Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-28
The History Of the Proceedings Be.
tween Webb and Powderly
Made Public.
All Efforts of the Grand Master Work
man Proved Futile With the
New York Central.
Vice President Webb Scored -Likened
Unto the Former Autocrat of the
Road, w. II. Vanderbilt.


poyes, signed 10y the president Sargent
and Sheehan to Powderly, at Albany:
The supreme council adjourned this after
noon after carefully considering the strike
in all its details You will note the result
of our deliberation in tonight's dispatches,
which it is hoped Will meet with your
approval. The council WIS unanimous in
considering your position and the grand
executive board most earnestly hopes that
the right of winch you are the champion,
in the great conflict ON the New York
central may finally and powerfully pre-
vail. "
unofficial statement of the council given
to an associated press representative is as
follows
Headquarters Supreme Council United
Order Railway Employes-Fo all laboring
organizations, men and brothers.: ION
the night of August 7th, strike began on
the New York Central and Hudson River
railroad. involving about 800 men in the
employ of the same road, who were mem-
bers OF the great labor organization known
as the Knights of Labor. The reason set
forth 10y Powderly, chief executive of the
order, may be summarized as follows;
The peremptory discharge of between
fifty and sixty men, employees of the road
and members Of the Knights of Labor,
without giving them amy reason whatever
for their discharge. Prior to the strike
the men involved sought, through the
representatives of their order to have their
grievances adjusted but their appeals be-
ing disregarded strike was inaugurated.
"At this juncture Powderly, the general
master workman of the knights of labor
entered upon the task of adjusting the
difficulty and making such arrangements
as would result in an honorable pence
tween the employees and officials of the
road, but his efforts were unavailing.
Powderly, comprehending the purposes of
Walter Webb the third vice
president Of the company to make
war upon the knights of labor and ulti-
mately upon all tin" labor organizations on
his road, sought conference with the SUI
preme council of the united order of rail-
way employees. The request of Powderly
was granted to the extent that four mem
bers of the council of the chief executives
of the federated orders met him in the city
of Buffalo viz. +. p. Sargent, grand
master of the brotherhood of locomotive
firemen and the supreme council: q. w.
Howard, grand chief of the brotherhood
of railway conductors and vice president
of the supreme council; S. Il. Wilkinson,
grand master of the brotherhood of rail-
way trainmen, and Frank Sweeney, grand
master of the switchmen S mutual aid asso-
citation.
At the conference with Powderly at Buff
fa,o, the members of the supreme council
became satisfied that the officials of the
road by every consideration of fair and
honorable treatment of the labor organiza-
tions should meet Powderly and adopt
some just plan foI the adjustment of the
grievance of the striking employees. This
conclusion having been reached, the mem
bers of the supreme council in response to
d request of Powderly. extended their
journey to New York, to afford such aid
as was III their power to bring about a
settlement between Vice President Webb
the official having full authority on all
matters pertaining to the strike. and
Powderly, having authority to negotiate
such arrangements for the knights as
might end the dispute.
The interview having been secured,
Powderly sought to have the men dis
charged heard in their own defense in the
presence of Webb and himself This fair
and honorable proposition was refused
Powderly proposed an arbitration, which
was also refused Other propositions were
made by Powderly, having for their object
an honorable settlement of the existing
trouble, all of which were refused ON the
part of Webb
THE members of the supreme coun-
Gil, while in Buffalo and New York, bad
ample opportunities to thoroughly inform
themselves upon all matters concerning
the strike. They saw and heard both
sides, they appreciated the gravity of the
situation and compromising the impehd-
ing consequences to the labor organiza-
tions deemed it advisable to convene the
supreme council for deliberation and
such conclusions as facts should warrant
In response TO the order of Sergent, pres-
dent of the supreme council. that the
body was convened at Terre Haute Satur-
day the 23rd, August 1890, and remained
in session until noon Monday the 25th
In making their report to the council the
members who went TO New Y ork to confer
with Powderly found all the statements
made by him fully corroborated by facts
In an interview with Webb, he refused to
entertain any proposition looking TO set
Element of the difficulty. He would not
arbitrate any question or make any ex-
PLANTATION or concession whatever with re-
gard to the discharged employees. He
claimed the right to discharge employees
at will without making an explanation, CT
giving to the victims of his power an y
reasons for his despotic action. He would
manage his road to suit himself without
reference to any rights claimed by its en-
ployes, or any rights clasmcd by labor
0 gnizations to interfere in the matter to
protect their members. The council hay-
ing heard the statement Of its members,
who had visited New York for the pur-
pose of ascertainirg the true condition of
affairs, extensively discussed every inn
portant proposition and arrived at con-
illusions as follows:
"First-That the position of the
knights of labor, as set forth by Powder
~, the general mister workman, and gem
eral executive board of the knights of
labor, meets with our unqualified appro-
val.
''Second-The course pursued by Webb
towards Powderly and the Knights OF
Labor, notwithstanding his declarations
to the contrary, evinces a purpose to dis
runt and destroy Labor organizations on