The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-14
UNION VERSUS UNION.
Steamboat Pilots Declare War
ON Marine Engineers.
EVERY STEAMER TO BE TIED UP.
They RetaIiate for the Boycott on
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Refuse To agree
some Boats May Run.

The dispute between Captain A. y. McAlpine
and the Marine Engineers Association. grow
ing cut of the fight on the Oiympian on No
vember .. will result tonight il the tying up of
every steamer on the Sound, unless friendly
settlement should be reached today-which is
very unlikely The action of the Marine En-
gineers' Association In refusing 70 allow any OF
its members to work on any boat commanded
by Captain McAipiue has caused Puget sound
Harbsr, No lS OF the American brotherhood OF
Steamboat Pilots. Of which he IL a member, 70
take up his cause. committee OF that body
having vainly attempted to induce the
Marine Engineers Association 20 withdraw
from its position, the harbor held special
meeting to consider the matter GA Saturday
evening in the Frye block, sixty-one OF the best
known and Oldest pilots on the sound being
present At this meeting the following resoiu-
tons, boycotting the marine engineers until
they lifted their BOYCOTT on the McAlpjne, were
unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, The Marine Engineers Association,
OF Puget sound. have pcrGnptpF!iy refused 10
allow any OF its members TO sail on any steam
boat OF which Captain A. \. hcAlpine Is master,
without any ust cause or proyocallon on MS part
and in open opposition To the expressed wish OF
the owners aud in defiance o. the decision OF
the local inspectors Of this district, and ia will
full defiance of the laws regulating steamboats,
OF the United States; aud
WHEREAS, The Marine Engineers Associa-
ton have declared boycott on said Captain
A. y. MeAIpne; therefore, be il
ResoiU6d, That Captrin 4. y. MeAipine Is
hereby ordered 70 at once take charge OF the
ship assigned to him by his employers; ana Dc
IL further
Resolucd That in the event OF the engineers of
the Marine Engineers Association refusing TO
sail with and pesceabiy obey Captain A. y.
McAlpiue, we the members OF Puget Sound
Harbor, No. l6, A. II. Of : r., do from that mo-
ment refuse 20 sail with any member OF the
Marine Engineers Association until the boycott
il rsised
fslgned) EG BAUGHaAS, Captain.
WALTER MCWILLIAAs,
Captain Clerk.
II the two organizations hold TO their posi-
tions not a steamer on the Sound will be rum
ming tomorrow. IL is not certain, however. that
all the members of either party will stand firm.
Captain o'Brien. of the Premier, says that he
intends to go out, and that his engineers will do
the same. Port Captain RathDone, OF the
Union Pacific steamers, hopes 20 have az least
two If not three boats running, having made
partial arrangements for engineers who are
opposed to the boycott. Captain A. p spauld-
ing, OF the Seattle Tug and Barge Company,
managing the tugs Wasp and Hornet, has
gagged two outside engineers 10 take charge of
his boats
The trouble of November 20 occurred while
the Olympian under way from Victoria TO
Port Townsend. and was occasioned by a fight
between First Assistant Engineer smith and
deck hand. 1t had been customary for deck
uhllus 10 use the nfS pump lDF NdsulHg Heth.,
but when one OF them attempted to do on this
occasion Smith objected and in the dispute
which followed struck the deck hand and
knocked him down. Another deck hand came
up, but he was knocked down by fireman.
The Eight threatened TO become general between
the deck hands on one side and the fircInen and
engineers on the other, and Captain McAlpine
called down to quel the disturbance.
While he was endeayoring To disperse the men
and make them go To work smith attempted TO
strike him. whereupon the captain drew q re-
volver and thrust IL in Smiths face. Smith
threw up his hands and thus probably saved his
life. During the affair First Officer Burns took
sides with Captain MeAlpine and for that rea-
son Smith ''had IL IN for him" When the boat
was leaving Port Townsend il is claimed
that Smith went to Burns in the ladies' cabin,
and, using vile aud abusive language, attempted
to strike him. Burns covered Smith with re-
volver aud che latter retreated. The whole
crew were excited and all took sides
When the boat reached Seattle five firemen,
five coal beavers and the water tenders, all the
engineers except the ehief-seyeuteen in all
struck and left the steamer. A new crew was
picked up in the course OF several hours and the
delayed steamer went TO Tacoma. Captain Nc
Alpine and all the rest OF the interested crew
manned in seattle 30 allow the local inspectors
IA investigate the affair.
In due time the trouble was given thorough
investigation by the United states local INSPECT
ors, and smiths license taken away and
McAlpine was suspended for thirty days. The
action OF the inspectors dspleased the major
ity Of the Marine Engineers Association.
Captain McAIpine was appointed 90 command
the sebome, but when he took charge the engi-
neers all left the boat. At Il meeting of their
association IL WAS decided that no member
should go out GA any boat COM
manded by Hmm unless he made an
affidavit apologizing for the part he had taken
In he F1h al fAa nj ian civ =
they cons .derei true statement of the facts
This, he claims, would lie equivalent TO "a con-
iession that his testimony before the United
States inspectors was false. ON his behalf il is
said that ii the engineers are dissatisfied with
the decision Of the local inspectors they can
appeal 70 the supervising inspector of the dis
trict at san Francisco and from him TO the chief
OF the bureau at Washington City.
The resolution Of the pilots means that unless
the steamer Sehome, which is scheduled 10 leave
here for Nhatc0m at T. O'Clock tonight, goes out
with Captain McAlpine at the helm, every pilot
on Puget sound who i member of the brother
hood VIII refuse 10 command any boat carrying
an engineer who claims membership in the
Marine Eng neers' Association. Nearly eyery
pilot Oh the sound is member in good stand
Ing Of the brotherhood.
Speaking of the affair last evening Captain
o'brien. OF the Premier, said:
The chief enEiaeer ~ the Premier will be put
on daty tonight. and understand that several
others Will The eng, ueers have the right Of
sppeat IRON the local inspectors TO san Fran
cisco and from thence q Washington City. bat
thew have taken the position that tney have the
power, and that might Is right
Captain A. r. spsgldiBg, one of the leading
members OF the Puget sound uarbor OF Pilots,
said last evening;
We are satisfied that the engineers are wrong
S. tbls matter, else would not have taken the
hold stand THAI We have. he local INSPECTORS
cav NJ IL take away smiths license, anu they
also saw ns - Tgiustats MCAlpinv. Wc are
kAg~Geu gth their decision Aui ace no reason
why the cuEueers Should not DC. The Union
Pacific Company : satisfied with Captain Nc
Alpine aud Is Wt.l.hc AZ any time - give him
employment, l-t 10 Kept from doing so by the
boycott placed eu liin We have learned that
Ale Marine Engineers Association IS uot = uuit
by any III eaus in tHls roHtter. TIE association
IL controlled oy .ot ot men, most If whom at,
ctsitAej oy the letter class ul engineers, aud
wiz are nearly q ogt 81 employment
a week sgo u committee OF pilots from the
brotherhood MSS sent 90 ths assoc. siinn to en-.
deaNur 10 eject sttt.eme8t The committee
not even treated glNitiy. v hsn the 4gus-
ton az settiem-ut - - hrsuot 81 they said.
III ibat = u haI soa cafas here ior, YOU had
better So home, for s.! the arguing Ia the world
won't change oar Intentions. The r+iet mas
gone forth and mas, stand Nc are 40 strong Z;
~t have might aud W.. have right"
that - the way t5ey u sea. ~ could get m
satisfaction frsJn them, and 80 have concluded
- stand IL no longer.