Evening journal., 1892-08-25
THE BIG STRIKE ENDED
1t Is Officially Declared or BY
Grand Master Sweeney.
THE CONFERENCE DUG ITS GRAVE

None 81 the other Railroad Organization
Chiefs Would Agree to CAN the Men
Out and That settled It-Governor
Flower Issues a Proclamation.
BUFFALO, Aug 25.-The switchmen's
strike was declared of az midnight After
a fruitless conference with the leaders Of
the trainmen's, conductors and fremen's
orders Grand Master Sweeney has decided
to give up the battle
Chief Sweeney failed utterly TO secure any
allies at the conference Chief Sargent, Of
the tiremen; Chief Clark, Of the conductors,
and Chief Wilkinson, Of the traiumen, lis
tened to his arguments, which lasted Tor
three hours, and at the end of that time
tola Mr.. Sweeney as politely and kindly as
they could that he had failed TO demon
strate that the iiremen, conductors or train
men had any interest in the battle ana that
they would not take part IN it
Chief Arthur, 81 the locomotive engineers,
refused to be present. and that had much
70 do with the result. Messrs. Sargent,
Clark and Wilkinson have the greatest re-
spect for Mr.. Arthur's Judgment, ana they
were ready to believe with him that the
time has not yet come for ight on the part
Of organized labor against the corporations.
Admitted They Were Beaten.
Az the end Of the conference Mr.. Sweeney
retired from Room Is, Broezel House, which
+ occupied BY Mr. Sargent and where the
,hiefs met, greatly chagrined. He had, it IS
said, offered almost any terms for the sup.
81
men, He was ready, he said, to enlist tho
witchmen in the cause Of their organi1..
lions at any point in the country if they
would only support him now.
Chief Sargent was very conservative. He
said that what was wanted was a grand
federation OF railroad employees and that
until it was formed the switchmen had bet
ter all go back to work
Grand Master Clark, OF the conductors,
gave as his opinion that the railroads ware
moving freight, and that the switchmen
had shown their inability to make a fight
alone, and they had failed to demonstrates
that they had deserved any help at this
stage from the other orders They went in
Tor a single handed fight and lost it. Il
was too late to bring in other orders on the
question Of principle.
After this result Of the conference Mr..
Sweeney had nothing 20 do but declare the
strike OF. He called meeting of the OIL
sials Of the order here at the Genesee House
10 hear his report on the opinions Of the
other grand masters Master Morarity, Of
Lodge 3D. the local organization Of the
switchmen, was Ia attendance with three
9f the officers Of the lodge. They talked the
situation over and had 20 admit that they
were beaten.
The strike Declared on.
The statement OF the end Of the strike
made verbally by Grand Master Sweeney
was in substance as follows; "The duly au-
thorized committee declared the strike on
az midnight and ! have sanctioned their
decision. Five hundred and fifteen switch
men cannot cope with twelve big railway
corporations aud 5000 militia and succeed
We have made a strong fight and lost.r
Asked If he had anything to say ia regard
TO the failure OF the other organizations 70
come to the aid OF the switchmeu, Sweeney
replied: Let them speak for themselves
have nothing further 70 say
As other questions were about 70 be asked
Mr.. Sweeney a member OF the committee
with whom the grand master had been con
sulting created a small sized sensation by
saying; u want TO say right here that the
brakemen, trainmen and freinen refused TO
give Us any help. My name is Barrett and
you can say 1 said so.n
During this brief but emphatic speech
Mr.. Sweeney and Others present tried to
keep the indignant brother quiet, but he
had his say.
When asked to give his views on the pos.
sihility that the present strike may lead TO
renewal Of the Federation Of Railway EN-
ployees Mr.. Sweeney declined to say any
thing further, IN this respect following the
lead Of other executives, who when asked
the same question after the afternoon con
Terence, simply answered that "the future
was discussed
As soon as the news began TO spread over
the city, which il did very rapidiv. there
was general rejoicing. The immediate
withdrawal Of the troops is not expected,
as it win take more or less time for a com.
plete restoration of quiet and cessation of
the guerrillalike attacks TO which the non
union men and soldiers have been sub
iected.
The militia Jubnant
A reporter for the United Press was in
General Porter's apartments at the Iroquois
hotel when the news was brought him that
the strike had been declared on. His face
beamed, as did those of the other officers
who were present.
How about withdrawing the troops now,
generalF was asked
I'VE shall recall them as soon as possible.
The situation viii be thoroughly looked
over and preparations viii at once be made
to send the troops to their homes
L was the unanimous opinion Of an pres.
ent that the troops should be recalled as
fast as the railroad and other facilities would
permit; that there is no use of keeping them
here any longer The opinion was also
unanimous that no troops should be re-
moved from their posts last night Trouble
was feared not from the strikers, but from
the bum element, which might take this
last opportunity to try and get the best OF
the troops
General Doyle was Of the same opinion as
General Porter-that the sooner the troops
were recalled the better, now that the
cause for their preserve Is a thing Of the
past Every one 1T military headquarters
was Jubilant General Doyle and all fee
that the troops have had a hard time Of II
and have well earned a respite.
FLOWERS PROCLAMATION.
New Korkis Governor Issues "A Warnino