The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-17

yielded and the men resumed work.
There was an extensive strike On the
wabash" in the summer Of 1885, and
for three weeks Sedala, Moberly, Han
nibal and Kansas City hung on the rag
ged edge Of serious outbreaks. This
strike was occasioned by an order posted
in the shops OF the company discriminate
ing against the employment of members
of the Knights Of Labor. The Missouri
militia were called out and remained in
camp on the outskirts of Sedalia for sew
eral days. An effort was made to get
the southwestern system" out in a
strike of sympathy, but the general ex-
ecutive board of the Knights of Labor,
to which the men of both roads belonged,
refused consent. The strike finally wore
itself ont, both sides to the controversy
being heavy sufferers and both claiming
a victory.
Another serious strike in 1885 was that
Of the employees Of the Denver and Rio
Grande railway. The company at
tempted to force its employees to desert
the Knights Of Labor, and began sys-
tematic discharge Of men who were
prominent in the order. The road was
being operated by a receiver, and the
United States courts Of Colorado took a
hand in the fight. Several engines
were blown up with dynamite, one
bridge was burned and number Of cars
were destroyed. Of course the strikers
were charged with these depredations,
but they emphatically denied all knowl-
edge of revolutionary tactics, and as
serted that the Pinkertons, who were
getting s. per day as special guards,
were responsible for the damages, as
they wished to keep up the excitement.
Some twenty Of the strikers were ar
rested, chiefly on the charge of intini-
dating non-union men, and six of them
were convicted and imprisoned for from
three to twelve months each. This
strike never was declared off by the
knights, but they were undoubtedly
badly defeated.
The next strike Of any importance
among the railroad men was that on the
Missouri Pacific in 1855. 1t came about
in a curious way. The Texas Pacific
road was in the hands of a receiver ap-
pointed by the United States court, and
a foreman named Hall was discharged.
The Knights of Labor, under the leader
ship of man named Martin Irons, came
to the conclusion that they could coerce
the Texas Pacific by striking the Mis-
souri, Pacific. Vice President Hoxie be-
came very angry, claiming that he had
no power over a road in the hands of a
court, and the fight became bitter one.
There was some rioting, the usual shoot
ing of innocent people who had come to
look on, and the usual employment of
Pinkerton police For time ST. Louis
was isolated from the rest of the coun-
try, but the strike finally petered out
and many of the strikers were forced to
find new places. This trouble lasted
about two months and half, and in
volved the Texas Pacific, the Missouri
Pacific, the old Iron Mountain and the
Missouri, Kansas and Pacific roads.
Over 40, 900 men were thrown OFT of en-
plOyment and about 1900 were con-
cerned in the strike. A curious Incl
dent in the strike was the bitter CORE
spondence between Mr.. jay Gould and
Master Workman T. V. Powderly, in
which there was some hard hitting on
each side.
Ia this year the men on the North
Shore road struck because of the refusal
of the officials to discharge eight non
union men. The strike was settled in
six days by finding other work for the
eight men. In December, 1887, the
strike on the Reading road took place,
which is worthy of a line because of the
effect it had afterwar1. The Knights of
Labor engineers began it, and men from
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engin-
GERS took their places, the strike being
failure in consequence.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers has always been considered one
of the most conservative labor unions
in the country. 1t was thought to
be one of the most powerful until
February, 1888, when it inaugurated
what is known az the &C, B. and O."
strike The men at the throttles Of the
engines on the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy, the Burlington and Missouri
River, the Hannibal and St. Joe, the
Kansas City, the st. Joe and Council
Bluffs, and the Chicago and Iowa roads
were members of the organization.
The roads were paying them by trips
and grading the pay so that the men on
the branch did not get as much as those
on the trunk lines for their work. The
Brotherhood asked for pay per mile of
run and equal pay to all. These being
refused Chief Arthur ordered strike.
1t was the opportunity of the Knights to
get even with the Brotherhood for their
defeat on the Reading. They fairly
focked to Chicago to take the place of
the striking men and as fast as a Broth
erhood engineer went out Knight of
Labor stepped in The strike was fore
doomed to failure, and although Chief
Arthur called the Brotherhood men from
the Reading he was unable to save it.
No violence was attempted except in
one case where some men attempted to
place dynamite on the c.. B. and @.
track. for which they were duly punished.
The next important strike was by
knights OF Labor 81 the New York Cen
trail railroad, the history OF which is still
current. A. 3.
An iron that viii not rust has been in
vented recently by q Pittsburs man.
While in process Of manufacture IL Is
given a rustless coat OF magnetic oxide
Of iron.