Evening journal., 1893-11-21
ALeadel,. AIIerntInn.

BUFFALO, Nov. 2l-One Of the local
leaders of the Brotherhood of Engineers
said today that he believed the strike on
the Lehigh road was the result Of an at
tempt on the part of the Nanderbilts to
gain control Of it. It is not likely that
Buffalo will be seriously affected by the
strike during the first week The strike
will be confined to the Lehigh for the pres
ent. When that road is eiiectually tied up
from end to end, the strikers hope to re-
ceive concessions and perhaps win all they
have set out TO accomplish. If, however,
the officials remain obdurate, and If especi-
ally the Lehigh business is handled by
other roads there will be pretext to call
out men on other lines. In that event the
roads most likely to be affected will be the
New Jersey Central, Lackawanna and
West Shore. In view of the Ann Arbor
and Michigan Central decision it is doubt
full whether the men on other lines will
promptly obey a call to go out. In that
case the court held that it was against the
law for men on one road TO go on a strike
to help the men on another and that such
an offense was conspiracy.
The switchmen are not out. They are
anxious to work. This is their opportuni-
~ for retaliation against the federated en-
switchmen in the strike of 1892.
The numerical strength of the Buffalo
strikers on the Lehigh is about equal to
the entire number Of the striking switch
men in 1892. As near as can be learned in
the yards the Buffalo strikers and em.
ployees in sympathy with them now num-
Der about 400, or two-thirds of the entire
number of Lehigh employees in this city
They include the crews of 13 yard engines
freight engineers, brakemen, operators
firemen and conductors Many active sym
pathizers are not striking simply because
they have not been ordered out
One feature of the strike is the absence
of the idle men from the railroad yards.
They are not hanging around waiting TO
see or make trouble
They meet regularly once day in
| KloclS's hall to discuss the situation in ex-
ecutive session, and their assemblies grow
more and more enthusiastic. The Lehigh
| Valley yards were blocked with long lines
of freight trains, and 81 west bound freight
trains, making 12l altogether, arc stalled in
the Buffalo yards. Both the passenger
and mail service are badly crippled. 4
At Ithaca a theatrical troupe in a private
car wanted transportation, but the engi-
neer refused. The troupe is stranded at
| Ithaca. Trains are still running on the
| Rochester division.
switchmen Itemain Neutral.
A meeting Of the Lehigh switchmen was
held here. A committee of the Federated
Brotherhood was present. The switchmer
assured their visitors that while they wer,
not with them in their struggle they wer,
not against them. They promised to re
main neutral, giving assistance TO neither
side. The committee asked them if they
would join in the strike if their help wa
needed. The switchmen replied that thel
would answer that question definitelynex
Wednesday night, in the meantime com
municating with their grand master. Thl
Lehigh Valley officials say that they vii
make an attempt TO clear the freight block
ade today.
They profess to have received severa
hundred applications for jobs from rail
road men out Of work About 60 engineer
have applied and been examined.