St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-23
Slim Probability Of a General
Strike on the New York
Central.
While Strikers Feel Strong
and Reinforced Webb
Grows Bpaver.
He Rejects the States Sugges-
ton Of Arbitration Which
Powderly Accepts.
Little Change in the Situation
Except Masses Of New
Literature.

AAOS4 SSOAA We
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-With the close
of to-day ends the second week of the
strike of the employees on the New
York Central railway. Two weeks ago
tonight the wheels were stopped and the
men went out. The men who then left
their places with confidence of rein
statement upon their own terms are
considering the situation tonight in
their local assemblies, where they are
joined in council by the members of the
executive board. The leaders are also
visiting other assemblies not in any
wise interested in the railway strike
fraternal visits for relaxation from the
strain of the week. Undoubtedly it is
true that the rank and file of the
men feel at present strong in the near
presence of their leader. The heads
have been considering their immediate
interests, and the men aae pleased.
They feel reinforced, and are more
hopeful. Whether the same is true of
the leaders, who have assumed the re-
sponsibility and much of the care be-
fore pressing upon one district assem-
bly, is matter of grave doubt.
1t was rumored that possibly the next
move would be the ordering out of
all the mechanics along the line
of the Central road. On this
point Mr.. Webb was questioned.
Anticipating" he said 'some ten days
ago that by allowing the men employed
in our various shops to remain | was
furnishing ammunition to the knights,
at once ordered the shops to be closed
and directed that only enough help be
retained to perform the actual necessary
repairs that are required each day. At
the present time we have fully 5000
cars in course of construction at West
Albany, and there 1,200 men have been
laid off. If the mechanics are ordered
to stop work by the federation we are
fully prepared to meet the emergency,
and as the number of men that would
be affected-is comparatively small their
places would be rapidly filed" Mr..
Webb said that the New York Central
has now 5000 men under pay and ready
to take the strikers places, and that he
has the names Of as many more whom
he can call on if wanted. State Arbitra-
tion Commissioner Donovan this after
noon sent the following letter to vice
President Webb:
An Appeal for Arbitration.
Dear Sir: 1t having come to the knowledge
Of the state board of arbitration and media
ton that another strike is seriously threat
ened on the lines of your company, am in
structed by the board to again communicate
with you and invite joint conference in the
Offices of your company between you and
representatives of your employees, with a
Of xriSir1 hvyo
tration or such other method as may be mu-
tually agreed upon whereby the threatened
strike may be averted and abrupt Interrupt
ton of travel and transportation of freight be
prevented. FLORENCE S. DONOVAN.
The following is Mr.. Powderly's re-
ply:
Dear Sir: take pleasure in acknowledge
ing the receipt of your letter, in which the
general executive board of the Knights of
Labor is invited to joint conference with
the officials of the New York Central rail-
road. Our board is willing to comply with
your request, and holds itself in readiness to
respond at a moments notice. We hold our
selves in readiness to do any honorable
thing to terminate the strike or avert another
one, and sincerely hope that either arbitra-
ton or such other method as may be agreed
upon will nave the desired effect Recog
nlzing in you an officer of the state, and as
suring you that we have from the beginning
been willing and anxious to submit the mat
ter to you for adjustment. l am very sim
cerely yours, T. V. POwDERLY.
Webb Wants to Be Let Alone.
Mr.. Webb responded thus:
Dear Sir: have received your letter Of
this date. AS is we'll known to you and to
the public, large number of persons recent
ly quit the service of this company, and with
but few exceptions, have not applied for re-
employment but are engaged in holding
meetings, comforting with the officials of the
order known as the knights OF Labor. and
other labor organizations, seeking to pre-
vent by persuasion, threats, intimida-
ton and in other ways, the continuance
in lawful employment of the persons who
did not leave the company's service and of
others who have been employed in the place
of those who did. This constitutes the eX-
listing 'strike,'' and the further strike re-
ferred to by you viii or will not take place,
as the efforts of the persons who have left
our service may or may not meet with sue
cess. / believe that such effort will fail.
The operating forces of the company are
full, the passenger service of the company is
regularly performed, and there is no OBJ
struction to its freight service except lawless
interference and the apprehension thereof.
I am not aware of any difference or griev-
ance existing between the company and its
employees, and must assume that the con-
ference suggested by you was designed to be
between the officers of the company and the
officers of the Knights of Labor. These off,
| cials represent not our employees, but persons
| who have left our service and have not asked
| to be re-employed; but who. through these
same officials of the Knights of Labor, have
asked that the discharge by the company of
| certain persons prior to the Sth of August be
| submitted to their investigation, and to
| arbitration by some tribunal to be selacted
| in some way. request which have felt it
to be my duty to decline. of course we dep
recate any Interruption to travel, or delay
| in the transportation of freight upon the
| lines of this or anyother company l shall take
| every means in my power TO prevent such
! an occurrence; and if the constituted author
| tiles prevent lawless interference with our
| ton of passenger or freight traffic. For the
above reason, il seems to me inappropriate
| and unnecessary to have the conference
| suggested by you. II. WALTER WEBB,
Prompted by POWderly'sM Manifesto.
Mr. Webb comes forward this even
| ing with a prepared statement, evi-
IDENTIFY prompted by Mr.. Powderly's
manifesto of last night. Mr.. Webb
starts out with the statement that nc
man "has been discharged by this COM
pany because he was Knight OF Labor
| or a member of any other organiza-
tion." Then, for the first time since
the beginning of the controversy, Mr..
Webb names a list of offenses, among
| which are those because OF which tine
| Knights of Labor are said to have
been discharged. Mr.. Webb contin.
nes: ssThe company has discharged
men irrespective of their membership
| i'm the order of the Knights of Labor,
| for drunkenness, incapacity, breach OF
duty, INSTRUMENTATION, and for lack OF
sufficient work to employ them: and it
will continue to do so whenever proper
| occasion arises. The people of this
state granted to this company its fran
chise, and made 1t obligatory upon Ii
| to render certain services to the
4 public. aud provided fhat all