The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-06
1t Brings About Some Happy Recon-
penses as Well as Dire
Revenges.
Former Slave Now Defend
Their Negro Workmen Against
NOrtherners.
Singular Results of the Recent Strikes on
tho Houston and Texas Central
Railroad.

some curious features of the race problem
writes Houston, Tex, correspondent OF
the New York Sun. In November. 1887
there was trouble in the yard of tho South.
ern Pacific railroad at Houston, and on ac-
count of it the switchmen walked out. Tc
aid their brethren the switchmen in the
Houston yard of the Houston and Texas
Central railway began a sympathetic move
mcnt and also struck. The Houston and
Texas Central Railway company, prior to
emancipation. owned negro slaves. Its
employees had also owned slaves. These
negroes had worked in various capacities,
as tiremen, brakcmen, etc. After eman-
of the company. From the day
of its creation as n corpora
ton, therefore, the Houston and
Texas Central Railway company has en-
ployed negroes II was no innovation in
this respect. Negro labor was and is the
ordinary labor of the country. With the
influx Of railway men from other states and
the inten sifiC alton of the competition for en-,
ployment, the Sc negroes have been gradual
ly crowded out OF the service of the com
pany; yet there is still on its rolls the name
of negro who was slave Of the corpora
ton, and, as bond man and free, served II
faithfully and continuously for over thirty
years. Another such died only two months
ago. Many malarial sections of the line
are tended entirely by negroes. In the
yards of Waco and Corsicana there have
always been negroes, but at Houston in
1887 the switchmen we're whites, though
previously negroes had also switched in
the Houston yards.
Being thus abandoned in an emergency
by men who admitted they had no cause Of
complaint, the company turned again to
the negroes. But the negroes would not
~ e Ahnn
a guaranty that they were not to be used
solely to tide over a trouble, but would re-
mair as long as they did satisfactorily the
services required. 1t was found expedient
By the company to retain white men in con-
troll of the yard as masters, and every col
ored crew was under white foreman, and
negroes were switching in the yard when
these foremen were employed. Thus con-
htituted, for three years the yard force sat
isfactorily handled the business of the com.
pany. As has been the case in the South
for nearly 800 years, white men directed
and black men performed the work to be
done. The negroes were accustomed to
white direction; nor had ever white fore
men considered themselves degraded by
experimenting negroes at work. Some of
the present officials of the road have bossed
gangs of negroes. The late Superintendent
Charles Burton, when he waO an engineer,
owned his fireman.
The fall of 1880 came fair and warm and
cotton opened thirty days sooner than
usual. he roads centerinR in Houston
would have their terminal facilities taxed
to the utmost to do tho business that seemed
about to come this way to the sea. The
yards must not be blockaded; everybody
must worK with a will. To secure these
ends wages were raised to the scale paid in
Chicago. At this juncture the company
quite unexpectedly received an appeal from
the white foremen setting forth:
ssMuCh diacOrd and diSSAt iRfactiOn has
arisen among us owing to the employment
of negro switchmen in the Houston yard.
We feel that this is an injustice to us. both
morelly and socially. We have ever striven
to perform our duty faithfully and to the
best interest of the company. We feel that
our record indicates that we have acquitted
ourselves with much credit considering the
very inferior support We have had. The
negroes, believing they will be sustained
in their actions, have become insolent
and insulting tn such degree that it is in
tolerable, and we are placed in such q po-
sition that we cannot resent it. Observa-
ton. deep and honest conviction, have
taught us that we degenerate in the eyes of
all when we acknowledge them our equals,
which We are compelled to do, as their po-
recognized as equal to ours; and compels
us to directly associate with them to an
unbearable extent. We consider it a con-
sidcration due US, as faithful employees of
the company, that this negro labor be re-
moved, thereby removing from among us
our only cause for dissatisfaction. We
wish you to be fully convinced that we do
not propose to create any disturbance. If
you cannot remove this objection and have
employment to offer rs in any other de-
partment VIC will accept il; if not, please
jects of derision any longer"
In response to this the superintendent
sent for the yardmaster, told him the condi-
ton upon which the negroes were EMPLOYED.
and directed him to discharge any negro
who was guilty Of insolence or insubordina-
tion, but required him to fill the vacancy
Use of the company in 1887. Thereupon the
white foremen walked out and left the en-.
gines standing idle in the yard. In few
days correspondence with committe of
the strikers was begun, which resulted in
the snmmonine to Houston of Grand Mas
ter Workman Wilkinson, of the Brother
hood OF Railroad Trainmen. Mr.. Wilkin-
son endeavored to persuade the officers of
the road to discharge the negroes. The
receiver of the road. Charles Dillingham;,
when appealed to by MIR. Wilkinson, replied:
my understanding was that Mr.. Quin-
ployed in train, yard and locomotive de-
partments of the Houston and Texas Gem
trail Railway company be removed and
white men be employed in their stead,'
The colored men alluded to were not en-
ployed from choice, as between them and
white men, but were employed about three
years ago to take the place of white men
who abandoned the service which thew ac-
cepted, and at time when white mon
would not accept the same service, They
were In the company's employ at the time
the white men who now complain of their
employment were taken on by this COM
pany, which fact was known to them a. the
time they accepted employment. The
coiored men have rendered faithful and
efficient service. and l feel it would be
unjust to them, as it would TO any other
rerson, to turn them out simply to put
others in their places. Entertaining this
view, Mr.. Superintendent Quinlan's decis-
ion in the matter is approved, and may be
considered final. l admit that this lis a
matter of serious Importance 1t involves
the rights of labor, upon which am asked
to lnflict n blow without even reasonable
excuse, and can not believe that such a
demand will either be sanctioned BY the
employees of the Houston and Texas Gen.
tral Railway company, or BY railway men
throughout the United States.''
Thereupon MIR. wilkinson summoned to
Honston all the members of the supreme
council of the Federated Orders of Rail
way Employees. and that body discussed the
question whether the employment of ne
groes by railroad was an ade-
quate grievance for striking, The
supreme council came to the nom
committal conclusion that it had no power
under it's constitution to consider the COL
ored question 40 casus belli. The SYM