.
! Holland OF the Executive BOARD of the Knights
Of Labor. The meeting lasted until / 30 p. m,
when word was given ont that no result had
been reached and that the meeting had been adj
journed until this morning, when definite de-
cison will he made one way or the other
Mr.. Sargent said Things do not look promising
for early settlement of the trouble. / have
had pleasant talk with General Manager Toucey,
and my talk with Mr.. Webb was extremely salts
factory. No. | cannot say whether or not there
will be an extension of the strike or whether the
iiremen will quit work
That Mr.. Pewdery is using his best cndeavors
to persuade the heads OF the Federation of
Railway Employees to back him up in this strike
is conceded
II is also said that Mr.. Powderly is willing
10 make large concessions to the Federation TO in
duce il to help him With the Federation ii will
simply he a question of bettering its condition,
extending its dominion and gaining new power.
Ii was day of suspense for the officers OF the
road and they did not know at what instant
word would come TO them over the wires that
general strike OF the switchnen, fremen and con-
ductors on the entire Vanderbilt system had been
ordered. Mr.. Webb was extremely cool all day.
and he did not believe at any time that the fire.
men would Jom the >witchmen and leave their
engines This belief strengthened greatly
after he had seen and talked with Mr.. Sargent,
the chief Of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men Mr. Webb heard that Mr.. Sargent would
arrive in this city from Buffalo an early morn
ing train, and he placed himself in position
to meet him. Their conversation was brief, but
it ended with apparently the best OF
feeling on both sides. The third vice.
president expressed, through the head OF the
fremen's organization, to the men his appreciation
OF the loyal manner in which they had stayed
with the company in the last ten days. Mr.
Sargent appeared TO feel greatly pleased with
Mr.. Webh's expressions of gratitude, and when
the conference ended he disappeared from sigbt
for the rest of the day.
When Mr. Webb was asked regarding his i'm
preston of what the fremen were likely 10 40
from his talk with their representative, he de-
cIined t. admit that he had been influenced by
his conversation in any way. lie said lie did hoo
meet Sargent the Chief of the Brotherhoo" u
Locomotive Engineers bat simply as MI oarseh@
Mr. Webb said however, that lie did ho' ''''"
,hot the firemen would strike. The relations DC
tween them and the company were OF 'he lrieila'
lest nature. and they had no cause or reason ior
leaving their engines. Ii is known 'na' 'ns
Knights of Labor have worked eA,ieme'' ""'1
the last forty-cight hours to get the hre"fh ou'
M. ra,o ,alen every means almost 10 bring this
aIoSt n and to get them to aid the Knisht' in
,t,, Geht Every. possible measure TO make
tho frcmen discontcnted has been taken' ou'
up 10 a late hour last nieht'wi'h no satisfactory
tha