Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-17
IT is NOT A STRIKE.
The Walkout of G., M. & st. P. Opera.
tors a Failure From the Start.
EVERY PLACE PROMPTLY FILLED.
Iowa the Only Place Where Considerable
Number Knock Off.
THE C0MPANY'S BUSINESS UNIMPEDED

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 16.-Just 72 operators
and station agents employed on the lines of
the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul sys-
tenn quit work to-day, and the strike which
Chief Thurston, of the Order of Railway
Telegraphers, has heralded in so many bull
letins was verv much of fizzle. General
Manager Farling came in from Chicago and
spent the day at General Superintendent
Collins Office. The officials OF the road
were prepared for any emergency, and at
every station where an operator quit work
another man was waiting to take his place,
SO that the telegraphic business OF the road
suffered no delay of any consequence. 1t
was not strike at all, in the usual sense of
the word. The men rendered their resigna-
tions on Wednesday to take effect at
o'clock this morning.
Many Who Resigned Stay at Work.
All of those who resigned did not go out,
for some repented and wired headquarters
resembling their designations. In Wisconsin
not single man stopped work, and more
than half OF those who did so were en-
ployed on divisions in the State of Iowa.
This is partly due to the personal influence
OF Thurston, whose home is at Vinton, Ia.
On the Sioux City and Dakota division one
man gave up his position, and as his division
is long one, he must have felt little lone
ly. The following official statement was
made to-day on behalf of the company:
The men involved in this affair really had no
grievance. and were deceived by the misrepre-
sentations of the Order of Railway Telegra.
pliers. There has been no general reduction OF
salaries. but simply an equalization, because
operators and station men at certain points
were being paid more in proportion to the
amount of their work than at others. The Off
GERS of the company knew of no dissatisfaction
among the men until they learned that the off,
GERS of the o. R. T. were securing signatures 10
aremonstrance.
The Brotherhood Misrepresented the Case.
The D. r. T. officials misrepresented the situ-
alton and concealed from the men that clause
in the remonstrance stating that their resgna-
tions would be rendered unless their demands
we're complied with. Seventy-two men quit
work. including those discharged for making
trouble. OF this number. were employed on
divisions in Illinois, 16 in Minnesota, l in Da-
kota and 46 in Iowa.
1t was stated that of the 46 Iowa men who
went out, "a were employed on the Council
Bluffs division. At some OF the Iowa
stations the wires were tampered with by
making ground connections, leaving
switches open and otherwise, but no serious
delay resulted from this.
A number OF operators were here to-day,
who claimed that they had been called in
from the La Crosse division of the road, and
were asked if they would take positions in
Iowa. To this they answered by drawing
back their coats, displaying a ribbon with
the words "We are not scabs" printed there
on. They say out of Is men asked to work
all positively refused but two, who agreed
to go.
What the Leaders Are Doing.
Grand Chief Thurston and the Grievance
Committee are in conference in Chicago.
According to their statement the road is Sc
riously crippled by the strike. They claim
to have adyices that about 400 of the $50
men on the line are out, and that additional
designations are constantly being received
by telegraph and mail, making the knock
off practically unanimous.
The following is the list furnished bv
Chief Thurston of men going out by d.
visions: Prairie du Chen, 20; Dubuque, 30;
Milwaukee and Northern, IS; Green Bay,
30; Council Bluffs, 80; Illinois and Mime
sofa. 25; Hastings and Dakota, 80; Kansas
City, 5; Chicago and Council Bluffs, Iowa,
125: miscellaneous. 115.
The railroad officials at Chicago claim
that only a few men have gone out, and
that their places have been promptly filled
The Press Committee at the strikers head
quarters at Chicago admits this afternoon
that the strike has so far failed to tie up the
business of the road, and that it can con-
tinue to run its trains on schedule time.
The committee, however, expresses belief
that more men will resign.
The Strike at Other Points.
A dispatch from Cedar Rapids, Ia, says:
The Office here was closed up this morning
1t is understood that all Offices on the
main line are closed also. On the Kansas
City division the strike is not on, trains
still running there as usual.
At Kansas City the railroad officials say
they have received no word that any oper-
ators have resigned. The Kansas City di-
vision is working all right, and the officials
say they are refusing applications for work.
The local operators are Brotherhood men,
and they were at their keys, as usual, this
morning.
At Omaha all operators are at work. One
man quit at Couucil Bluffs, and his place
was filed. That is the only sign of the
strike at that end OF the road.