Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-26
AWAITING THE ISSUE.
The Trainmen Inactive Pending the
Result of the Conference,
WHICH WILL CONCLUDE TODAY.
No Increase in Wages Will Be Granted, and
This May Bring About a
VERY UNPLEASANT STATE OF THINGS

The conference between General Mana
ger Wood, Of the Pennsylvania Company,
the general superintendents of the South
west and Northwest systems Of the company,
and divisional superintendents and officials
of the company, was continued yesterday,
and is expected to be finished this after
noon. The committee of railroaders is still
awaiting the further reply which they ex.
pee: General Manager Wood will make to
their list of 16S grievances on conclusion of
the conference.
From what is said by members of the
conference it appears that the terms of the
management's circular reply, issued day
or two ago, will not be deviated from. The
trainmen now awaiting the result of the
conference, while not saying very much, are
known TO be as unit in insisting on the
concession of several important points ad-
yersely commented upon in the reply.
No Certainty of Strike.
Whether the disagreements will eventuate
in general strike on the systems is a
matter of inference and speculation and i'm
possible of conjecture until the questions
have been placed before the higher officials
of the trainmen's organizations. 1t is very
certain, anyhow, that the reply of the man
agement is as little liked by some of these
officials as it is by the trainmen at the st.
Charles.
Some members of the officials conference
pretended that their deliberations are in no
wise concerned with any petitions for an in
quiry into grievances presented to the man
agement by its employees, and that they are
meeting in an everyday sort of way to discuss
business relating to the customary working of
the roads. Others are more straightforward,
as Superintendent J. S. Morris. of the North
western Ohio division, who was asked last
night to define what the conference was do
ing:
preparing an answer to the l6S articles in
the petition presented to the management" he
replied. TO some reply has been already
given in the circular issued a few days ago.
These referred chiefly to questions of increased
wages. and it will be impossible to make any
such concessions as are demanded.
Business viii Not Permit of Bigger Wages.
1.-The business of the roads will not permit of
any increase in wages, and to grant the conces-
sions requested would cost very nearly 5000. 900
year. On these points the reply issued by the
management is final. There are minor points
relating to the operation of the roads, etc.,
which we are now considering, and it may be
possible TO arrive at an understanding which
Will enable concessions to be made. We expect
to get through by tomorrow"
''Will the result of your conference then be
communicated to the trainmen now IN town.
well, no reply will be sent to them, but
suppose they will hear we have concluded our
conference, and will probably call on Mr.. Wood
for some Information as to what we did. The
result Of the conference will be transmitted TO
each Superintendent, who will bulletin it in
the usual manner for the information of every
emplOye on his DIVISION"
'Do you apprehend any difficulty as an out
come of all this?'
Il do not" said Mr.. Norris. "rhe Pennsyl-
vania Company pays its men as high wages as
any other road and it does more for them than
any other in regard to convenience and COM
fort. The tracks are the smoothest in the
country, in every d department. means have been
devised to reduce labor as much as possible.
and the system is . safe one to work on.
think that when the position of the company
and the advantages it offers its men are con-
sidered, that the employees will not seek to
force a compliance with demands that it is i'm
possible to grant,
Does Not Expect a Strike.
Superintendent ]. F. Miller deprecated any
possibility of strike ensuing on a refusal by
the company to concede the increase in wages
demanded and referred to in the reply issued a
day or SO ago. He said that the men wanted
an advance OF "a per cent, and this was out of
the question. The matters now being consid-
cred in conference wore capable of adjustment,
no doubt, and would be settled amcably.
The answer to the demands will be issued
in day or two" said Mr.. Miller. THE CON-
pany will not go back of the position stated in
the circular of day or two ago Business is
very light, and to grant the increase IN wages
would be simply impossible"
The story printed in morning paper yester-
day to the effect that Pinkerton detectives
were watching the movements of the trainmen
at the st. Charles is without foundation.
II happen to know every guest in the house."
said Captain orcutt last night when asked
what he knew of it, "and can assure you ther.
are no detectives among them"
The trainmen held secret sessions through
out the day. but, generally, were inactive
awaiting an opportunity of hearing finally from
the company. This they will do to-day.