Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-03
IAIlIAS, Ten, hprII 3, 1871.
Mr.. J. D. TrammeI General Superintendent.

Most of Us have heretofore been selling
our time at 10 to - per cent discount, but
now things have gotten in such shape that
we cannot sell for less that % per cent, and
this we cannot and will not stand.
Our rents and grocery bills must always
be paid, and we depend on our earnings
from your company to pay same.
If you will accede to our demands as
above set forth let US know at once, other
wise we will be obliged to quit your en-
pioy Monday next at Il m.
IN addition to the above agreement we
the employees of the Texas Trunk railway,
ask that no employe be discharged from
service of said company for making this re-
quest COMMITTEE.
Ne accept the above on behalf of the
company.
j. d. TRAMMELL, Eng. and Supt.
WAI. G. MowRY, Genl Mngr.
1t appears that matters have not run
smoothly since the April agreement, as will
be seen by the following communication:
DALLAS, Sept. l.
7. Cordell. Yard Master Texas Trunk Railroad.
DEAR S1R-We, the grievance committee
of employees of the Texas Trunk railroad,
have gone this day to the general Office of
said company, and have demanded our pay.
The said company failed to pay, and we, the
committee. ask your cooperation with US TO
stop all work tomorrow, the I'd day of Sep
TENDER. at noon, until we are paid III full TO
date. NJ. l.. CORDELL Car Inspector,
S. n. WRIGHT (M. Nj,
\. STEPHENS (Engineer),
Committee.
A similar notice was served on Mr. c. A
Matthews, roadmaSter.
The same committee that signed the no.
tice waited upon Mr.. j. d. Trammel, sup
erintendent of the road, anu demanded
their pay up to date He replied that the
management could not possibly meet the
demand on so short a notice.
After considering the matter, and in
view of not being paid, the employees of the
road struck at II o'clock this morning. The
engine was run down the track and
''killed" The whole trouble is on account
of back pay. The following communica-
ton viii throw some light as to how mat
tiers stand:
SEAGoNvILLE, TEX, September 1.
Editor Times Herald.
On or about the 2lst of July, ult., there
appeared piece in a daily paper of your
CITY, in regard to the status of the Texas
Trunk railroad, which beg space in your
valuable paper to reply to, as the statement
was calculated to or intended to deceive the
public, and as that paper refused us a
statement
To quote: "The employees are paid up
punctually, so the officers say, etc, etc"
That is false as false can be. They owe US
now more than three months wages, and
will not pay US anything.
Some of the section foremen have been
compelled to discharge nearly or about all
of their men, because they could not get
money enough from this management to
buy provisions with which to board them.
am an employee of this company in the
bridge force, and have waited on them until
waiting has ceased to be a virtue and am
f,,,-ip tn If fbnT.. iC
the courts of our country. l have been
forced, through sheer necessity, to sue for
my wages, as myself and daughter depend
entirely On my labor for a livelihood, and
three months is longer than we can convent
emily wait.
Many others of the employees of this road
are dependent entirely upon their labor for
the support of their families, and the non
payment of their wages creates untold and
unwritten inconvenience.
Now, as to Mr.. Dillingham; statement of
the Both ult. in regard to the condition of
this road, THAT it was not SO hard as rep
resented; it was well tied and needed
twelve miles of rails" His inspector or
representative must not have examined the
road thoroughly. as did Mr.. johnson, civil
engineer, or he would not have made such
report l feel safe in saying that there is
not an unbiased employe on this road but
who will say at least two-thirdS of the rails
from Dallas to Cedar are badly battered or
worn. The ties in many places are good
and in many places bad, some very bad
The bridges have never been fully de-
scribed-they are bad and are growing
worse, as there has not been any timber
furnished since the 1St of January, 1891.
Where is the proceeds of the sale of that
million dollars worth of bonds? Echo an
swers where! Where is the earnings of
this road since October, 1890? Echo an
swerS where!
Take the statements that have devel-
oped of late. You will see that this man
agement have not paid out any of the earn
ings of the road unless it was TO themselves
and for what coal that has been used, and
the proceeds of the sale of the bonds have
never reached Texas as anyone knows.
"A picked up statement:
ED kelley's claim. about $500 for labor
dating from October, 1890, to March, 1891.
paid by Maj. Workman.
PATSY COuity's claim for labor, about
$1,000, dating from October, 1890, to April,
1891, unpaid.
SCHNEIDER & Davis claim, $500 or 5000,
unpaid.
MIR. Lakes claim for labor, about 5000,
unpaid"
All of the above are time checks taken at
a heavy discount
North Texas National bank, about $4,000,
paid to employees March, April and May,
1891
Hardware bill, unpaid.
employees unpaid for part of May, all of
June, July and August, 1891.
Where, oh, where, is the earnings of the
road2 Echo answers, where!'
In conclusion, summing up the reports
published lately, the way the management
are treating their employees and others, the
condition of the road, and not being i'm
proved in the least, l regard it as palpable |
fraud in toto. Yours respectfully,
SAN L. SMITH.
Another question aaises, and that is,
Who are the owners Of the Texas Trunk2''
Some time ago it was given to the world
hat the road had been sold TO the Hunting
ION com animation and that the road would
be run by the Houston and Texas Central |
Col Dillingham; denies that the Central
OWNS the road or has anything to do with |
L. The matter is in mix. and interesting
developments are looked for.
Further Consideration of Cotton Rates
ST. LOUIS. Mo, Sept. 2.-The rate CON-
nittee of the Southwestern railroad and /