Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-16
GENERAL TIE UP THREATENED
BY the Order of Railway Telegraphers N
Their Trouble With the Pacific Roads.

Their Trouble With the Pacific Roads.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, December ia. ID,
Thurston, the Grand Chief OF the Ordre
of Railway Telegraphers and acting
Grand Chief d. Ramsey of the same or
ganization, are in the city. The pur-
pose OF their visit here at this time is to
attend a meeting of the advisory coun-
ell of railroad men in reference to the
troubles on the Southern Pacific and
the Atlantic and Pacific Railroads.
Resides the demanded withdrawal
from the Telegrapher's organization by
the officials of the road, the Atlantic
and Pacific operators have a grievance.
They demand an increase In salary TO
$3.50 per month for chief dispatcher,
S125 for dispatchers and from 500 10
$50 for operators. In reference to the
strike morning paper has this to say:
should the companies determine TO
maintain their attitude Of opposition 1t
will be difficult to tell where the strike
NAV end. 1t is feared that II the
trouble be not speedily settled strikes
NAV arise with other companies"
"If we can settle our trouble with the
Southern Pacific and Atlantic and Pa
cifc. said a member OF the Executive
Committee OF the Order OF Railway
Telegraphers, nobody else will be in
yolyed, but if we cannot settle our
selves then we will involve every rail-
road in the United States"
Assistant Grand Chief Ramsey says
the order has membership Of $4,000,
and there are no surplus men. He added,
81 see no possible chance for the COM
pany to get men to replace the strikers" "
The Advisory Council met at Laclede
Hotel to-day.
The strike began at 10 o'clock this
morning, but it is not yet known how
many men actually are out. There are
from six to eight hundred operators on
the Southern Pacific system, but 1T is
not known what proportion OF that num-
Der are members OF the order OF Kali
way Telegraphers.
Southern Pacific officials say but q
small percentage of the number on the
entire system are members, and that
they will have operators enough to ham
die their business. On the Atlantic and
Pacific il is known that there are many
men out and the situation there is more
serious. The strike is based on claim
that the Southern Pacific should not
compel the operators to sign an affidavit
that they are not or will not become
members of the order.
Acting Grand Chief ID. u. ramsey
this afternoon telegrapned the
strike committee OF the Atlantlc
and Pacific operators to return to
work, providing the officials OF the
road adhere to their first decision
and concede the right OF the men to be-
long to a labor organization.
In an interview with an Associated
Press representative, Mr.. Ramsey said
that at to-day's meeting of the Advisory
Council the Brotherhood OF Trainmen
and the Brotherhood OF Conductors,
through their officers, had concurred in
the action he had decided to take and 1t
was the sense Of the assembled railroad
men that the strike was entirely lustl-
fed.
81 have ordered the men to waive the
question Of wages until l reach Alou-
oueroue, where l go tonight, but we
cannot and will not waive our right to
ioin and be members Of the order OF the
Teleprsphers. As soon as l reach Al
buoueroue will look over the ground
and see whether or not the question of
an increase will be taken up"
Questioned as to the trouble on the
Southern Pacific, Mr.. Ramsey said the
order would not yield one iota OF their
rights. and that the men would stay un-
iii the battle was won, II it took three
wears To do il.