The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1891-02-28
The Entire Working Force of
the Pennsylvania Sys-
tern Involved.
They Are Liable To Go Out In
a Body Almost at
Once.
An English Syndicates Plan for
Handling Dsfaultsd
Mortgages.

tions are that . general strike OF the en-
ployes Of the entire Pennsylvania sys-
tenn cannot be avoided. The recent con
ference between General Manager Wood,
General Superintendent Watts, Of the
Northwest system and General Snperin-
tendent Miller. vl the Southwest system.
and oil division superintendents Of the
Pennsylvania company has been con
Guided. The general result of this con-
ference Ia well understood by the general
grievance committee of more than 100
men who are here negotiating with the
company In the interests OF the union
employees OF all operating departments.
This conference did not consider the
question Of o general advance OF wages.
IL was confined 10 the eQualizatiog Of
operating expenses on every division OF
the system. The result OF this work Is .
slight advance In wages To few and a
reduction to others. In no sense, how
ever. does IL offer a general advance. In
fact, neither the wages. schedules, nor
their bases are altered.
Since no general advance In wages IL
granted the men will not accept the off,
cials' adjustment of the grievances.
They were told week ago In the COM
pany's general reply to bill citing les
grievances and asking for q general ad-
vance of pay that no advance would be
allowed. but that local grievances, con-
templating an equalization OF work ON
oil dIvisions, would be adjusted.
The grievance committee has waited
for the completion of this work. and now
that II knows that no advance IL allowed
IL openly declares nothing less will be
accepted; that the company may rs well
have forgone It's work and that q strike
Ia now only question of . short time.
Until this time neither General Manager
Wood nor General Superintendent Watts
feared any such action on the
part of the men. They now be-
lieve the situation is alarming.
When they learned that 3 company
of forty engineers representing this
class Of employees from Jersey City TO
Chicago and the southwest, approved OF
the action Of the employees OF the other
branches OF the service and voted to act
with them, they admitted that appear
snces are decidedly wArlike. Under no
circumstances. however. will they -.
cede from their determination TO grant
no advance In wages. Mr.. Watts says
II they must fight there Is no better time
for IL than now. Until the engineers
took the action noted above the officials
did not believe they would coalesce with
the other branches In attempting TO Sc
cure IN advance. and from this belief
argued that no strike could be success
full or OF long duration without their CO.
operation. The company Is dismayed at
this turn OF affairs.
The engineers authorize the statement
that the work of equalization on the
part OF the company Is equivalent 70 cut
ting down at one point and filling up at
another aud will not be satisfactory,
aud that unless clear advance Is
granted, merchants, shippers and the
company will be given four days notice,
which they consider Is ample time for
preparations.
The employees concerned in this trouble
are the engineers, Brotherhood OF Rail
way Conductors, hremen, trainmen or
brakemen. The employees OF the last
three branches OF the service ana the
switchmen have separate brotherhood
organizations. bat they are federated,
and, together with the order of railway
conductors, constitute the United Order
OF Railway Employees. The grand Off
GERS OF these FIVE organizations are the
supreme council of the entire organiza-
tion, with undisputed and sole jurisdic-
tion over the entire body. The constitu.
tion of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Engineers does not permit federation,
but sanctions coalition with the other
branches on any one system where the
engineers committee Of system votes
30 TO do Affirmative action of the en-
gineers' committee In this case Is mat
ter OF great Importance. IL Is the first
time In wears, IL ever before, they have
acted with all other employees The
switchmen, for all that organization pre-
sented no grievances, will be called ou'
10 support the other members OF the
united order
Similar grievances and demands u
those before the Pennsylvania company
sSe ready for presentation To the Penn
svlvania railroad officials, but are with
held. This fact, however, will In nowis'
interfere with.& strike on all the line
east OF P.ttsburg. for the reason. th'
men explain, that, since George X. Rob
erts Is president Of both the Pennsyl
vania company and Pennsylvania rail
road company, cause for action agains
one is ample grounds for proceeding
against the other. The next move OF tn
men will be 10 call the supreme council
here and to place their entire affairs Y
its hands. This will probably be don