, 1890-08-21
THE CENTRAL STRIKE.
An Omiuous Outlook for the
Road.
WEBB REFUSES TO ARBITRATE
Consequently. the Men in All
Branches OF Employment
Will Be Called Out.

Devln, of the executive board OF the
Knights of Labor, called on Webb this
evening. Touccy was with Webb and
the four gentlemen had an inter
view which lasted twenty minutes.
The offer of Powderiy to sub
NIT the matter to arbitration
presented. In other words, he said, the
company was not jumping on the
knights oil Labor. Tney did not dis
charge tho men because they were
Knights of Labor. but for good reasons.
Neither Depew nor Vanderbilt opposed
the knights as an organization.
Powderly once moro urged the matter
of arbitration, but Webb remained
firm.
Devlin asked Webb II he would con
sent to an Investigation of the causes
surrounding the discharge Of fifteen
men.
Webb reiterated that there was moth
ing to investigate; that tho company
was managing its road, and did not see
why its actions should be questioned.
Devlin then asked If he did not owe
the public and the employees of the road
any duty regarding Its management, in
which all were more or less interested,
Webb did not reply.
Deylin then said that there was no use
in further discussing the matter, as the
railroad company had declared them
| selves In favor of an independent course.
Toucey then said that Master Work
man Lee was responsible for the strike.
Devlin asked Toucey If he would
waive the question of Lees action and
consider tho discharge of tho other men.
Toucey and Webb retired and that
ende i the conference.
Powderly and Devlin then Withdrew
without making any threats or intimat-
| ing what they intended.
Webb gives this version of the inter
view, and said that the whole con inference
ner.
At this hour, 9:45 p. NJ, the situation
at the depot is unchanged.
A GENERAL strike THREATENED.
Powdery now states that the strike
has ceased to be one of the local assem-
bly,, and had become one OF the whole
organization, and that 1t would use
every means in its power to continue
the fight. He intimates that the FEEDER
alton of Railroad Employees will sup
port the movement. The situation is
serious.
Grand Master Sargent, president of
the council, and chief the iiremens or
gani2atioil, has ordered meeting of the
supreme court Saturday at Terre Haute.
for the consideration of the question of
the New York Central strike. Whether
this move means that the council must
go through certain formalities before n
general strike can be declared, or
whether no strike will be de-
clared at all, remains to be
seen. At the Terre Haute meeting
Sargent said he would lay the whole
case before the council. lie fully in
dorsed the position of the executive
board.
The executive board" said Powder.
ly tonight, says to the Knights of
Labor and the public that the position
finally assumed by the company makes
II necessary for them to vindicate the
right of labor TO organize by prosecuting
the strike to the bitter end"
OFFICIALS INTERVIEWER.
When this ominous condition of af-
fairs became plain late tonight, that a
strike OF all the employees of the New
York Central would without doubt be
ordered either tonight or in the morn
ing, reporter went to the Grand Cen.
tral depot to interview the railroad ofti-
cials. Webb and Voorhees,, who, for
the present, sleep there, had both re
tired TO their improvised cots and were
clad in their night clothes. After rub.
bing their eyes to get the sleep out of
them, they received the reporter cor
dially. Webb said that he considered
that the strike was declared in the be.
lief that the Central management wero
opposed to the knights of Labor. lie
wished to reiterate the statement that
this was not the truth.
THE COMPANY NOT IDLE.
When told that the strike over the
whole road would be declared tonight or
tomorrow, Webb said the road would
run all trains in the morning as usual.
Neither he nor Voorhees, appeared
much depressed. He wished the public
to know that he had no official no tice
from Powderly of IA general strike, and
said that all this time the company had
not been lying idle. When told that the
strike meant all the employees but the
engineers he appeared somewhat
startled. Neither he nor Voorhees, mado
any comment thereon.
PowDERLY INTERVIEWED.
Powderly was asked tonight what
would be his next move, and he said it
had not been determined, but that he
would tomorrow issue an appeal to the
mechanics and all other employees of the
Central system and connecting lines.
The document will be based upon the
refusal of the company to arbitrate the
difficulties, and will call upon them to
stop work at once.
BARREN OF INCIDENT.
Affair that tho st CIoud bntaI eaavna ad
barren of incident. A few reporters
lounged around waiting vainly for the
labor leaders to return. The few that
came disappeared quickly, again bound
on secret errands. Sargent, Sweeney,
Wilkeson and Howard will leave at an
early hour in the morning for Terre
Haute to attend the meeting of the su-
preme council.
MYSTERY.
Hayes, of the executive board, said to-
night that no more news would be given
out tonight. Whatever the executive
board decided upon would be known
only on its results tomorrow. The
board will continue In session all night
A few minutes after midnight Powdcrly,
Hayes and Holland left the st. Cloud
and walked over toward the Grand
Central depot. Here was mystery.
The labor leaders sank out OF sight some
where about the depot.
THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS.
The midnight express on the Central
went out as usual, showing apparently
that the fated hour was not midnight.
In the depot arc encamped about sey-
enty five fire men and the same number
of switchmen, supposed to be there to