Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-17
A CRITICAL SITUATION.
Buffalo Strikers are Battling for
a Big Tie-Up.
ONE THOUSAND MEN LEAVE WORK.

the strike win Extend From the At
lantic to the Paciic-Business on the
Lakes Blockaded.
[By Telegraph to the Evening JournaLl
BUFFALO, Aug l7-The strike situation
this morning is most alarming and the
danger can hardly be overestimated There
are nearly /. .OO0men on strike with prob
ability of 800 or 400 more being added
to the number in the next twenty
hours The strikes on the Central and
West Shore shortly after midnight
cause much apprehension. The aim
now seems to be general tie-up.
The wilde rumors prevail as to the
outcome of the trouble, which strikers
pred ct may extend from the Atlantic to
the Pacific unless their demands are
acceded to. Up to mi dnight the situation
was not ominous. Only two arrests had
been made of strikers for riot
ing and in one instance
twenty-five policemen succeeded in dis
persing a body of POO destructionists
But as the strikers grow in numbers
more outbreaks are feared. With
trouble at Sayre. Hornellsville and Bing-
hamton. and prospective strikes at
Waverly. Jersey City, and other points
the handling of freight by the men i'm
ported to take the place of strikers must
necessarily be impeded, and it is not easy
to foresee the outcome should the diff
Guilty extend. as the strikers affirm it will,
from state to state.
The strike on the Central was ordered
by the Switchmens union. The grlev-
ance committee of the New York Central
waited on General superintendent Noor-
hees Yesterday afternoon for final
answer to their demands. Mr. Voorhees,
declined to grant them and last night
the climax came.
The committee met at Kaisers hall and
decided to strike. About o'clock the
order was sent TO the various yards Of
the company at Black Rock, Suspension
Bridge and Niagara Falls to stop work
at midnight The order to the two lat
ter places was not expected to 60 into
effect until o'clock this morning, when
the messengers would arrive from Buf
falo. The switchmen in the yards in this
city were also ordered TO go out at mid
night. 1t was understood that the order
viii not for the present affect passenger
train service, but may at any moment.
An enormous amount of traffic viii be
tied up by this strike, as it will no doubt
involve the Lake Shore road and perhaps
all the lines in Buffalo. The Delaware,
Lackawanna Western switchmen have
plainly been in sympathy with their
striking brethren of the Lehigh and the
Erie. and they viii not probably remain
long at work handling freight for the
other lines. The strike is exten ding and
Il. 49,. sr. - NrTnr "a
and disastrous to the business com
munity.
The Centrals yards are of vast extent
and in three different sections of the
city. Four Of the six switch tenders en-
ployed IN the New York Central depot in
Exchange street quit their posts soor
after 10 o'clock Arrangements were al
once made to send out an engine anC
crew to bring in the Lake Shore passen
ger train due here at LAO o'clock. A
police escort was sent with the engine.
In the Central yards at o'clock al
the men had quit work. and all thl
engines were being laid up. Twenty
five policeman under Captain cache
were ON guard in the yards. Everything
was quiet and orderly.
The New York Centrals yards here
v,n~sed through strike two years ago
ne tDNllhAN ntAttNCu iAN AADh hAAAiAt
the yards with non union men. II wa
not believed that the union could agail
get strong hold in the yards, but com
mittees have been at work for severa
Jnonths preparing for strike.
The strike on the Central and Wes
Shore will very nearly blockade busines
on the lakes, so far as Buffalo is con
eerned. Already the shipments of Goa
have about stopped. The average move
ment has been about two cargOes da
since Friday Already the Northwester
Aour agencies are complaining that the
are retting swamped with flour and wit
only the Lackawanna left to help thei
ont they will accomplish very itti
towards keeping up with Easter
business. The receipts of grain are s
heavy that the elevators will soon ,
full General package freight is acct
muIating so rapidly that the warehouse
are overhowing with II.
The effect of the strike on the bi
railroad shops is already becoming appa
ent. Cars for rebuild ana repair a.
growing fewer in the shops, while the
are piling up on the road.
sff the strike continues much longer
said one of the Lehigh Valley men Ia
night. 'the road will be compelled
make serious reduction in its she
force.
MANY rumors of conferences betwe'
bigb officials of railroads and graz
officers of various orders Of railway Ell
pioyes were current last night, but,
far AS is known, nothing Of the so
occurred. The report that Preside
Mcleod was coming here and the pre-
ence of Vice President Webb, Of q
Central. in the city, probably gave ri
to the first report
The general superintendent of &
Reading system. Mr.. Bonsano,i is expect
here to-day Grand Master Sargent AZ
Grand Secretary Debs, of the locomoti
firemen, and Grand Master Wilkinson
the railway trainmen, were also report
to be here or expected. The last nam