The sun., 1890-08-19
CRISIS OF THE STRIKE.
Tr Webb Refuses Mr.. PoWdsrIyS
Request for Arbitration.
m TIE UP OTHER ROADS.
pruOrted Decision Of the Knights
and Other Labor Leaders.

A cnulsronoo OF the LoAdoFp OF tho bWhtehs
-, Ptreuen. ana Coadustors with Mr..
v.vseriy at BuRaio-Th ey hare Said to
or.,. Determined TO Tie Up Every Road
=, ,vhioh the vandorbilts Hold n Con-
.-.,,,,r Interest-The Decision to bo An
,.u,eod IN New York To-day-No More
u.,,o,s Trouble at AibanY-Both Freight
.,p.,.eprer Service in Good Order.
n, povderly yesterday submitted TO Vice.
pr,.ident Webb what is In effect the ultima
tum OF the Knights Of Labor-a proposition to
s,bmit TO arbitration the differences between
Inc New York Central and the strikers Mr..
Nsbb replied that the men whose discharge
v,r complained OF had not been dismissed be-
s,uss they were Knights OF Labor. and that
,hsre was nothing to arbitrate. Mr.. Powderly
vas In consultation at Buffalo yesterday with
The heads OF all tho unions OF railroad ON.
ployees except the engineera The re-
sult OF their deliberations was not pub
uely announced. but two members OF
tho conference are authority for the statement
that q general strike will be ordered to-day on
All the roads in which the vanderbilts hold
sontrollIng interest These lines are the New
York Central. West Shore, the Lake Shore. the
Niehiaan Central. the Canada Southern, the
chicago and Northwestern.
THE powDERLY-wEBB CORRESPONDENCE.
The big Knights who have been keeping so
omnously quiet for three days began to stir
themselves yesterday. At liz O'Clock yester-
day morning A. ". Wright who arrived yes
tsrday from Toronto. and J. J. Holland Of the
General Executive Board appeared at the
ofloo OF Vice President Webb at the Grand
Central station and announced that they were
tho bearers OF o communication addressed to
Nr. Webb by Grand Master Workman Terence
Y. Powderly. Messrs, WRIGHT and Holland told
NJ. Webb that any time during tho day would
b. early enough for reply. Mr.. Webb said.
however. that he would return an answer at
onoa Then Messrs. Holland and Wright went
back to the ST. Cloud. 1t developed shortly
aftsrward that Mr. Powderly had secretly left
the city Sunday night with General Secretary
Hayes. and was holding q conference in Buf-
fAlo with the heads Of the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Ffremen. tho Brotherhood OF Rail-
road Conductors. the Brotherhood OF Railroad
Trainmen. and Of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid
Association.
Saturday afternoon from the St. Cloud Hotel
@ iolloWs:
NEW YoRK. Aug. 18. 1890.
AZ VS,,r NeOA Hsa, THIRD Vice PrerIaen, NJ r G ana
HRRR
DEAR SrR: Since reaching this city l have
been induirinR into the causes which led up to
the present strike on the N. Y c. and q. X. r. R.
The Investigation consumed the greater part
a. i
several hours believe that by Monday morn
ing will be In possession OF the facts in the
case. from the standpoint of the men, and II
You will kindly grant me nn interview on Mon
day morning between 10 and IL o'clock I
would esteem 1t q great favor. desire to dis
ouss with you the question OF arbitrating the
differences which existed between the n. Y. G.
and Fl. R. R. R. and those Of its employees who
are mombers OF the Knights OF Labor, and who
were discharged from the service OF the COM
pAny prior to Aug. 8. 1890. Very truly yours.
IT. V. PowDERLT, G. n. W. K. of l."
Mr. Webb received this letter at tho Grand
Central Depot on Saturday afternoon. Just be-
fore his departure for his homo in Riverdale.
on the Hudson. He Immediately wrote the
following letter In reply:
NEW YORK. Aug. 16. 1890.
"kr. T. '. POtcderly st cIOad Hotel ". +.
TEAR SrR: have Just received your letter
Of to-day asking that / grant you an inter-
NeWon Monday morning between 10 and ~
o'clock.
lhaye had interviews with Messrs. Holland.
Hayes. and Donovan in reference to the matter
you wish TO be considered and inasmuch as
some Of tho reports OF such interviews were
greatly misrepresented and distorted. would
suggest that it is for the interest OF all con-
GoFnAd ma raj tria m m
mo be put in writing.
II. however. you wish am quite willing
that the interview you ask for shall bo had at
the time you name. Yours, &s,
WALTER Fl. WEBB.
Whom Messrs- Holland and Wright brought
to Mr.. Webb yesterday MIR. Powderleys second
letter they did not say that Mr.. Powderly had
secretly departed Tor Buffalo tho night before
to meet the labor leaders. Here Is Mr.. Pow
dorly's second letter:
"0RDEI OF KNIGHTS OF LABOR OF America /
NEW YORK, Aug. II, 1880. J
III Waller webb TtirL F.es.Frsndent y. y C. and IL
RR.R
DEAR SIR:-On receipt OF your communica-
ton last evening determined to CALL upon
you tomorrow morning. for personal inter-
view is much moro satisfactory than CORE
spondenoe can possibly be- Since then have
been called away from the city. and am
obliged to commit to paper what would TRth-
or discuss with you in person,
II am correctly Informed. old and faithful
employees OF tho New York Central and Hud-
son River Railroad have been summarily dis
missed from the service OF the company be-
cause they were members OF. and active in the
Knights OF Labor. 1t ts represented 70 me
that up to the time Of their discharge they
were faithful TO the interests OF the company
and that not one mark OF dIscredit stands
AEainstthe industrial record Of any OF thosowho
were discharged prior to Aug. 8, 1890. That In
brief. Is tho statement Of the men, The fre-
ouency OF the dismissals left but little room
Tor doubt In the minds OF the men that they
wore all In danger Of discharge at . moments
notiee. and hence the strike. The whole Ques-
ton hinges upon the dischaSRe OF Knights OF
Labor because they are such. II IL can be
shoWn that these men were working injury
their employers, right minded men
Will say that they were treated as
they deserved II they were discharged for
cause the New York Central and Hudson River
hAtlrosd Company has everything to gain and
h0'hinE 10 lose from an investigation. II they
ossSrTed dismissal from the service OF the
company none Of rs will ask for their REIN
BtAtament IT, hoUaVaP th0v vzara dIaDlanad