The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-18

4hto +s+Asts
wanna Men FolIow-A Bad State Of
Afairs-Tho Railroads Charged
with Burning Their Own Cars.
BUFFALO, N. Y, August 1s.-1:5o a.
m.-The Lake Shore switchmen have
lust quit work. A gang OF them were
seen and said they had been ordered
out and that the Lackawanna switch
men will follow them in less than half
an hour. A telephone message fiom
tho Eleventh precinct states that the
men in East Buffalo Lake Shore yards
are also out. This is confirmed by
other railroad men.
BUFFALO, N. Y, August 17-This is
to-day freight beleaguered town. The
pulse OF railroad commercial business
has stopped and tho wheels Of business
are clogged and clotted with accumu-
lated and accumulating treights. Peo-
pie who assume familiarity with the
symptoms of great strike movements
are grave Of manner and speech. They
shake their heads and smilein awearily
derisiye sort Of fashion when some sam
Cuine person announces that the strike
will be short lived. Those who see the
militia on duty and 60 away with con-
yiction that now all will be oleaginously
peaceful, are regarded as hamboyant
optimists. Others, still, who hear that
TIE state arbitration board is here, and
then 70 about their affairs, with the be.
lief that all will now be adjusted, are
slow to perceive or too quick to con-
Clude.
The fact is believed to be this: That
with the strike Of the New York Cen
trail men at midnight the forces OF the
workmen are now only just enlisted.
They have really yet to be drawn up in
line so that they themselves as well as
their opponents may see their size and
shape. The development of strength
is probably yet to come. twill be re-
called that the Central men struck and
were defeated two years ago. Anybody
who knows anything about labor move.
ments does not need to be told that the
Central switchmen would not go into
another strike soon without there being
concerted plan arranged and a deter.
mination to fight pitched battle Tor
supremacy.
GOOD GExERAIsHIP.
The mon have driven the wedge at
the most critical period, and whoeveris
responsibletor themovementhass shown
generalship OF no mean order. 1t is the
opening day OF the fair, and every road
coming into the union depot had
from one to five special excur-
sion trains scheduled for the day.
II requires five switch engines 70 make
up the passenger trains IN the ex-
change street station under ordinary
circumstances and on an occasion like
the present, twice that number would
be required to handle the business.
Down in the great yards four miles
away, thesldlers are thick. They. per
colate the long line OF cars. in and out,
through and back, seeing all they can,
learning all they may. The troops are
stationed along the tracks Of the vari.
Gus lines. They are not yet accustomed
to thedutv and the feeling Of, nervous
apprehension lesi they may be obliged
suddenly to kill mon has not yet worn
away. Their faces arc earnest, and
where the crowds are thick, white and
determined. On the great coal trestles
and on the tops OF cars, are strikers,
and others keep their lookout and pass
their signals.
SWEENEY TALKS.
Latc in the afternoon Masrer Work.
man Sweeney of tho switchmen, in an
interview, made some serious allega-
tions. Said hc: "You may say that
tho switchmen are not only not to
blame for the acts Of the disorders that
have been committed, but that they
have not sanctioned them in any way.
The best proof Of this Is there have
been mono OF thcm arrested on any
such charges.
"Thcre Is a great deal under tho sur.
face in this matter which 1t would sur
prise you to learn. You are aware that
the Reading and Erie systems and their
dependencies arc highly unpopular
among the working classes because OF
their treatment OF their men.
~Thoy treated their men like dogs
and Mcleod, tho president OF the road,
oven declined to see the committee OF
tho organization which went to him.
He was asked to give only 80 much as
five minutes, but declined.
"W hen the frat oil this strike came 1t
became necessary somehow orother, to
divert public sympathy from the stri-
kera. Railroad lawyers and railroad
managers are no iools, and they devised
means BY which they got the sympa-
thy and put the strikers in the hole.
The stfikers did not set those cars on
fire Thutaday mo rning."
4 SERIOUS CHARGE.
''Do you mean to insinuate these
roads had these cars set ontire-barned
their own propertyp was asked, and
Air. Sweeney aaid; ~ have heard Just
the rumor going about, nothing less. It
Is we'll known that the cars burned
were condemned, abandoned old hulks
shnnted onto grass-gIown sidings out
in Cheektowaga and left there TO rot
We can furnish evidence that they
were abandoned and yalueless old
Cars.n
aWhat is the attitude OF your organi-
iatlon and lie Buffalo members toward
the militia2 Are they friends or foes?"
Friends, replied the maRter work.
man promptly.
.'Will you aid rather 4 than hinder the