Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-23
LABOR CHIEFS TO MEET
A Conference Brimful of I'm.
port to the Switchmen.
IT WILL KILL OR HELP THE STRIKE

Unless the AmiIated Organizations Decide
to stop work the Present Struggle Il
Virtually over-aIore switchers Go Oui
Rather Than Handle Tabooed Freight
BUFFALO, Aug. 2s-This is the eleventh
day Of the switchmen's strike, andol'h
the refusal Of the Western New York ao
Pennsylvania men to handle freight receive
from the Central was emphasized by ski,
Eve men quitting work, it IS not behevee
much increased vitality is shown by thi.
action. True enough, the official ending
may be delayed yet another forty-cgli
hours, for no one expects Grand Master
Sweeney to make an official declaration Of
failure until after the conference Of the
chiefs Of the leading orders, which viii be
held as soon as they can get together. The
switchmen's effort has been failure foI
several days and is so regarded in the cou-
sentative Judgment Of impartial observers.
Grand Master Sargent, Of the locomotive
fremen, did not attend any meeting last
night, although regular meeting Of FIRE
men was held. IL is understood on good
authority that Mr.. Sargent does not appear
inclined to call ont his men, and declares
that il they should go out photographers, en-
gineers, trainmen and others viii 60 ont.
There is an interesting report in circula-
tion to the effect that the fremen at their
meeting drew up a set Of grievances which
they will present to the railroads, and that
il they do not get their demands they win
an. L..
deny the truth Of the report.
''ro be or not 70 be" a general strike Of
all the allied organizations Of railroad ~
ployees is, therefore, the one and only con-
undrum yet TO be solved, and II n negative
decision is reached the strike OF l..- viii
vanish from view as a factor OF interest 20
the general public Of the country.
Beyond the daily instances of malicious
annoyance TO which the men now busy
moving trains have been subjected since
operations were resumed under protection,
the railroads are doing fairly normal
amount Of traffic. At least they are doing
as much as they can probably accomplish
with the many men green to the yards and
not OF the greatest experience, even when
judged by the class usually employed.
The Military situation.
In the military situation there is not ike
" to be any material change before Wednes-
day, for in spite Of the talk of sending
troops away there still seems to be plenty
Of picket duty TO be performed in protect
ing the supposed exposed points on the more
than coo miles Of tracks within the CITY
limits, 10 say nothing Of the coal trestle OF
the Lehigh and Lackawanna ia Cheekto-
waga, two or three miles beyond the eastern
limits.
The aggregate strength Of the commands
a. shown by the usual morning reports to-
day Is G, $50 men, divided among eight reri-
merts, the Albany battalion, thirty-one sep
arnte companies, cavalry troops, the Fifth
battery and the First brigade signal corps.
The gathering Of so large a part OF the
states forces at this point has called forth
suggestions that a review OF the men as a
whola would be OF value before they are
sent home.
While this would probably be as pleasing
20 Adjutant General Porter as TO any one,
the exigencies Of the case viii hardly per-
nit he says frankly he would like to ar
range such parade FOR Its moral effect, for
while the figures convey certain idea Of the
force, the distribution Of the organization
i such that they are actually lost in the
vast expanss Of territory gridironed with
tracks Desirable as il may be. perhaps, it
4 safe 70 say no general parade win be or
dersd.
Unless sooner ordered BY Governor
Flower, It is certain that as soon as be
thinks they can be spared General Porter
VII send the men home In detachments,
for he knows the Inconvenience and loss
that each member Of the guard is sus-
tanning in being absent from home aud
business under conditions ike the present
call
A General Strike Not Probable.
The homeward move may be ex-
pected as soon as the conference now on
the taps is concluSld, unless it should hap
pen that general strike IS ordered. SUCH
q conclusion seems illogical however. from
the very character Of the leaders who are
expected 70 consider the interests OF the
men.
Strand Master Sweeney, Of the switch.
men, viii not think it a pleasant thing 10
order switchmen out at other points with
out be is sure Of the support Of the other
organi sations
Grand Master Sargent who has been in
terviewed to death since his arrival from
Ierre Haute, has nothing to say in any
shape that win foreshadow the probable ac-
ton OF the fremen. He says there are /. zoo
members Of his order in this vicinity. and
disclaims anything Ike secrecy when a CON
riusion Is reached Hence, beyond a com
piimentary expression Of confidence in
Grand Master Sweeney, he seems TO give
the latter little encouragement Of ultimate
help.
Even should Sargent and Sweeney act to-
gether, IL is safe to assume that Grand
Chief Arthur, Of the engineers, and Grand
Master Clark, Of the conductors. win both
be against action that will involve their re-
spectiyo bodies in any position other than
that Of conservatives, for which their record
proven.
Hence, il the conference consists Of Eve
members and a majority vote is to rule. ii
g possible the attitude Of Grand Master S
D. Wilkinson, OF the trainmen, may be the
deciding factor. It is thought, however
het his natural position will be on the sid,
II the engineers and conductors. Al
aeither Of the latter bodies have any specia
grievances, arguments not now visible vii
most certainly have to be used before th,
battle royal between the roads and the mel
vii be on, though the roads would be gla,
20 have it out, now there has been begin
ling.
The Niagara Falls Strike.