The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-25

clared-ME ATthur's Statements Re.
ToLEDo, O., March 24.-General Man.
ager II. A. Ashley, Of the Toledo, Ann
Arbor & North Michigan railroad, fur.
nishes to the Associated Press tho iol-
lowing reply TO Chief Arthur's state.
ment sent out last night;
"Since Mr.. Arthur has made tho mer-
its Of the differences bDtween the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers
and this company OF public interest it
seems my duty to state the facts from
the other point Of view.
"This company pays all it's freight
engineers s. 20 per hundred miles and
over time after fourteen hours at 80
cents per hour. The men are not CLASH
fled. This is II higher rate than IL paid
by any road in Michigan, except the
Michigan Central Ninety per cent Of
the engineers run freight trains. There
are only seven men engaged in the
passenger service; of these, two re-
main0d with the company and arc still
at work, They express themselves as
satisfied. The man on these runs earn
from 81 200 to 81 400 per year for service
Of eight hours or less per day on trains
OF two and three cars scheduled at
twenty-four miles per hour. This work
is considered the most desirable on the
road
"The freight engineers all earn be-
tween 500 and Sl40 per month, This
is what Mr. Arthur calls the grinding
process We have between l,l00 and
1900 applications for the privilege Of
being ground at these prices, but the
members OF this order who do not want
to work for these wages have sought,
by purchase, intimidation and boycott,
to deprive others OF the right to do so.
Yet he advertises that the Brotherhood
is a law.abiding society--organize for
the moral and social advantages OF its
members.
"on Sunday, February 20, less than
twenty out OF total Of forty-six mem-
bers OF the Brotherhood met in secret
session at 0wosso, and small ma
jority OF those present determined to
make demands for moro pay and new
rules. These demands were refused.
"They claim, and members of the
Brotherhood have testified in court,
that neither q strike nor boycott can
be effective without Mr.. Arthurs order
or consent 1t seems immaterial by
what name he exercises his authority;
It Is not denied that such conspiracy
cannot be made effective except with
his approval. Tho men themselves
speak OF IL as 'Arthur'a order
"In this instance Mr.. Arthur or
dered' or approved both strike and boy
colt, not only with q knowledge that
both were illegal, but with the knowl-
edge that the United States court had
issued q mandatory injunction to his
men on connecting lines not to refuse
to handle Ann Arbor cars. Yet Mr..
Arthur advertises himself as law
abiding citizen.
"By his confession to tho court 1t ap-
pears that ho was the chief party to the
conspiracy either to force the Ann
Arbor company to pay the wages and
submit to the rules he thought rcason-
able, or to ruin the industry Of every
corporation or private person who was
dependent upon its railrond for the
transportation OF his goods,
~ do not understand that the desir-
ability or legality OF organized labor is
In question. Tho discussion raises tue
question only OF the right Of men to
labor or not, as they may elect, and OF
the right Of other men who do not be-
long to an organization to engage in
their places.
"The right OF them to quit tho SER
vice OF the company, in any manner
and Mt any time which does not ondan-
ger lives or property have always been
conceded; but they have denied the
right Of others to perform the same SER
vice at tho rates Of pay refused by them,
and have Individually aud collectively
destroyed property, placed the business
OF innocent and outside persons in
jeopardy and made themselves feIona in
the eyes OF tho law in order to accom-.
plish their purpose. Yet Mr.. Arthur
continues to advertise himself MS law.
abiding citizen"
This afternoon Manager Ashley offered
$1,000 reward for the apprehension or
conviction of tho person or persons who
caused the derailnent OF Il passenger
train near 0wosso OH Wednesday night.
A switch lock was broken, tho switch
thrown and the danger signal broken OF
the top Of the switch.