Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-14
FIRED EVERY MAN.
Labor Fight Begun by the
Northwestern Railway.
ALL CHICAGO swIrcHMBN BOUNCED

An Open Defiance of Great Labor
Union Too Many sudden aud Annoy
Ing Strikes Make the Company Tired
The General Managers Statement as
TO the Matter-Denver Trades Union
Men Intimate Resort to Mob Law
The Worlds Fair Labor Dispute.
CHICAGO, May l4-The Herald has the
following in substance: At Z o'clock this
morning every switchmau employed
in the city yards of the Chicago: and
Northwestern Railway company will be
discharged. This sweeping order was
issued last night by General Manager
Whitman after careful deliberation and
numerous conferences with the directors
aud officers of the company The order
was put in the hands of the ysrdmaster
and his assistants, and will be read to the
switchmen at the hour named. The OIL
cials knew that the switchmen would
certainly strike before o'clock if they
heard of the determination which had
been agreed upon.
Been Brewing for Three Years.
The cause Of the present troubles be-
tween the switchmen and the Northwest
ern company dates back about three
years, but its latest outbreak was some
six weeks ago, when a strike lasting two
hours was inaugurated because the COM
psny refused TO discharge Yardmaster
Frank McInerny for whom they had con-
ceived dislike because he had dismissed
a certain switchman. At that time, rath-
er than put the travelling public to great
Inconvenience, the company in a measure
conceded the demands made by the men.
Mr.. Whitman was absent at that time.
Defiance to the Switchmen.
at has been hanging fire ever since"
Mr.. Whitman said last night "Snce
my return, however, we have arrived at
the conclusion already indicated. The
switchmen must go. The Northwestern
company has made up its mind" contin-
ued the general manager, that it will
hereafter try to manage its business with
out interference from the switchmen or
the Switchman's association. We have
had great deal of trouble all over our
system with these men during the last
three years.
Grown Tired of Their Freaks
1--WE dischare them now for the reason
that the public and the management have
put up with their conduct until forbear-
ance has ceased to be "a virtue. During
the time have named, we have had re-
peated difficulties with our switchmen,
and the smallest trouble has been taken
as the cue for tie-up which stopped our
suburban and other passenger trafi for
days, and caused great Inconvenience to the
public at large. The Northpsstern COM
pany will put up with this state Of thiugsn1
longer. 1t will now take the matter ia its
own hands.
Struck at the Drop of the Hat.
"The switchmen, want it understood,
have always been ready to strike on tins
slightest provocatiou. They have gone
out repeatedly simply because we refused
to destroy some employe to whom they
had taken a dislike. This was the case
six weeks ago. On this account our
service has been unsatisfactory to the
public and to the company itself, and now
we are going to put stop to it. Let me
say that nobody on the outside knows
what this company has had to put up
with from the Switchmen's association
during the last three years.
McInerny To Be Reinstated. s5yE
Yardmaster 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. This morning he will be rein
stated with full powers, and with instruc-
tions to fill the places made vacant by
new employees. The trainmen, it is
claimed, are not in sympathy with the
switchmen in this fight. They were on
the side of the company and McInerny in
the late strike, and since then have ap-
pointed committee which made certain
requests of the company favorable to the
reinstatement Of the Objectionable yard
master.
Rather More Than Possible.
The present fight promises to be long
and bitter one. The company has taken
30 decided stand, sand the men are so
bitter in feeling, that this may be made
the occasion of great trouble. 1t is possi-
bic that switchmen in other cities alo.y
the Northwestern system will be called
out on account of the discharge of the
men here. About $50 switchmen are en-
ployed in the yards of the company at
Chicago.
Labor and the Worlds Fair.
CHICAGO, May 14-Union labor gets one
more, chance to make arguments before
the Worlds fair directors for minimum
L. % A 10 l..