The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-08-23
GRAND MASTERS
CONFER TO-DAY
They Hold in Their Hands the
Fate of the Switch
mems Strike.
CHIEF SARGENT SAYS FlREMEN WILL
NOT GO IN ALONE.


President webb Goes Home--seversl
Men wounded Early This Morning in a
Fight Between Soldiers and Strikers--A
General Tie Up Not Looked FOr--All De-
psnds on the Meeting To-Day.
BUFFALO, N Y, Aug. 23.-The eleventh
day of the switchmen's strike is here,
and though the refusal of the Western
New York and Pennsylvania men yester-
day afternoon to handle freight received
from the Central was emphasized by So
men quitting work it is not believed much
increased vitality is shown by this action.
True enough, the official ending may be
delayed yet another "a hours for no one
expects Grand Master Sweeney to make
an official declaration of failure until af-
ter the conference of the chiefs of the
leading orders, which will be held some
time to-day.
A general strike of all the allied organi-
zatlons of railroad employees is, ii re-
fore the one and only oonundrum yet to
be solved, and if negative decision is
reached, the strike of 1892 will vanish
from view as a factor Of interest to the
general public of the country.
Even should Sargent and Sweeney act
together, it is safe to assume that Chief
Arthur, of the engineers, and Grand Mas
ter Clark, of the conductors, will both be
against action that will involve their re-
spective bodies in any other position
than that of conservatism, for which
their record is proven.
Hence if the conference consists of five
members and majority vote is to rule,
it is possible that the attitude of Grand
Master S. Il. Wilkinson, of the trainmen,
may be the deciding factor. 1t is thought,
however, that his natural position will
be on the side of the engineers and CON
ductors.
Beyond the daily instances of malicious
annoyance, to which the men now busy
moving trains have been subjected since
operations were resumed under protec-
! tion, the railroads are doing fairly nor
NAL amount of traffic. At least they are
doing as much as they can probably ac-
complish with green men.
So far all efforts to capture the train
wreckers who tried to throw Erie express
| train No / from the track eight miles
east of Alden, Saturday night, and partly
succeeded, have proven fruitless. Supt.
| Brunn has been investigating the case
and to United Press reporter early this
morning, he said:
''It was dastardly piece Of work and
| i am sure it was the work of strikers
| Who else would have any object in de-
railing our trains Not tramps, surely
| Not anybody not interested in seeing men
beat us in labor conflict because the
stockholders of this road like to operate
as they think best. l believe strikers are
responsible for the work and we intend to
find out.
| "Eour attempts were made to wreck our
trains last week, and the last one, Satur-
! day night, almost succeeded in throwing
one of the fastest trains on our line over
an embankment. That train was running
fifty miles an hour, and to have derailed
| it meant terrible loss OF life. Fortunate
| ly engineer Wyman had presence of mind
enough when he found his engine off the
| rails to apply the air brakes and thereby
| prevented the coaches from being over
turned. 1t is a miracle no lives were
lost.
Mr.. Webb of the Central was seen at
| the station just as he was about to board
a train for New York. He has performed
his mission to Buffalo and goes away with
the feeling that the strike is ended, so
far as the Central is concerned at any
rate.
Everything is satisfactory with us,
he said, smiling. "Our trains are run
ming on time and no trouble is expected.
As to the switchmen we have now, they
are good men; many of them are expert
enced already. It's all right now"
81 don't think it possible that a gener-
al strike will take place, said Mr. Webb,
'and that question is not worth discuss
ing. / can't see that these kindred
organizations have any grievance, at least
not on our road. No, do not think it
even probable that they will strike.n
Would you meet the issue in the same
way if it came as in the case of the
switchmenp
"There can be no answer to that ques-
tion because / do not think a general
strike will take place All l can say now
is that we are moving our freights regu-
larly under proper protection"
In the military situation there is not
likely to be any material change before
tomorrow, for in spite Of the talk about
sending troops away there still seems to
be plenty of picket duty to be performed
in protecting the supposed exposed points
on the more than 500 miles OF the tracks
within the city limits, TO say nothing of
the coal trestle of the Lehigh and Lacka-
wanna in Cheektowaga, two or three
miles from the eastern limits.
The homeward move may be expected
as soon as the conference ON the tapis is
concluded, unless it should happen that
a general strike is ordered Sucn a CON
clusion seems illogical, however, from
the very character of the leaders, who
are expected to consider the interests of
the men. Grand Master Sweeney, of the
i Switchmen, will probably not order
switchmen out at other points without he
is sure of the support of the other organi-
zatOns
General CONSERVATION was thrown into
the switchmen's camp last night by the
arrest of Joseph Heimerle, the recording
secretary and treasurer of Buffalo Lodge
No. 80, of the Switchmen's3 Mutual Aid
Association. Heimerle is looked upon as
one OF the most powerful men in the or
ganization, and so far during the strike
he has acted as a leader of the men when
Grand Master Sweeney and Master Mori-
urity were busy arranging for conferences
with the railroads and State Board of Ar
bitration and looking after the hundred
odd things that demanded their atten-
CiOn