Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-18
OUT ON A STRIKE.
The Machinists on the Union
Pacific Quit Work.
The CAUSE Of THE TROUBLE.
The walkout Is General All over the
sysiom-what the Men Demand-rhe
Company Positlon--isnights OF
Labor Men Remain at work
THE CAUSE OF The TROUBLE.

shortly before o'clock yesterday after
noon the machinists and machuist's
helpers employed la the Fort Worth and
Denver shops notified Foreman Hnllorun
that they had been ordered out on strike
ana would not resume work that after.
noon. At 4 O'Clock telegram was re.
ceivcd by the boiler-makers end they
TOO joined the strikers During the fore
noon the executive board of Railway em-
ployes received a telegram instructing
them TO "emain ut work yesterday but
1t is thought they win be ordered out
today
No one here seems to know definitely
why the strike was ordered, though
II Is said 10y some to be because of a
demand made or TO be made upon
the general officers at Omaha for ten
hour day instead of nine which has been
bulletined TO replace the eight-hour day.
now In force. on May /. The men here
are reiicent and say an official informO-
ton regarding the strike will be given
out at Omaha.
Yesterday afternoon n Gazette reporter
called upon j. -. Moore. general super
intendcut and ~. w. Hayes. master
mechanic for information regarding the
natter They could not give any infUr-
nation regarding It, No demand had
been made Of them and no notice of a
strike had been given them and US far
rs they were officially concerned they
had no knowledge of any strike and until
approached by grievance committee
could take no official recognition Of the
matter rs a strike
As far as can be learned the matter
Is entirely in the hands of the grievance
committee, now in Omaha. This commit
tee ordered the strike all over the sys-
uJm JVI 'p0fJqO srM I0p1o 5u pun uidl
here are all orderly. and save for tho
silence that prevails and the tools and
machinery that are idle there IS moth
ing TO indicate any trouble; IN fact the
shops present the appearance usual upon
holiday. The best Of feeling prevails
and the greetings passed between the
men aud the officers of the road are
as cordial as though there was no walk
out and everything was running smoothly
as usual
Last night the Associated Press agent
at Omaha sent out the following dis
patch: =. - 49,
Omaha. Neb.. April l7.-Six hundred
men IN the Union Pacific shops struck
ut noon today. The men who went out
were the murhinists, boiler makers,
blacksmiths. mOuldcrs and engine maxi
ers The employees say the company has
acted in bad faith concerning the fulfill
ment of the agreement TO allow the force
Of men employed To reduce iseit when
the time was below the standard of
nine hours day. The executive board,
representing the employees, have been
trying to persuade President Clark and
j. H.. Mcconnell general master me
chanic Of the Union Pacific railway, TO
modify their view concerning the inter-
probation of the agreement to reduce
the force aud Increase the working hours
from eight TO nine hours a day. The Of
hal
committee, but We're unable TO arrive at
satisfactory agreement and the strike
today WIS the result.
Mr.. Mcconnell in an interview said the
difficulty was not u matter of wages, or
of the hours of work. but simply re
fuSal Of the company TO sign the new con-
tracts submitted by the men, regulating
the conditions under which they should
work
The first proposition submitted to him
wns refused 10y him. Mr. Clark also de
clared the primary objections 10 the con
tract Is that when necessary 10 reduce
expenses that the company would not
employ any new men. The men hnnlly
withdrew this proposition and presented
another providing that when working
eight hours day the company should
not emplOy any Of these craftsmen iii
after 10 per cent Of the force had been
discharged This ne said would taxa
the control oil nlIlllE llt lutn hul VI ti'
comnany's hands. The Knights OF Labor
among The shop men refused 10 strike as
the bulletin was posted by the executive
committee OF District Assembly No -,
ordering all knights of Labor men TO
remain at work. az they would violate
the agreement entered into by the as
sembly and the officers OF the road me
number of Knights of Labor among the
men is small All men I'm the companys
sbon M North Ilntte went out at noon
ME strike affects 300 men on the
system and only interests the workers
of iron or those who are working eight
hours instead of nine as they alleged
they We're promised on, Jan. To- The
towns most affected by the strike ~ AT
dition 10 Omaha are Denver, Cheyenne,
Salt Lake, Rawlins, Armstrong, Poca-
tello. Evanston Laramie, la Gmnde,
Fort Worth aud Shoshone. There is q
feeling that the strike will not extend
over the remaining days Of April. but II
Il should the company IS prepared Tor
the worst.
-------e -------------------