The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-20
The Locomotive Firemen De-
eide to Abandon Engines.
ENGINEERS MAY QUIT. TOO.
Seven Thousand Militiamen at Buff
falO, Yet Trains Are Not Running.
the Soldiers BE Taken Awsy-Chief
Arthur Leaves for the scene-Rail.
roads Refuse to Arbitrate.

CHICAGO, Aug. 1e-secretary sirusrall. OF the
Switchmens union, received a telegram today
from Grand Master Sweeney saying that If the
railroad succeeded in moving trains in the East
he would order out all the men on Western
lines, but only as a last resort. Secretary
Sirusrall says:
As long as the situation in Buffalo remains in
ne present shape there will be no general strike
ortcced along the entire lines of affected roads
Even in case the companies should succeed in
raising the blockade at Bnffalo with non-unou
men no strike will be ordered until decided
upon in a msss-neeting OF all the local unions
From the present indications am inclined 10
think there will be no necessity for such move,
as the roads will give in.
ELMIRA. n. Y, Aug 1a-Sixty-five men were
brought here this morning and put to work.
After working several hours they quit, saying
they would not take the strikers places. An
attempt to move trains at Waverly met with
resistance, and the Twentieth separate company
and Sixth battery, of Binghampton, were
ordered there
TORONTO, Aug. 10. - Chief Arthur, of the
Brotherhood OF Engineers, was called to Buffalo
by telegraph this morning, owing to the possi-
bility of the engineers becoming involved in
the switchmen's strike.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. l9-An echo of the switch
mems strike at Buffalo has reached st. Louis,
and the switchmen on the Big Four road are un-
easy. The Big Four is the only one OF the Van
switchmen told an Associated Press reporter
this evening that the men were all ready to go
out as soon as word was given to tie-up every
Eastern road entering St Louis
BUFFALO, Aug. 19.-Unless new complications
develop before tomorrow morning in the switch
mems strike by the result of the efforts of the
railroads, tomorrow shall be judged the status
of the strike. The companies claim they have
sufficient men to operate the roads if proper
protection 10 given them. Two thousand troops
were ordered out, but on the claim that they
were not sufficient 5000 more were ordered and
are here. Their assignment to duty at all
points where the companies feel there might be
danger has been going on today and tonight
Every command has been assigned to duty.
Careful inquiry has demonstrated beyond
doubt that the companies have sufficient men
to man the roads. To be sure, the strikers say
the men being held in readiness are restrained
from liberty. and also that the men were hired
to work on Western roads. and
did not know they were expected to
work on the tied-up roads in Buffalo. If these
allegations are true the men may desert upon
the first opportunity. 1t is not deemed prob
able, however, that such defections would con-
stitute more than small minority of those now
waiting to work. The Lake Shore has enough
men in the yards tonight to man the usual
number Of switching engines. The Erie today
moved dye trains, and have In quarters moro
than the number of men usually employed.
The second feature OF the strike is, what can
and will be the next stroke of the leaders
against the railway interests? Efforts are being
strongly pushed toward withdrawal from work
of the fremen or trainmen, or both. secret
meeting of five local lodges of fremen was
held tonight About go men were in
attendance, representing all the lodges
In the city, as well a. the
different roads. The trainmen and
conductors brotherhood were represented by
delegates. As result of the meeting it can
now be said almost certainly that the locomo-
tive firemen on the Lehigh, Erie, Lake Shore,
West Shore and Central roads will go out be-
tween o clock tomorrow morning and Sunday
morning. This was the unanimous de-
cision, as the men were found to be in
favor of declaring strike on the roads
named. Many urged that the strike
be ordered at once. They were held back by the
more conservative. and the matter referred by
telegraph to Grand Master Sargent, at Terre
Haute 1t is expected that Sargent will leave
Terre Haute in the morning, arriving here at
night The strike will be sympathetic, but If
the switchmen are given the ten hour system
the firemen insist that it shall apply to them
also. About $50 men will be ordered out If the
strike comes. The men say it is now or never
with the cause of organized labor on all the
railroads.
Mutterings were heard all day among the
Grand Trunk switchmen. and it is believed they
will join the strikers whenever the word comes
One hundred and fifty cars of Erie freight are
standing in the Grand Trunk yards at Victoria,
on the Canadian side, and the switchmen refuse
point blank to haudle them. Should a strike
occur on the Grand Trunk there is hardly reason
to doubt that the military of the Dominion
would be ordered out
Master Workman Sweeney this evening re-
ceived deputation from the Grand Lodge OF
Switchmen, of Pennsylvania. The audience
lasted nearly an hour and II is impossible to
learn what transpired. Third Vice-Presdent
Webb, OF the Central. said tonight that so far as
his road was concerned the strike was entirely
over.
The only troubles reported during the day
were when Yardmaster Barrett tried to bring a
string OF freights TO East Buffalo under pro-
lection OF troops. He was stoned, but not
seriously injured. No arrests were made and
the soldiers did not open fire. Tonight Switch
man Bowen, OF the Lake shore, was ON top
OF a car when a striking switchman climbed up
and attacked MIN. Bowen drove the striker
off, however, after receiving q severe cut on the
head Later when Bowen had occasion to quit
the train he was attacked again, and received
several cuts around the head. He was taken to
a dining car and an ambulance sent for. When
Bowen started for the ambulance he was struck
in the face by a striker, who was subsequently
arrested.
Late tonight, while men were handling freight
cars of the New York Central. crowd gathered
on the Iackawanna treste and jeered the men
at work, and finally began throwing stones and
bricks. The workmen escaped, but two soldiers
we're struck by missiles. though not seriously
hurt. detachment of soldiers were sent to
the track but the mob fed. II IS reported that
a train load OF soldiers was attacked by strikers
in East Buffalo and stoned, and that several ar
rests were made in consequence.
Master Workman Sweeney this afternoon
made an attempt for arbitration OF the differ
euces He addressed letters to the affected
roads reciting the history of the case and offer
ing to submit the cause OF the strikers to arbi-
tration. The Erie responded that the matter
would be referred to headquarters. The Lake
shore disputed the allegations in Sweeney's let