Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-09-09
STRIKERS HAVE LOST,
LEADER SWEENEY GIVES UP
THE STRUGGLE
The fositive Refusal OF Leaders OF the
Other Railroad Organizations to Aid
Them Results In = Victory for tho
Railroads.

Other Railroad Organ ixations to Aid
| Railroads.
BUFFALO, N. y, Aug. 26.-Thc
switchmen's strike is ended. 1t was
declared off by Grand Master Sweeney
at midnight after an extended consul
tation with a duly authorized commit
tee. The result could not have been
otherwise. Messrs. Sargent, Wilkin-
son and Clarke, heads of the firemen's
trainmen's and conductors organiza-
tions, at tho conference held in the
afternoon positively refused to take
any hand in the trouble, saying that
their men had no grievances. This
killed all hope of further resistance.
As Mr.. Sweeney put it SIS switchmen
could not fight 5000 militia and the
combined forces of seven railroad cor
porations.
A meeting of tho executive commit
tee of the local Switchmens union was
called for o'clock in Mr.. Sweeney
rooms at the Genesee house. Five
|
Local Master Moriarty, filed into the
room. and until 1l:l5 O clock discussed
the situation. Messengers were kept
busy, and at least a dozen tele-
grams wero sent and delivered.
At 10 o'clock Mr.. Nioriarty an
nounced that everything depended
on the receipt of an important message.
II came ut IL o'clock and twenty
minutes later the door, the keyhole of
which was carefully plugged, was
opened and the waiting newspaper
men were admitted. Mr.. Sweeney was
in his shirt sleeves, so were the men,
bers of the committee. All counter
ances showed plainly the decision
that had been reached.
You need not ask any questions"
said Mr.. Sweeney, "because shall not
answer them will just make a short
statement to you. 1t is this:
"a conclusion has been reached by
this duly authorized committee, whose
names |, of course, shall not give YOU
They have decided to end this trouble
and l have sanctioned the action they
have taken. Five hundred and fifteen
strikers cannot fight 5000 militia and
the combined forces of seven railroad
organizations. The strike will be
is the sensible course to pursue That
is all. will say, however, that be-
lieve we had an honest cause if ever
men had"
You can say" broke in one of the
committee, that the"
"Iush, hush," said Mr.. Sweeney
MY name is Barrett" said the man,
who became extremely excited at the
interruption, land you can use 1t and
say from me that the fremen refused
to interfere, and that's why
You let the firemen and trainmcn
talk for themselves" broke in Sweeney
with emphasis, which showed he
meant that that ended the converse
! ton, and it did.
The news that the strike was off, al
though expected, was received with
manifestations of approval all over
.~.". Tho --11:~-.~ = 49, J.,,,;I.,,t ~ ~ 9,
prospect of going home. The railroad
officials of course are the happiest, but
all they will say is, 1--WE expected it. ;"
1t is likely that only half of the
strikers will secure work. The Lack
awanna men will all be taken back,
those on the Buffalo, Rochester and
Pittsburg will be equally lucky, but the
former employees of the New
York Central will have to find
work elsewhere. Nice-President Webb
said last week that this road never
discharged a man who took the place
of striker. The same rule applies to
the Lake Shore. The Buffalo Creek
and Lehigh will in all probability re-
instate some of the strikers and SO NAV
the Nickel-Plate. When the news of
Grand Master Sweeney's action reached
Gen. Doyle he sent the information to
to Gen. Porter, who replied that it was
too late at night to issue any orders
for the withdrawal of the troops, but
that orders would be issued in the
morning and the homeward movement
of troops begun.
Mr.. Sweeney reluctantly gave up
the contest. When he saw that moth
ing was to be gained he withdrew and
left the hotel by a side entrance.
/ After the conference Mr. Sargent said:
MY position is the same that il was
before the meeting. The firemen are
not bound to the switchmen by any
confederation. 1t is highly probable.
however, that the confederation will
be renewed now. If it had existed the
strike would never have been ordered.
A confederation prevents action aris-
ing from impulse or misjudgment. Our
aim is to prevent strikes just as much
as it is to cause them"
f. C. Clarke and S. f. Wilkinson
said: There will be no sympathetic
strike. AS long as the railroad officials
do not attempt to interfere with our
men we will not interfere How could
we strike when we have nothing to
strike for? The difficulty win not be
without its good effects. 1t has taught
the switchmcn lesson and it will
teach the railroads lesson. The great
est good that may come of the affair
will be that it may lead to a renewal of
the confederation of labor organiza-
tons on the railroads involved"
"Will your action end the strikeo"
well, answered Mr.. Clarke. sit is
A bad thing to keep several hundred
men idle when the railroads show that
IL. II