St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-23
SWITCHMEN STRIKE.
The Men on the Chicago & West
ern Indiana Surprise the
Officials.
They Present Demand, but Quit
While Negotiations Are
Pending.

CHICAGO, Feb. 22.-The switchmen
and switch tenders on the Chicago q
Western Indiana road surprised the
officers of that road by going on a
strike tonight, and as the road is the
belt road over which the Louisville, New
Albany q Chicago, Wabash, Chicago &
Eastern Illinois, Chicago & Erie, Grand
Trunk, and Chicago, Atchison q
Santa Fe enter the city, not train over
one of those roads was able to leave the
city tonight. The switchmen and
switch tenders presented their demand
for an increase of wages to President
Thomas and Supt. j. NJ. Warner. of the
Western Indiana, this morning, and a
long conference resulted. The men
demanded an increase of 25 per
cent in wages, which the off
lcials were not ready to grant at once.
A long conference resulted in nothing,
and it was decided that the parties
should meet and go over the ground
again. AS late as O'Clock this after
noon. President Thomas declared there
would be no strike, and the SWitchmen
said the same. Two hours later, without
further talk. on either side, business
was at standStill.
So little was the strike anticipated
that nothing was known of the trouble
until the suburban train on the Chicago
& Eastern Illinois road, which left the
depot at 5 As O'Clock. Was halted at SIX
teenth street by al open switch.
Signals were given the engineer to
come ahead. but as he could plainly
see the open switch ahead OF him
he declined to move, and the passengers
were compelled to alight and walk over
TO the cable line on State street. The
number of men out is not over 800, but
there is a strong probability that the
strike may spread to other roads. There
have been for some time rumors of
strikes among the switchmen s at
the time of the opening of the
fair, but that plan was. abandoned be-
cause the officers of the SWtchmen'S
association thought it would appear
like Matchmaking the railroads togo
out at that time. There is no doubt.
however, that the plan to go out unless
their demands were granted has been
under serious consideration by the
SWitchmen for long time.
The employees of the Chicago & West
ern Indiana are formed into system of
federation, and the cause of one branch
of the employees is at once made the
cause of all The police were at once
notified of the trouble, and Inspector
Koch at once dispatched heavy
force of men to the yards to quell
any disturbance. but there was none,
the men showing Il most peaceable dis
position. at 10 o'clock the police In the
yards were reinforced by a de-
tachment of Pinkerton men and
a force of detectives in the en-
ploy of the roads. The detectives
and watchmen begun work on the
switches, and all the trains which
should have gone out early in the even
ing were made up. and the last of them
was sent out by midnight.
The prospect for settlement of the
strike are not bright, as President Thorn
as declares that the men have acted
in bad faith with him. and declares that
they did not keep their agreement as to
the length of time he was. to have to
consider their demands. He is disposed.
he says, to grant everything reasonable.
but considers that the action of the men
has released him from all obligations OF
promises he may have made.