Evening journal., 1893-11-22
WILBUR IS WEAKENING.
A Proposition to the Strikers
Made by Lehigh's President.
OTHER ROADS MAY BE TIED UP
The Proposal OF President Wilbur IL Met
with Prompt Refusai-The Strike Ex-
tends TO other Divisions, and Even Mail
Trains Are Not Run.


tends TO other Divisions. and Even Mail |
Trains Are Not Run.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. %. Through traffic
on the Reading line has been greatly i'm
peded by the Lehigh Valley complications.
No through trains are being run from either
Buffalo or Jersey City. The employees Of
the Lehigh system claim to have matters
all their own way now. Recent intelligence
from representatives all over the system in
dictate a stronger feeling in favor of the
strike. A dispatch from Buffalo states that
30 more men have quit, and one from J. W.
Rice at Wilkesbarre says that the men In
that neigh borhood are all showing strong
er front in favor of the strike.
On the other hand, the officials Of the
company say that before many hours have
passed they will be ready to equip the trains
with full compliments OF men. John j.
Hannahan stated that his advice 20 the
Reading officials would be to let the Lehigh
alone in this fight, as il may have the effect
OF tying up that line also.
He says he does not mean this as a threat,
but the organization among the Reading
men is just as strong as that on the Lehigh
Valley.
A. p Bedford of Scranton, the superin-
tendent of the Farmers Dairy dispatch,
called on the strike committee for the pur-
pose of entering a protest against side
tracking a train loaded with 1900 quarts
of milk consigned to this city. The com
mittee refused to do anything for him.
This circumstance and similar ones have
had the effect of creating a milk famine
here. Wholesale dealers were getting 10
cents quart.
President Wilbur issued the following
bulletin, which is understood to be the
company's ulumatum:
The Company's Ultlmatum.
To ALL EMPLoYEEs-To correct any misap-
prehension regarding the position of the officers
of this company, would state that they are at
all times ready and willing TO give patient hear
ing TO complaints on part Of its employees or
any number OF them I'm any department. If
dissatisfied with the conclusions reached by the
division superintendent, the president viii hear
their cases aad decide But We decline 20 con-
fer with organized committees composed Of the
several branches of the service for the reason
that we cannot know that such committee
| fairly represents its employees. Engineers Of
/ course cannot fairly represent grievances Of
| telegraphers, nor can fremen properly repre-
| sent trainmen. The company maintains the
| right 10 employ men upon such terms as may
| be agreed upon, and settle all complaints only
with its employees, and TO discharge men for
cause. with the right to appeal. but without
reference to the judgment or action Of any Or
ganization.
All employees who may fail TO report for
/ duty on or before Wednesday noon viii be re-
ggrded as having left the service of the COM
J any, and all such will be paid in full as soon
rs the payrolls can be made up. Men failing 10
come forward and receive their wages will re-
ocive no consideration in reorganizing the train
service.
When the strikers read President viii
| bur's bulletin, they looked upon it as a
sort Of olive branch, and the grievance
committee, in session at the Bingham
| House was particularly jubilant over it.
| The members of the committee announced
unofiicially that they would not accept
| Mr. Wilbur's proposition to present their
| grievances in the manner suggested by
him, and E. H. Clark, grand chief con-
ductor of the Order of Railroad Conduct
ors, speaking for the committee, issued a
counter bulletin of considerable length, in
which he argues the entire question at is
sue between the men and the company.
Mr.. Clark's bulletin reads in part as fol-
lows:
| An Answer to Wilbur.
Had the officers Of the company treated their
| employees with the same degree of cOnsidera-
ton accorded them by Mr.. voorhees, last spring,
the difficulty would not have come, even
though the consideration afforded was inhnites-
| finally small as compared with that accorded
| by tine average general manager 1t was only
after the employees had utterly failed TO secure
an audience with their officials that their or
| ganizatiOns were called in. / presume there is
no question as 20 the right of employees 20 be-
come and remain members Of the organiza.
tons. That right being conceded, they have a
! right to call upon the organizations I'm Their
trouble for such assistance a. the organization.
can afford them after the efforts Of the officers
of the organization had failed TO secure audi
ence with the officers of the company. The
right Of the company 10 adjust all difference,
with their employees is not questioned, and Il
is only after they have failed 10 so adjust that
the organization will take any cognizance Of
the complaints from the men.