Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-23
CRISIS AT BUFFALO.
EITHER A GENERAL Strike OR NO
FURTHER STRIKE AT ALL.
The Chief Of the Firemen's Union Declines
to Call His Men oat Unless
All Other Orders Join.
lpy tcl,rrnpn o tna p,spA,en. ]

BUgpAro. N. Y. August 22.-Thero Will
be either a general strike in Buffalo Of oil
orders Of railroad men in aid of the striking
switchmen, or none Of the allied rail-
road labor organizations will strike.
Grand-Master Sweeney. Of the Switchmsns'
Union. endeavored to have Chief Sargent
order the firemen out, but the latter de-
clined, unless after o conference OF all the
railway labor leaders. general strike
shall M be decided upon; sargenes arrival
was the chief event OF the day..
The railroads are steadily increasing the
amount of freight moved daily, and the
point has been passed where local organi-
cations here may 60 out on sympathetic
strike.
sARoEsT's ERRAsD.
Mr.. Sargent arrived this morning in
answer to q telegram from Sweeney re-
0uesting conference of the chief execu-
tives Of all railroad organizations. To the
Associated Press he said: If order
strike of the firemen II will be in conjunc-
tion with the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers. the brotherhood OF Railway
Irainmen, the brotherhood of Railway
Conductors, and the Order of Railroad
Ielegraphers."
Then there will not be an isolated
strike of the iremen?"
No. you can deny that the fremen
are going into this strike except as part of
q column composed Of all the railway
organizations. / do not saw that they Will
not strike. but the impression that they
are TO be forced to the front in this matter
is absolutely incorrect"
LOCAL STRIKE IMPOSSIBLE.
( Would IL be possible for the local organi-
cation to order a strike of the fremen in
this city. or upon one or more of the roads
where trouble exists without your sane
tion? ?"
1T would not. We have clause in our
constitution fixing O penalty OF expulsion
IN the case of a strike without authority"
Have the iremen ever struck out Of
sympathy? ?n
I'VE have not yet as an organization
struck out of sympathy for any other or
ganization that has had q strike on its
hands. We have. however, been in posi-
tion to assist kindred organizations in
securing the recognition of their rights
aud the adjustment OF differences before q
strike was ordered"
Have you any animation as to the
time and place of holding the conference
to which you have been called?"
"No, have not met Mr.. Sweeney, upon
whom the selection of the time will
naturally devolye, as it was he who called
the conference"
Mr.. Sargent intimated that Chief Arthur
OF the engineers. Wilkinson of the
trainmen's, and Clark Of the conductors
unions, would attend.
SCOPE OF THE CONFERENCE.
Can you forecast the matters to be
considered at the conferenceG" continued
the reporter.
81 have not been officially informed OF
the situation here, and only form opinions
on the hypothesis that the conditions
stated in the newspapers actually exist.
III such Is the case. we must consider care
fully whether or not the companies, should
they defeat the switchmen in this struggle
would single out our organizations
one after another for annihilatior
and virtually attempt to destroy or
ganized labor. In the event of such 6
contention we might conclude that now II
the time to join hands and make fghi
against capital for recognition and tor oul
own existence. IL this is the case q gen
eral strike may follow. But. as said before
/ have not come here to order q strike o.
: the fremen unless the other organization
/ join fo.ces. The federation of railway or
CARNATIONS is dissolved, but that will no
prevent our coming together in an emer
gency of this kind"
AFTER THE TALK.
Later in the day Sargent met Sweeney
| The latter, after the interview, would no
talk; Sargent, however. said that he ha'
| given his decision TO Sweeney to the effec
! that he would not call out the fireman un
less they are joined by the other railwa.
organizations.
"If," he added, 1.-THE strike now in effec
here is of the Importance to render neces
/ sary the combined action of labor organi
cations, the fremen's order is ready to dt
its part, but L never will consent to tn
calling out of the fremen alone"