Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-05-15
LOCKED OUT EMPLOYEES
NEW lES aASy ILL The SWITCHES
All the Old EmPieyes Are Csesrsmsai
easiy Bs~seea-rhe Company De
SlaEss IL " an ~ Lssxsr he Dictated
10 ~ ths k1plsy .

o'clock .. a., every switehnan Ia the
employ of ths Chicago & Northwestern
Railway company-200i in this city and
800 employed al points along the line
was discharges and paid on. The
company chose this hour as the most
convenient to notify both the day and
night men that their services would no
longer be required.
General Manager Whitman of the
road reports that SO far there has been
no trouble or disturbance oceasioned by
the lockout. The road has been pre-
pairing FOR this action during the past
charged there was another ready
to take his place. Yardmaster
Frank McInerny, whose discharge the
switchmen demanded and inforced by
q tie-up during General Manager Whit
mans illness six weeks ago was rein
stated and took charge of the new men.
Tho company say that McInerny was
never really discharged. His name
has never been taken off the
pay rolls of the company. but
his position has remained vacant,
as he has remained away from his work
pending the trouble starting on his ac-
count Mr.. Whitman said the company
would no longer put up with
the state of things that has
existed during the past three
years and its action is practical
demonstration of its intention to run
its own business. On account Of the
x,,an hns.rr .l.yarS roaI~~ e., ON
the slightest provocation the train serv-
ice has been unsatisfactory to the
public and to the company itself,
and now he proposes to put a
stop to il. A few weeks ago, after
the trouble caused by Yardmaster Nc
Inerny, a canvass was made of the
1,O7i locomotive engineers in the en-
ploy of the Northwestern by repre-
sentatives of the company. Every
man promised to stand by the company
in case a strike or lockout should be in
augurated. They sympathized with
McIncrney.
The officials of the company say this
is not fight against the Switchmen's
union. Their men, as in many other
yards, have frequently quit work with
out moments warning and without
the sanction of the union. The COM
pany will probably hire men without
discrimination, but will not be dictated
to any longer.
] The circular announcing the dis
charge of the switchmen stated that in
reorganizing tie switching service
preference would be given to such men
previously employed as were, in the
Judgment of the company, cap
able and worthy, otherwise the
positions would at once be
filed by other men arranged for.
Quite a number availed themselves of
the offer and went to work with the
new men, and the company claims that
with its new force it has been able to
handle all its passenger and suburban
business, and perishable freight.
About 200 policemen are stationed at
different points in the city. About
fifty men of this force were stationed
at each of the North avenue and Wood
street yards the most threaten
ing points. The precaution of
massing larger force at these
two points than at any other proved
a wise one, as mobs of angry switch
men assembled at both places. They
were excited and demonstrative, but
refrained from any serious outbreak,
being apparently overawed by the
superior force of police. The company
claims that it is being supported
by all the orders belonging to the Fed
Grafton of Railway Employees except the
Switchmen's Mutual Aid association.
All trainmen are doing the work of the
discharged switchmen. A committee
representing the men who were dis
charged called on General Manager
Whitman and asked for a conference
looking toward an adjustment of the
trouble. The conference lasted some
time.
Dispatches from Fort Howard, Es-
canada, Baraboo. milwaukee,, Winona,
Council Bluffs. Boone and Des Moines
state that the new men are working
well. No trouble has occurred and
trains are running through on time.
MrLwAuKKE, Wis. May 14.-All of
the regular switchmen of the Chicago
g. Northwestern road here--51 men.
comprising 8 crews-were discharged
aud paid of at o'clock = m, in ac-
cordance with a general order of dig
missal over the entire system.