The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-17
HISTORY OF A BITTER CONTROVERSY.

| HISTORY OF A BITTER CONTROVERSY.
| Grand Master of the Brotherhood of Train
men Exposes the Switchmen.
+ CHICAGO. July 16.-S. f. Wilkinson,
grand master. and w. A. Sheehan, grand
secretary of the Brotherhood of Railway
| Trainmen, have just issued q circular to
| the members of that organization giving
/ the inside history of the controversy be-
tween it and the Switchmen's Mutual Aid
Association that recently eliminated in
| the discharge of all the switchmen on the
| lines of the Chicago q North western road.
The circular puts the switchmen's associa-
ton in a very bad hight 1t says. in sub
| stance. as follows:
| About two years ago the Switchmen's
Mutual Aid Association be gan u war Of ex-
| termination in the North western yards. and
| their first victims were Lindsey and Ingalls,.
| who were employed by that company. They
! were driven out OF the yards because they
belonged to the Brotherhood OF Railway
| Brakemen and would not join the Switch
mems Association. The matter was taken
| up by the grievance committee of the
| brotherhood, but after exhaustlng all hon.
orable means to secure the reinstatement of
| the two discharged members the effort was
| abandoned, much to the dissatisfaction of
| the members who knew the circumstances.
| The discharge of Frank McNerney. yard
master at the instance of the Switc hmen's
Association. in the early part of last March,
| opened anew the conflict between these two
| associations. The matter was brought be-
| fore the Grand Council of the Federated
| Association, but with no results At the
| conference of this council representative
of the Switchmen's association stated the
position of the switchmen as follows:
we have branded McNerney scab.
| and he will not be allowed to work in any
yard in the city of Chicago. We will not
allow him to be reinstated under any cir
cumstances. We have taken our position.
aud all the switch-engines IN the United
| States cannot move us. We claim the right
to cOerce every man in the switching serv-
| ice in this city to become a member of the
| Switchmens Mutual Aid Association. We
| claim the right to drive from the switching
| service any member who does not pay dues
to our organization We claim the right to
| say who shall be employed as yardmaster
| in tine different yards In Chicago. We
| claim the members of the Brotherhood of
| Railroad Trainmen have no right in any
yard In the United States. The time is
| coming when q man cannot work in any
| yard unless he be q member of our associa-
! ton. The Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men 10 no OrganizatiO at all. 1t cannot
/ fight because of Its mixed membership.
| The Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association is
the most powerful organization OF railway
| employees"
| Failing to get any satisfaction from the
| Switchmen's Association, or from the Su-
Dreme Court. the Broth orhood of Railroad
| Trainmen appealed TO the Chicago & North
| western railroad. requesting an uncOndl-
| tional reinstatement of McNerney. This
request was granted. and the company re-
| organized it's switching service. Grand
| Master Wilkinson proceeds at considerable
| length to give the details of negotiations
that have risen from time to time during
| the controversy. and concludes with this
| statement:
ION the part of the switchmen it IS a rec
ord black with persecution, defiance of
law and propriety. and born of envy at the
success OF trainmen. On our part. the rec
ord will establish fOrbearance and sacrifice,
| even to humiliation. l am willing to be
judged in this matter. / have no apology
to Offer"
Mr.. Niedringhaus will Not Consult.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. July 16.-Wm. Weibe.
president of the National Amalgamated As
ISOLATION of Iron and Steel workers has ar
rived here and to-day made an effort Co
compromise the trouble at the Niedrng-
haus rolling mill, but tie attempt was q
failure. The strikers and Mr. Wiebe were
In conference all morning and this after
noon q committee representing the strikers
called on Mr.. Niedringhaus to arrange q
settlement. but the latter refused to re-
ceive the committee. saying if the men
would come as individuals and apply for
work he would be glad to put them to
n.
anything to do with the committee and
furthermore that ne would never sign an
other scale of theirs.
Steam Engineers Council Adjourns.
| SYRACUSE. N. Y, July 16.-The Supreme
Council of the American Order of Steam
Engineers finished its work to-day. The
principal business was the election of off,
GERS for the ensuing two years. which re-
suited as follows: Supreme recording
en- gineer, Charles f. Jack, of Boston; su-
preme corresponding engineer, Frank s.
Neal. of Cincinnati; supreme treasurer.
James f. Deas. of Bridgeport; supreme
chaplain. William b. Carey, of BrOcktOn,
Mass; supreme master mechanic, j. j.
Wolson. of Nebraska; supreme junior
master mechanic. L. +. Baker, OF Michigan.
Charles E. Jacks was elected secretary and
treasurer of the mutual benefit fund.
MononRshela River Miners May Strike.
PITTsBURG, July 1.-THE proposed re-
duction in the pay of the Monongahela
river miners from 312 to cents per bushel
10 the topic Of the day among the valley
coal-disgers. Meetings have been neld by
the men III several places and resolutions
adopted TO oppose the threatened move of
the operators. The outlook is that the lat
ter will precipitate q shutdown between
| Aug 1 and Is. unless the men agree to work
| at the reduced rate. lhlS Will 1koly De re-
fused by the workers and another strike
| of the six Thousand miners is likely.
Have Left the Knights Of Labor.
| ST. LOUIS, July 16.-After long and ant
mated but very harmonious. discussion
the glass blowers convention has decided
to withdraw from the Knights of Labor.
The press committee declined to give the
vote on the proposition. but say the major
| ity was q handsome one. The indications
| now are that the glass blowers organize
ton will affiliate with the American FEEDER
alton of Labor. but whether the PROPOSE
ton 10 do so will come before this conven-
| tion cannot be definitely stated at presen t.
| The Riot Did Not Occur.
PITrsBURG. July 16.-The threatened
riot of strikers at Duquesne this morning
did not materialize. The Allegheny Bes-
sener-steel Company started their plant in
full operation ana every thing is quiet. Many
of the Anal gamated men have returned
to work and others are expected to follow
tomorrow. On account of the peaceable