The Russellville Democrat., 1891-05-21
SWITCHMEN LAID OFF,
Every Uaion Member sa the Hofzxlweatern
 Railroad Di<cfn nfEe6
NoN-unloN MEr sussTTurgD-
The Csup@ny Prv4pssss to Manage Its Own PropsrtY -Arhs Old Mon Com
 pDetely Surprised.

A Ctdicago special of the 14th says: This morning every union swikchman in the employ of the Northwestern railroad, not only in Chicago, but at every other point, was discharged This
 was done in order to carry out the company's resolve not to allow
 switchmen to interfere in the affairs of the raod and dictate as to the dis
 charge Of read masters, etc. For
 months the company has been preparing for battle, and has been hiring non-union switchmen all over
 the country. So quietly has it been doing this work that the union switchmen did not get an inkling un-
 til the very last mo-
 ment of what was going on. As soon as the local force was
 discharged 200 new men were ready
 to take their places at the switches.
 The new corners were, for the most part, experienced men, and, under
 the supervision of various division superintendents, had no trouble in doing the work. Each division su- perintendent had his crew of
 men, and went at work
 carefully and systematically. The result was that passenger and suburban trains, as well as all freight trains, came and went on schedule time. All live stock and perishable freight were also promptly handled and delivered. No violence was offered by the old men, who
 stood about in groups, watching the newcomers at their labors. Police
 men were stationed all through the yards and about the down town de- pots to prevent trouble. The North
 western officials are very confident of victory, while the discharged men are somewhat dazed at the turn of affairs, and have not determined upon policy. Dispatches from various points on the road tell of the discharge of switchmen and the hiring of new men. At Milwaukee twenty-five new switchmen took held and all trains are leaving on time. No trouble is reported there. North
 western officials state that for more than two years the situation regarding switchmen has been constantly growing worse. The men have not only struck frequently for trivial causes, seriously hinaering suburban trains at the busiest part of the day to the great inconvenience of thousands of people, but have number of times demanded the discharge of men who performed satisfactory work, and whose only fault was that they were not members of the Switchmen's 8 Union. Two months ago they de- manded the discharge of Yardmaster Frank McNerney, and to avoid trouble he was ostensibly
 discharged, but kept on the pay roll, and was this morning reinstated in his old position. General Manager Whitman says: ''The management
 has fully determined that tho state of affairs has gone far enough, and
 while it proposes to deal fairly and
 justly with all employees, and give fair and just considera-
 ton to any grievance properly presented, it also proposes to manage it's own property and it's own business in it's own way, and
 to place itself in a position where the public, which it serves, can be properly accommodated without
 being put to inconvenience and annoyance. All the rail- road companies favor the action of the Chicago x Northwestern and will come to it's support if neces- sary. It is understood that the switchmen on all the roads were preparing for general strike on June
 1, and it is thought they may change their minds ss the result of the stand