Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-22
The STRIKE.
How the Atlantic and Pacific
Operators Won.
The History Of It's Origin and
Its Success.
The Strikers Carried Every Point
They Demanded.
Tho Omcfals Forced to Back DOWNFALL
the Railroad Men Gave the
Operators Practi-
cal Aid.
THE STRIKE.

cal Aid.
The following communication gives
an account of the recent strike of the
telegraph operators on the Atlantic and
Pacific rnilroad:
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Dec. 18, 1901.
EDITORS HERALD: Reading the off
ferent papers closely and finding so
many conflicting stories relative to the
dispatchers' and operators strike on the
Atlantic and Pacific railroad, l thought
you might be pleased to publish true
history of the trouble, therefore l take
the liberty to hand you the following
| facts:
Some nine days ago word was sent to
the operators along the line Of the At
lantic and Pacific railroad that j. G..
Muir and E. McCammon, train dis
patchers of the company, stationed at
Albuquerque, N. NJ, had been notified
by Mr.. A. Smith, superintendent of
transportation, to retire from the Order
of Railroad Telegraphers or leave the
service of the company. This request
being sent along the line from Albquer-
que, N. M, the operators Immediately
notified Messrs. Muir and McCammon
they would stand by them to the last.
Mr.. Smith, upon Tearing this was the
case, decided to take no further steps in
the matter before comforting with higher
authorities, which was done. He referred
the matter to Mr.. Gabel and the latter
gentleman referred the same to Presi
dent Marvel, who decided in favor of
Mr.. Smith. When this became known
a committee of the O. r. T., comprising
Mr.. Muir, of Albuquerque, N. M; Mr..
Gleason. of the Needles, CAL; Mr.. Sell
lers, of Ash Fork, Ariz., waited on Gen
eral Superintendent Gabel, on Satur-
day, December 18th, 1891 and asked if
the request to withdraw from the order
implied that they would be discharged
in case they refused to comply. Mr..
Gabel gave the committee letter over
his personal signature, of which the fol-
lowing is copy:
OFFICE OF GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT,
A. C p. r. R.,
ALBUQUERQUE, N. NJ, Dec. IL, '91.
NJ. W. Sellers, Chairman Committee, city:
DEAR SIR Mr.. Smith, our superin-
tendent of transportation, handed me
this morning statement from you set
ting forth that he had demanded from ].
G. Muir and Mr.. E. McCammon, train
dispatchers of this company, their re-
tirement from the Order OF Railway
Telegraphers, or they would be dis.
charged. Mr.. Smiths request to these
gentlemen to retire from this order was
authorized by me, and Mr.. Smith as
sures me that his request contemplated
IS
prefer that all of our dispatchers would
T., or any other order. for the reasons
explained to your committee, no dis
patcher, operator or any other employee
of this company, would be discharged
from our service solely because he is
connected with any order.
Yours truly,
Signed. T. r. GABEL,
General Superintendent.
Mr.. Gabel also explained that all OF
the company's train men were members
of some order, and that the Atlantic and
Pacific had as good and as loyal body
of men as could be found in the United
States. This appears to be perfectly
satisfactory SO far as it goes. but that
there was threat made against all OPP
the request and remained i'll the Order
of Railroad Telegraphers, there is no
question. A request to leave the Order
of Railroad Telegraphers was simply
polite way OF informing them their SER
vices would not be further required.
The committee presented schedule
of wages, rules and regulations, and de-
manded that the same be signed, and
gave the general superintendent until
Monday morning, December 14th, to
consider the matter.
Mr.. Gabel replied that as the schedule
contemplated an increase OF salary eX-
ceeding 500 per month, he did not feel
authorized to incur this expense without
first comforting with the Chicago office.
He opened correspondence Immediately
with the Chicago officials, but az the
matter was one ofsuch increase, it neces-
sarily required mature consideration;
this would take up considerable time in
the Chicago Office. At 10 o'clock Mon
day morning the committee again called
upon Mr.. Gabel for his final reply, and
were informed the matter would have
| to be referred to President Marvel. The
committee replied that they would ex-
| pect positive answer at II O'Clock
noon. At IL AS a. m. Mr.. Gabel sent
| for the committee and made another
| plea for time to confer with his superior
officers; he said the greater part of the
schedule was satisfactory, but the money
consideration would have to be referred
to President Marvel, and requested
time. The committee, however, gave
him but Is minutes to act, and promptly
at IL o'clock noon the wires spread the
news to quit. The reason that the
committee would not grant Mr.. Gabel's
request for more time was the company
would be enabled to run in ''scabs" to
take the place of the striking operators
and dispatchers.
The schedule demanded is in brief as
follows: No man to be discharged with
out a fair and impartial trial, drunken
ness excepted; each and every man to
stand for promotion according to ability,
etc. Chief dispatchers to receive $3.50
per month, dispatchers $125, and oper-
| ators $50 for twelve hours work and