Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-14
NOT FOR THE PUBLIC.
Railroad Employees Hold a Secret
and Enthusiastic Meeting.
THE PRINTERS SCALE NOW READY
Ice Drivers Want Share Of the Advance
in Prices This Year.
GUST KREIL REPLIES To /. N. ROSS

A special meeting of the Federation of
Railway Employees was held last night in
Labor Hall. The meeting was in session
from 7:3O until II 80 o'clock. When it ad-
| journed the men refused to give any news
whatever for publication. They also re-
fused to furnish the names of the President
or Secretary or anyone in authority to speak
for the organization.
1t was learned, however, that one J. H.
Jantzen was the secretary. When he was
approached he was evidently afraid of his
position being known, and denied that he
occupied any official position. There were
present altogether about 125 men, and from
the shouts that reached the ears of the
church-goers on Fifth avenue it must have
been a very enthusiastic gathering. A
number of the men mad their coats off, and
at the conclusion of each speech they set up
lusty howl. People passing along the
avenue stopped and looked up at the fourth
story of the building where the meeting was
held, and wondered what the boisterous
cheering was about on Sunday evening.
THE MATTER SETTLED.
The only thing that could be CLEANED
from the men was remark that one of them
dropped. He said: "The matter is settled"
but would not say what ''the matter" was.
From another it was learned that several
switchmen had grievance against ''the
| company" but it was worse than pulling
| spikes out of green railroad tie to get him
to say what the grievance was. 1t was un-
derstood, however, that the trouble was on
the Pennsylvania lines. One individual,
| whose breath his Stronuact pout whom
| asked il there was any trouble with the
Pennsylvania officials, said he didn't know
of no trouble" This is the second meeting
| the men have had about the grievance.
1t was supposed that the men met to dis
cuss the recent discharge of the conductors
on the Fort Wayne and Erie and Pittsburg
roads. This was denied by a well-known
Fort Wayne employe, who said they would
not discuss the passenger trouble.
WHAT THEY REALLY ARE.
He said the passenger conductors were
members of the Order of Railway Con-
ductors, and were not affiliated with the
Federation. The Passenger Conductors
Association, he stated, Is beneficial organ
ization and not labor union. and conse-
quently the Federation, which is composed
of freight trainmen, switchmen and fire.
men exclusively, would not be allowed to
meddle with the affairs of the passenger
men.
The Federation has not yet enrolled the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. A
special effort has been made to get the en-
gineers in the general organization, but the
men have fought shy of it for reasons known
to the better class of railroad employees.
There was no change in the situation re-
garding the discharged conductors yester-
day. One of the officials OF the Pennsyl-
vania company said the company had dis
charged only four men, and he did not ex
pect any more changes. Like other officials,
he refused to say why the men were "let
go" but said there were sufficient grounds
tor their discharge.