Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-21
BIG STRIKE AHEAD.
Chiefs of the Four Orders of Rail-
readers to Meet and
DECIDE UPON A GENERAL TIE-UP.
The Grand Jury Considering the Gravity
Of the Situation.
TALK OF CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY

| ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.1
NEW YORK, August 2O.-The chiefs of
the four brotherhoods forming the United
Orders of Railroad Employees decided unan-
imously last night to support the Knights
of Labor in the New York Central strug-
gle. Chief Sanford of the Firemen' s
Brotherhood, who is President OF the
federated organization, summoned a
special meeting of the Supreme Council,
which will be held at Terra Haute on Satur-
day. At that meeting Chief Sergeant and
the chiefs of the other divisions will recon-
mend that general strike be ordered.
In acting upon the rec commendation each
of the four organizations will have one vote,
and according to the constitution all four
votes must be in the affirmative or no
strike can be ordered. If each of
the four chiefs who have declared in favor
of strike has the support of one of
his two associate delegates that will
settle it, and a general strike will
begin some time between Saturday night
and Monday morning. The Supreme Coun-
Gil, in consultation with the big Knights,
would decide how widespread such a strike
should be.
STRIKING AT THE vANDERBILTs.
The labor leaders tonight gave the i'm
preston that the first blow would be at
every road in the Vanderbilt system. A
strike under the auspices of the United
orders of railway employees would be far
more serious and would involve a vastly
greater number Of men than any
which the knights of Labor
could order. The membership Of
the united orders, it is said. includes a
large majority of the railway employees of
the North and East, except the engineers.
The Grand Jury summond both District
consultation yesterday. The nature of the
business before them could not be posi-
lively learned, because both refused
to talk after they came out of the
jury room. 1t was generally understood,
however, that the whole question of the
strike had been presented to the grand
jury, and it was in its consideration Of that
that the Recorder and District Attorney
had been called in consultation.
TALKING OF CONSPIRACY.
1t was rum0red that the position OF the
leaders of the strike was being discussed in
connection with the provisions of the law
defining and Furnishing conspiracy. Report
also said that the matter had been
brought before the grand jury by the Van
derbilt interests.
The big Knights had busy time during
the day comforting together. and call
ing on the officials at the Grand Cen
trail station. In their conference with
the officials they urged over and over again
the idea of arbitration. Mr.. Webb
and his subordinates maintained their
position firmly. ALI the big chiefs,
Powderly, Hayes, Devlin, Holland,
Sargent. Sweeney, Wilkinson and Howard
had an early conference at the st. Cloud
Hotel in the morning. They had
personal chats with some of the dis
charged employees of the Central road.
Messrs. Powderly and Devlin returned |
to the st. Cloud Hotel, and the conference
with their brother chiefs began again.
Chief Sweeney, of the switchmen, seemed |
to be most exercised over the trouble of the |
switchmen with Superintendent Burrows at |
Buffalo.