Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-12-10
CONFER IN SECRET.
Chiefs of the TeIeGraphists and
the Trainmen.
HELP WANTED FOR THE STRIKERS.

Negotiations the object OF Which Is to
Make the Trouble on the Rock Island
General If s.. John Continues Obdurate
Cold Wator Thrown on the Scheme by
official of the switchmen-Both Par
ties Continue to Claim the Advantage
so Far-The Strike Notes.
CHICAGO, Dec. 10-In connection with
the Rock Island strike the most important
development # yesterday was the confer
ence held at the Sherman house between
Chief Ramsey, of the Order Of Telegraphers;
Chief Wilkinson, of the Trainmen, and
Chief Clark. Of the Order of Railway Con
ductors. The conference was secret, and
| that some serious step was considered is
evidenced by the persistent refusal of the
gentlemen who were present to reveal any
thing as to its nature or conclusion. Chief
Ramsey left the Palmer House at 9 o'clock
alone, and went Immediately to the Sher-
| man House where he was met by Wilkin-
son and CLARK and representative of tie
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. TIE
| consultation, which took place in the club
room, lasted till close upon > o'clock.
Considered General strike.
At its conclusion Ramsey when qucs-
TONED rs to its object and possible results,
absolutely declined to discuss the subject
! One of the officials, however, acknowledged
that it was called together for the purpose
| Of considering whether or not strike Of
| the switchmen, fremen, engineers and con
| ductors was advisable "You may state"
| he said, "that while>we have not reached
any decision 20 go into effect at once. the
| Representatives of the orders mentioned
were favorably inclined TO tine idea, and
that if the REX Island company should
succeed in replacing our men by non-union
hands to any large extent strike among
the members of the various railroad or
| CARNATIONS on the line is inevitable"
| How Ii Nay Be Brought About.
! Additional Importance is given to the
conference referred to by TIE fact that the
committee received a telegram from Wich-
ita, Kan, stating that seven conductors
had been unceGemoniously dismissed from
the service. The dispatch did not state the
details as to the cause of the dismissal, but
the committee presumes that the action of
the company was due to the refusal on the
part of the conductors to take orders from
the new hands employed. Those in the
best position to judge of affairs declare that
if the strike of the telegraphers continues
1t Will be but a question of time till a
strike among the other railroad men fol-
lows. The engineers, conductors, liremen.
etc, find ample reason for "a strike in the
declaration that it will rot be safe to run
their trains on dispatches received from
the incompetent" operators whom they
allege the company has engaged,
Facts Stin ut Loggerhcads.
The possibility of the other railroad en-
iployes walking out is practically the onlv
change in the condition of affairs so far.
While the company states emphaticaIlv
that but few of their men have quit their
keys, Chief Ramsey and his colleagues as
sert with equal confidence that practically
every man has gone out, and these state
ments seem to be supported by the tele-
grams they are receiving from different
IpOintfOn the company's road. If the tele-
grams can be relied on the Rock Island is
suffering much more Inconvenience than
General Manager st. John is inclined to
admit For example, a telegram was re-
ceived from Troy, Kan yesterday after
noon, having evidently been sent by one Of
the striking operators, which read: "Just
heard message from Denverto Allen saving
no trains left there since p m. yesterday
on account of conductors and engineers
refusing ScaO orders. Everything iovelys
st. John Admits Nothing.
On the other hand General Manager St
John assured all comers that there was no
strike. awe are doing business as usual, n
sain he, "and we know nothing of strike
A few operators may have left their sta
tions, but we don't feel their absence, and
our trains, both passenger and freight, are
moving on schedule time, except when
snowstorms have caused delay We want
no operators, and have authorized no man
or agency TO engage operators for u.s."
Denial from Chief Ramsey.
With reference to dispatch from Den
yer stating that "A message was received
from the Chicago committee saying that
the switchmen would strike within "a
hours III Chicago, Kansas City, St. Joseph,
Denver and Omaha and all the principal
cities unless the difficulty was settled,
Chief Ramsey denies that any such tele-
gram was sent to any official at Denver
He points out, too, that Brennan, mentioned
as grand master of the Switchmen, holds
no such position and that therefore the tele-
gram is erroneous He cannot account for
its publication and cannot imagine its
origin. 1t is curious nevertheless that the
telegram contains certain information
which subsequently proved to be correct,
as for example the meeting between Viii
L. D..