The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-09-01
THE SWITCHMEN GIVE IN.
GRAND MASTER WORKMAN SWEENEY
DECLARED 1T OFF AT MIDNIGHT.
Chiefs of Other Orders Of Railway En-
ployes Refused to Go Out on sympa-
thetic Strike and the switchmep
Knew Their Battle Was Lost.

BUFFALO, Aug. 24.-At midnight
tonight Mr.. Sweeney, head of the
switchmen's order, officially recog-
nized the fact that The strike OF the
switchmen, inaugurated twelve days
ago in this city, had failed. In DILL
cial terms of the order the rike was
declared off. The men formerly en-
ployed as switchmen in the railway
wards here will, before daylight, be
notified by their local officials that
the purpose cor which they quit en-
ployment had not been accomplished,
and are now at liberty to get back
their places if they can.
The beginning of the end OF the
strike was marked by Sweeney's APP
peal to the heads of the other orders
of railway workers to meet him IN
conference in this city. Sweeney was
brought face to face with the fact that
as stated Sunday night there was no
longer any strike of switchmen III the
Buffalo yards. The evident 1act
that the companies had resumed
business without the men who left
their employ without Sweeney's sane
ton was pressed home to the grand
master workman's conviction that his
local followers had become no longer
striking switchmen but only idle men
whose work is the throwing OF
switches but whose positions were
forfeited without profit to themselves.
At this point should be stated,
which has not heretofore been made
public, that as one of the hampering
conditions which entered into the
problem, Sweeney set himself to
evolve the finances of tho order, which
were exceedingly limited. The or
ganization was without eserve fund
and without money. The leader who
had been trying to win against the
railroads found how necessary is a
bank account in an organized effort
of labor for the establishment of new
conditions which are not acceptable to
the railroads with large money re-
sources. Thus at the close of last
week with the physical fact of renew
ed traffic movement by the railroads
confronting him and without an otfi-
cial bank account at command, Mr..
Sweeney knew his cause was lost. He
turned as last resort toward other
organizations of railway workers and
his invitations to Sargent, Clark, Ar
thur, Wilkinson and Thurston were
visible indications that the switch
men must confess defeat without fra
ternal aid. Before noon time today
each of these labor leaders save Ar
thur and Thurston were in the city.
Already Sargent had informed
Sweeney that his men would not come
out unless the men of all other rail-
way organizations co-operated. Other
heads of orders stated that their men
had no grievances of their own and
were not inclined to take Sargent's
view of the matter. There was little
formality in the procedure of the con-
ference. Sweeney was asked to set
forth the position in which
he and his men were placed,
which he did in detail,
and at the conclusion Of his statement
Sargent reiterated what he had al
ready state d, that his men should no
go out on sympathetic strike unles
all the railway orders did so, and
this was case which demanded that
a general issue be made by all organ.
lied railway labor organizations then
he would be in link with the firemen,
otherwise not.
Mr.. Clark stated that the conduc-
tors had no grievance, and while they
believed the switchmen just there
would be no strike of the conductors
save to redress wrongs to conductors.
Mr.. Wilkinson, for the trainmen, in
formed the switchmen's leader that
he felt that the original demands OF
the switchmen were fair in every re-
spect and just, but his order
could not consent to the
cooperation by sympathetic
strike. These statements having been
made, Sweeney had received his ulti-
matum. The conference broke up
about p. NJ, and all save Sweeney
strolled together down the broad stair
way to the lobby. Nearly the entire
force of newspaper correspondents
had been awaiting the conferees
to determine the result of
the council. The three labor chiefs
frankly stated the ultimatum they
had severally given the switchmen's
leader. Sweeney, however, proceeded
through the upper hallway and made
his escape from the hotel and the cor
respondents through the ladies' en-
trance. He had appealed for aid,
which had been denied him, and his
next duty and errand was to apprise
the representatives of the now
idle switchmen that their cause
in this attempt was lost. Nearly a
mile up Main street in one of the big
hotels four men lounged upon big
leather sofa. Finally a slight wiry
figure hurried in and reckoning to
the four proceeded with them to the
fourth floor of the hotel. 1t was Mr..
Sweeny's room and the slight, wiry
man was Sweeney. The men
who were awaiting him were
Master Workman Moriarty of the
switchmen's lodge in this city and
the three others were also local repre-
sentatives of the men who had gone
on strike. After considerable discus
sion it was decided to declare the
strike off and at midnight this was
done.