St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-09
STRIKE FOR A RAISE.
Mechanics Of the Santa Fe
System Lay Down Their
Tools.
The Strike Reported to Be
General Along the Whole
Line.
Ten Per Cent Increase in
Wages Demanded by
the Men,,
Trains All Running as Usual,
Only Shopmen Being
Involved.

Topeka, Kan, April SAIL the
mechanics in the employ of the entire
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe system,
including its leased lines, struck at
O'Clock today on a preconcerted signal.
Messages from headquarters report the
strike general from Chicago to Coli
fornia and Galveston. 1t is said
that the fremen and others will
strike later. The strikers here mum
Der LOO, and include the machin-
lists, boilermakers, blacKsmiths and
their helpers employed in the shops of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail
road at this place. Acting with their
fellow Workmen, the same departments
along the line of the entire system are
on strike for better wages and other
demands. The demands of the men
are that the pay shall be increased
% cents day and that inexperienced
men who got less than regular rates
shall not be required to do the work of
skilled men. The men also ask that
when the company deems it necessary
to reduce expenses, gangs of men be
not discharged or laid off. but that the
hours be reduced.
The pay of machinists, boiIermakers
and blacksmiths is now $3.50 per day
and of helpers s1.5O. and the demand is
that it be increased to S2.75 and S1.75.
The Demands Were Presented
to the management and by them re-
jected. The last meeting of the Topeka
men was held Thursday, when the res
OlutiOn to strike was agreed on. At IL
o'clock today they suspended as usual
for dinner, and at o'clock. the man
agement not having acceded to their
demands, they took their lunch baskets
and left the shop. The strike has
been brewing several weeks, and the
demands of the men have been
the subject of numerous meetings of
the grievance committee and much cor
Finally, on Thursday. the ultimatum of
the men was placed in writing
and copies of it sent to General Superin-
tendent Nicholson and Superintendent
of Machinery George Player. III this
the management was notified that unless
the company signed the proposed sched-
ule of wages by noon today the
men would quit. No attention
was paid to this by the officers
and strike was ordered. The men
learned that Mr.. Nicholson and General
Manager Frye had quietly taken a pri-
vate car to Fort Madison, 10. The men
had been led to believe up to the very
hour they quit that the management
would sign the new schedule, and when
they were ordered by their commit
tee chairman not to resume work at
O'clock the ordered was unexpected.
but the men made no protest. Trains
are running as usual this afternoon, and
are manned by their regular firemen
and bTakemen. Information from all
points west Of the Missouri river is that
all men are out, and that work III the
shops is suspended.
Ration Men in Line.
RATION, N. NJ, April S.-The machin-
lists, boilermakers and blacksmiths in
the employ of the AtchiSOn, Topeka d
Santa Fe at this place went out on a
strike today at l o'clock. 1t is under
stood that their grievance committee
was unable to satisfactorily adjust the
matter of wages for overtime and rein-
statement of few men dismissed some
time ago.
No Strike at Albuquerque.
ALBUQUERQUE, N. NJ, April S.-No
strike has occurred among the mech an
les in the AtchiSon, Topeka d. Santa Fe
shops bere today, and the report that
strike was on at Topeka and other
places was surprise. The men EN-
ployed at this point finished their days
work as usual, and if they intend to par
ticipate in the strike they are unwilling
to acknowledge it until the time for
quitting arrives. The Santa Fe officials
claim to know nothing of a contemplated
strike here, and the Associated Press
dispatch from Topeka was the first in
formation they had of the trouble there.
Left OFF Work
Fort MADISON, April S-One hun |
dred and twenty employees Of the Santa
Fe boiler, machine and blacksmith |
shops here left work at l o'clock this |
in response to general order |
all along the line to strike for 10 per |
cent advance in the schedule of wages. !
The three unions are holding a meeting |
at Workmen's hall tonight. There is |
no excitement, and no trouble is antici- |
pated at this point.
Fifty Cult.
LA JUNTA, Col. April S.-All of tie |
blacksmltha and boiler !
makers employed by the Atchison, To- |
peka IL Santa Fe at this point, amount |
ing to about fifty men, went out at noon !
today. All concerned are reticent. The |
trains are all running on time, aud the |
effect of the strike is hardly noticeable.
The general opinion seems to be that
the matter will lie settled in short
time.