New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-23

GRAND MASTER SARGENT OF THE
FIREMEN REACHES THE SCENE OF
THE STRIKE-MORE SWITCH.
MEN AND THIRTY CAR
HANDLERS co OUT.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TkIBUNE.I
Buffalo. Aug. 22.-,Vhe Western New-York ana
Pennsylvania switchmen, slAty-ive in number.
went out on strike at o'clock this afternoon1
although they had the pay the Lehigh men had
been striking for. The cause Of the strike wa
an attempt to make them handle Central freight
Thirty car handlers employed the Lehigh
trestle on the water front stopped work this
afternoon, and told the yardmaster they would
not resume until the grievance Of the switchmen
was settled The men were not dissatisfied with
their condition
The constant pressure brought on the Lacka-
wanna switchmen has brought them to the ragged
edge again. They refused this afternoon TO
handle consignment Of Lehgh Valley freight
which came down the lake. although an attempt
was made to deceive them By copying the bills oi
lading and making them ont in care Of the LackS
wanna instead of the Lehigh
At midnight it is stated that it has practically
been settled to hold conference "Wednesday
between heads OF all the railroad labor orders.
This is quite likely to result in calling out Of
all men in these orders
Trouble is brewing in Rochester, and Mr.. Webb,
third vice-president of the Central, has gone down
there, and the 18th Regiment, of Brooklyn, a
under orders to leave for there at once.
The switchmen are making one last
effort and it is bag one. At
Grand Master Swecney's urgent request, Grand
Master Sargent, of the Brotherhood of Firemens
rose from n sick bed Terre HATE. Ind. and hur
ried east arriving here this morning, looking pale
and worn. lie closeted for several hours
with Sweeney ut the Droc7el. Nothing can be
done in the way of conference" he remarkedI
until the arrival of the other grand officers in
vted by Mr. Sweeney
WHO are those officers?'
Grand Chief Conductor +. f. Clark, Of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa; Grand Master S. f. Wilkinson, OF
Galcsburg Ill.,, of the Brotherhood Of Railroad
Trainmen, and Chief p NJ. Arthur, of Cleveland.
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
Mr. Sargent said the tremen would not be
ordered out alone, but would go il other railway
trainmen engineers and telegraphers
STRUGGLE FOR sELFPREsERvATIoN.
"Thc public have a wrong impression in this
natter said he, and the papers have been mis-
leading them. The papers have been talking
of the hremen as though they were going to go
out as separate body; that is not so they viii
not go out alone
what is the grievance of the fremen in this
city?'
"They have none that know Of. But 1t Is
now question as TO whether the railroad corpora
tions or the different bodies of organized labor
are TO succeed Suppose that the swtchmen are
defeated in this Straightforward then? In tho
future whenever the fremen, engineers or any
other order of railroad employees 60 to the raliroid
corporations with reqnests or grievances they VIII
simply be ignored. 1t will he a sympathetic strike
altogether-a struggle between the railroad cor
porations and organized labor. II the switchmen
are defeated at this time it is serious blow 10
organized labor II they are supported and MAN.
taned by their brother organizations and carry
their point it will tend to give the organizations
their rights in the future You might say IL u
purely struggle for selfprcservatIon'
How many tiremen are there in the immediate
locality Of Buffalo on the roads centerine In
Buffalo,"
neighb OF l,20G."
In the case of the 6remen going out do YOU
think the roads could get new men enough Ia
operate their lines
NO. | do not Business is good, and the coun-
try is not overstocked with skilled railroad meu
out OF jobs
How soon will it be determined what action
will be taken?'
THAT | can't tell Mr. Sweeney has sent for
the executives of the various orders OF railroad
employees, and after conference has been held
il will be known. But let me assure you that
before the fremen go out certain railroad DILL
cias will know it, and probably the public as
well. Our order is well organized and we do
business in a business-like manner"
CAME IN RESPONSE TO MR.. swEENEYs CALL
The mucll-soughtafter labor leader is stout
thick-set man of about forty years. lie spealn
steadily and distinctly. after the manner of man
who is accustomed to see his words reappcar In
print.
Did You come in response TO a request from
Grand Master Sweeney or from one Of your local
organizations {"
" | come in answer 10 message received from
Mr. Sweeney, which reached me at IL o'clock yes
terday morning, requesting me TO come here AZ
once and meet him and the chief executive OF the
other railroad organizations in conference"
What position will you take if requested to
order strike Of the frcmen?'
II order strike of the iremen.' said tho
Grand Maser slowly and cplhatically. :" 1t will 10
in conjunction with the Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive Engineers; the 81 otherhood Of Railway Train
men, the Brotherhood Of Railway Conductors aud
the Order of Railroad Telelraphers.
Then there vii, not be an isolated strike Of
the firemcn?"
NO: YOU can deny that the firemen going
into this strike. except as part Of 4 column COM
posed of the other railway organizations do