The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-08-25
A GREAT RAILROAD sTRIK E
Its Success or Failure of Serious Importance
to Organized Labor.

its Success OF Failure of Serious Importance
to Organized Labor.
The switchmen's strike on the Lehigh Valley
and Erie at Buffalo, Waverly, and Sayreduring
the past week assumed alarming dimensions
On Wednesday the switchmen on che New
York Central went cut after committee had
waited on tho General Superintendent at
Buffalo for his final answer to their demands
The switchmen Of this road had been preparing
for q strike for some time, and desired 10.
heur system.
Representatives Of all the roads went before
Judge Green, at Buffalo, aud declared that
their property Was insufHciently guarded by
the troops already cut. and the Judge called
out the entire Fourth Brigade of the N. T..
n. g., comprising Is separate companies TN.
cluding . battery of 1,140 men. The 65th and
74tii regiments were already out guarding the
Lehigh Valley and Erie yards at East Buffalo
All the railroad property is now under guard.
Some of the trains were working with new
hands at the switches.
The West Shore switchmen at Buffalo next
went out, their demands being similar to those
of the Central men. Thon tire Rochester and
Pittsburg men struck. The next day virtually
all the militia in the State was put under arms
Later, an agreement was made with the R0ches-
ter and Pittsbnrg men, and they went to work.
The receipt of grain a$ Buffalo during the
preceding three days were nearly 3.5e0o00
bushels and 100000 barrels of -four, the largest
midsummer business known at this port. IF
everything we're running smoothly there would
have been no trouble in gstting rid Of this
amount of freight. but owing to the Central
being in the same predicament as the Erie
nothing could prevent a serious g!nt OF grain
in the Buffalo elevators and q detention OF YES
sells in the river All the freight traffic on the
Lake Shore was ehectually blocked, but the
Eric began to- move freight.
Adiutant-Generaf Porter was given authority
by Gov Flower to move what troops he con-
sidcred necessary. By Friday afternoon 5000
troops more were in and around Buffalo. At
this time the roads involved were: Erie, Buff
falo Creek, Lehigh Valley. New York Central,
West Shore, aud Nickel Plate.
Secret meetings Of the trainmen, hremen,
switehmeH, and engineers were held at various
hours, but no more violence was attempted.
Mr. Sweeney. the switchmen's leader, made an
attempt to secure arbitration. He addressed
letters to affected roads, reciting the history OF
the cause, aud offering to submit the matter to
the Judgment Of three men, one to be chosen by
each side and the third by these two.
The Erie responded with the statement that
the matter would be referred to dominant Off
cas of the road Tho Lake Shore disputed
allegations in Mr.. Sweeney's letter proposing
arbitration, and the Central made answer in
| terms sharply declining authorization, because
it is held by the road that it no longer has any
thing to arbitrate.
The effects Of the strike became visible in
outside cities. In New York the banks began
to be affected by reason Of the practice OF
western shippers to forward drafts on their
eastern consignees along with the bills of lad
ing, which drafts are payable through New
York banks, and also by virtue Of the practice
of lending money to consignees on such ship
ments While the goods are tied up in Buffalo
it is sometimes difficult for the New York mer.
chant to meet his obligations. The falling of
of the grain shipments affected the business
exchanges.
/ Here and there were . few collisions of little
Importance between non-unioH men and strik-
| ers or between the strikers and militia, but no
one WAS badly hurt, and the movements were
not concerted.
Meanwhile the roads had made such arrange.
ments that by Sunday they were moving COLI
siderable freight, and passenger trains lad been
moving all the time, with occasional delays.
Sunday night Grand Master Sargent. Of the
| Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, was called
from Terre Hauter to Buffalo. Past Grand
Chief Telegrapher Thurston WIS already there.
The firemen were now masters Of the situation,
and it was for Mr. Sargent TO say whether the
I strike should collapse ar spread TO proportions
involving immeasurable loss, not only to the
participants in the struggle but 10 the business
and commerce Of the country. For, il the fire.
men were to go out, the engineers, trainmen.
conductors, aud railroad telegraphers would all
strike. 1t had become question. so Mr.. sar-
gent declared, as to whether the railroad corpo-
| rations or the different bodies of organized
labor were TO succeed, and were the switcimciis
strike to fail it would be a serious blow to
organized labor interests.
This is the situation ut this writing. Sargent
will never consent to call the remeii out unless
all the other organizations go cut too. Aud
meanwhile, the railroads are handling more
traffic every day. and afairs are fast assuming
their ariginal cond iton.