The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-28
The Chief Of the Engineers Replies
to Mr.. Powderly's Recent
Charges.
The Engineers Have Been Advised
to Remain Neutral In the
Central Strike.
Tho switchmsn's Association at Chicago
Finally Dissolved by the Railway
Managers YESTERDAY.

NEW YORK, Aug. N.-The letter given be-
low was written by r. NJ. Arthur, chief en-
gineer Of the Grand International Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers to an engi-
neer on the Third avenue elevated road.
The letter is in response TO letter on the
subject Of the Central strike and ID the first
utterance Of Arthur which fully defines his
position towards the Central strikers and
Knights of Labor. The letter is rs follows:
CLEVELAND. Ohio, Aug. Or. II. Holman
Dear Sir and Brother-Your letter of the
23d inst, with Powderly's letter and other
clippings from the New York papers. en-
closed, received. In reply will say have
not received any letter from Powderly. He
on the trouble and wants me to define my
position. II he considers his letter that ap-
peared in the newspapers private one, /
don't, nor will answer letters that reach me
in that way. 1t is unnecessary for Powderly
on anyone else to ask me to define the posi-
tion of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers in the present trouble ON the New
York Central. The policy of the brother
hood is as we'll known to him and the pub
liC, as it has been repeatedly explained
from the public platform. and published in
the newspapers. He says: ''Some time ago
would meet him in Cleveland, and when I
arrived there could not find him him high
or low. I learned the telegram had been
received by him, but my efforts to locate
him we're fruitless." Now. the facts in the
case, as near as can recollect, are these.
Some years ago received telegram from
Powderly requesting me to meet him at the
Union depot in Cleveland ON the arrival of
certain train on the Lake Shore road.
Owing to my absence from my Office did
not receive the message until after the de-
parture of the train and SO informed him
BY letter, addressing it to him at Scranton.
for mo. if he had he would have found no
difficulty in finding me at my Office or at
my home. as am always at one or the
other when in Cleveland. He tells wilful
falsehood when he says other leaders have
been unable to find me when
lss ths t1ed e na to dn me So when ANY nam ann vino
Cleveland can do SO with very little effort,
and no man, whether leader or private in
the ranks of labor, ever came to my Office,
that he was not treated ceurteously. While
differ with men as to the best methods to
be employed S to SECURE secure certain snd. l, 81.
every man the same rights and privileges /
ask for myself.
When the present trouble on the New
York Central first accurred, I advised the
engineers to abstain from all participation
in it and attend strictly to their own busi-
ucShs kdVO UA0 cd1u0 dutAC0 WAoA tAO
strike occurred on the Gould system a few
years ago. My advice to brotherhood engi-
neers, when men employed in other
branches of railroad have been on a
strike. was to mind their own business and
not do anything that did not properly be-
long to them as engineers. Can Chief Pow
derly say the same? ! think not. When
never asked any other organization to as
siat US. 1t is true, some members of the
order during the G. B. g. @. strike impor-
tuned the switchmen to quit, but they did
it on their own responsibility, not by the
authority of the organization. Conse-
quently, hold we are perfectly justified
in maintaining strictly neutral position
when others are engaged in conflict with
their employers. Powderly accuses the
members of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers of taking the places of the strik-
ing fremen. If that is true, the division of
which they are members will deal with
them. It is not within the province of my
authority to deal with individual members,
and wonder if Powderly had the Knights
expelled who took the places of our men on
the c., B. & @. Yours fraternally,
p. w. Arthur.