Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20
ton in regard to wages for ten hours work
would be acceptable?"

ton in regard to wages for ten hours wOrl
would be acceptable?"
IT WOULD BE FAIR.
"I'hat would be a fair proposition"
"Would the men be satisfied with that?'
81 cannot tell what the men would b,
satisfied with?"
Mr.. Downey declined to say what tn,
next move will be- or If he thought tn,
matter will be settled tomorrow.
The conference between the Ft. Waynt
employees and Superintendent Starr wa
held with closed doors, and when it ad
journed the men declined to say what haC
transpired, except that they had told
the officials what they would like
to have. They denied having made any de-
mands. Superintendent Starr sald: 'Wt
had read 4 great deal about the demand:
made upon US, but our men had never
called and we thought it strange If they hsd
grievances and would not come to see us.
The men who came to-day have been in
our employ from 8 to 10 years, and they
know we have never refused them any rea-
sonable request. 1 always like to deal
with the men 1 have to pay, and
not men who have no interest in
common with US. At our conference one
man asked me to forward an application for
an increase in wages to the proper authori-
ties, which agreed TO DO. The men recog-
nize the fact that L have no power to in
crease their wages
All heoffcials spoken to talked as though
they thought the difficulty was nearing a
settlement, and apparently discre 3lted any
statement that the men were stanJlng firm
for their demands. Superintendent Taylor,
of the Pennsylvania Company said:
From what 1 can CLEAN, 1 believe
the whole trouble will be settled
BY Monday. Alter holding a conference
to-day, the superirtendeEts submitted a
proposition, which 1 believe will be ac-
cepted.
THINK WELL OF HIM.
John Downey is level-headed, careful
man. He is one of our oldest employees in
Chicago. My opinion is that when he came
here he found the local committee had over
stepped their bounds, and be reversed
their plans SO as TO avert a strike. l know
him to be a man who appreciates the affairs
of railway companies rs we'll as any man;
he knows it is our policy to make it an OBJ
ject Tor men to stay with US to give us good
service 1 know his disposition well
enough to saysthat strike is the very last
thing he would resort to as a means of set
tlement."
Superintendent Turner, of the Panhandle
road, said: "When our men came here to-
day, / assured them that I would make
their cause nv cause, and feel confident
we can arrive at a settlement in the course
of time. | did not ask the men who called
on me who they represented. l know they
are our employees, and that is enough Tor me.
The matter of an advance is under consider
alton, but, of course, it takes some time to
get an answer from the higher authorities. :"
Superintendent Pitcairn succeeded yes
terday, for the first time, in evading the
newspaper men, by simply remaining away
from his office all afternoon. He has tried
TO escape interviews ever since the grievances
were presented by the men. Superintend-
ent McCargo, of the Valley road, was clos
eted all afternoon considering the demands
of his men, and could not be seen.
MADE HIM A BIT MAD.
Chairman HawIeyMas extremely indig-
nant yesterday over the published statement
that the backbone of the prospective strike
had been broken. He said: "All this talk
about a compromise and settlement comes
from the official side, who are assuming an
Indifferent position in the hope that We will
surrender"
An employe dropped something last night
Of particular interest to shippers and bust
ness men. The DISPATCH man suggested
that the employees had made q mistake in
prolonging decisive steps so long. The
companies have had ample time in which
to secure men to fill the places
of the switchmen in case
strike should occur. "Do you think
SOP" asked the man with wink. 81 want
to tell you We have prepared for all that.
If strike should be ordered, it would be
impossible for a single company tc
turn q wheel. Every yard in the
vicinity of Pittsburg is blocked now,
and 1 would like to see a lot
of inexperienced men get the freight out
On the Pennsylvania Railroad all of the
yards are full of trains many of which
should have gone out several days ago.
In the yards at Conway, on
the Fort Wayne, every track is
occupied. Merchants will tell you they
cannot get freight that is three or four days
overdue
This is significant point, and seems to
indicate that the men have been working to
make it impossible for the companies to
move trains in case tie-up is ordered.
EMPLOYING NoN-UNIoN MEN.
Notwithstanding the statements of the
officials 10 the effect that they were not
AFRAID OF strike, they have employed De-
tective Perkins, with instructions to employ
non-union men wherever they can be found
and to hold them in readiness to be brough
here in case tie-up is ordered.
Mr.. Perkins has written to all of his
branch agencies in Western PENNSYLVANIA
and Ohio. No particular company made
the move. At conference of all the SUPER
intendents, two or three days ago, it was de-
cided to employ Mr.. Perkins for this pur-
pose.
The officials state that they do not desire
a strike, but If the men insist on demands
which cannot be granted, the companies
will adopt this plan of protecting their
property and the public from the effects of
a strike.