St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-09
STRUCK As ORDERED.
Many Silent Sounds Along
the Lines OF the Rock
Island.
Railroad Officials Say Only
a Few Left Their
Keys.
Nearly a Clean Sweep Made
Along the Roads Western
Divisions.
Iowa Central Operators Obey
the Order Almost With
out Exception.


total of 6S5 employed by the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific railway, stopped
work promptly at 10 o'clock this morn
ing in obedience to the order of Grand
Chief Ramsey, of the Order of Railway
Photographers. So say the representa-
tives of the telegraphers at their head
quarters in the Palmer house. Gen
eral Manager st. John, OF the Rock
Island road, however, ridicules this
statement, and says he has no advices
of any of the men having gone out. He
says he notices no difference in the
operation of the Rock Island system,
and belittles the value of the operators
services by claiming that the road could
easily get along with one-third of the
force that was on duty yesterday.
BY noon messages began to come to
the operators headquarters bearing
news of walk-outs along the line. Our
reports from along the line are as yet
rather crude" said one of the Off
GERS of the local lodge of the o. r. r.,
''5ut | can truthfully say that nearly
every one Of our SO men left work today.
the system. We fear nothing from the
commercial operators, who can i'll afford
to be called "scabs." The situation
really looks bright for us. Operators
are scarce in the West and the demand
is greater than the supply"
Denounced the Committee.
General Manager st. John still claims
that the committee of the telegraph
operators is a self-apponted one and
does not represent a majority of the
telegrapherS employed by the Rock
Island road, 1--WE certainly will refuse
to treat with q self-appOinted COM
mittee that does not represent a ma
jority,' he said "If they, at any
time show that they represent a major
ity, we will treat with them until
doomsday, If necessary, as we have
always done. That we do not mss the
men who have left their keys l will
prove to you if you choose 10 send a
message to any Western Union station
on our line with orders to have it re-
peated via Rock Island wire to this
office. The answer will await you
here" Mr.. st. John believes that many
of the operators will fulfill their obliga-
ton to the o. r. L. by going out today,
then resign from the order and return
to work tomorrow.
An incident developed in connection
with the strike today is the possibility
of the operators being joined by other
railroad labor organizations. Mr.. Ram
say and several of his colleagues paid
visit to swtchmen's headquarters.
While no details as to The re-
suit of the conference were
made public. it is understood
generally that the meeting was
one OF the most friendlieSt kind,
and that whatever action may be neces-
sary on the part of the sWitchmen 10
help their brother laborerS will be
forthcoming and readily performed.
Mr.. Ramsay had also several telegraphic
communications from the chiefs of the
various railroad orders, all dealing with
the question OF the strike. 1t IS thought
the chiefs will pay visit to Mr.. Ram
say within the next two or three days.
Notwithstanding the claim of the
company that it has lost only forty
men, it was today endeavoring to OBJ
tain 200 operators. CHIEF Ramsay de-
clared tonight that if the road employed
non-union men it would simply force
strike upon other branches of the road,
as the men would not consent TO work
with non-union operators.
Iowa Central Operators obey
DEs MONIES, Dec. S.-The operators
on the Rock Island went out this morn
ing at 10 O'Clock. New operators have
been obtained for important points, but
at all small stations the service is cut
off. The officials of the road are hunt
ing for operators here to send to the
various stations, but they are very
hor n n
orators sympathIZe with the strik
ing men. Supt. Stillwell, of the Rock
Island railroad, says there has been no
serious interference with the running
of trains, except in the case OF special
freights. The operators affected on the
Iowa Central number about seventy
five, and almost without exception they
obeyed the order to quit work. The
strikers are as confident as the railroad
officials. They say no tirst-clasS oper-
ators will take the vacant places what
ever they may think of the strike.
On the division Of the Rock Island
road between here and Fort Dodge only
four telegraphers are at the keys. Train
service is considerably crippled by the
strike. w. p. Ward, superintendent for
the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & North
ern, says tonight that not an operator
ponse to the order sent out by Grand
Chief Ramsey. of the telegraphers, this
morning. and he is confident none of
them will All operators on the DeS
Moines Valley division of the Rock ISL
and went out this morning. Trains
are moving, but not on time.
Council Bluffs Is division headquarters
on the Rock Island. and the train dis
patchers at that point control all east
and west bound business. The dis
patcher's office is not affected by the
strike, because but few operators belong
to the o. X. r. The yard office. how
ever, is closed, and all orders to the men
are being handled through the dis
patcher's office. All yard operators are
0. r. L.
Completely Tied Up.
KANSAS CITY, Dec. S.-Despite all re-
ports to the contrary, the Rock Island in
all the territory adjacent to Kansas City
is completely tied up. Every operator
in Kansas City, st. Joseph, Topeka.
Wichita and all the more important
points, so far as can be heard from, is
out with the exception of Lingenfelde-
ter, at Topeka, who is the assistant
superintendent of telegraph for the
Western division, and young lady at
Wichita. The Rock Island haS no direct
line into Kansas City. Trains from
the North and East come in
over the Burlington, and traf-
fic to the West Is handled over the
Union Pacific as far as Topeka. Out OF
Kansas City the passenger trains went
all right today, and they will continue
to be, handled by the Union Pacific and