The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-04-06
THE BUTTE STRIKERS
Montana Central Switchmen and Rail-
way Officials Trying to Reach an
Agreement.
The Schedule Agreed to But Lacks
the Signatures Of Railway
Officials.
The Boston & Montana and Butte Il
Boston Mines Temporarily
Closed.

BUTTE, March Ut looks as though
for S1.35 per day the Great Northern
railway company is going to sustain a
loss Of several thousand dollars in bust
ness. That several mines will be closed
down and 500 men will be- out of employ
ment for an indefinite time by reason OF
the strike of nine switchmen. All of
yesterday afternoon Superintendent
Currier, Major Dawson and representa-
tives Of several local labor organizations
were in consultation trying to reach a
settlement. MI. Currier, so the men
said, would not listen to any proposition
of compromise, claiming he had no
authority. Major Dawson suggested
that the men go back to work and they
would receive their demands temporarily
or until President Hill should return
from Europe. The men however would
not accept any temporary settlement.
One of the strikers said: 1--WE know
what we will get, we will all be dis
charged but we want to fix matters
right for those who succeed U.S."
The strike of the switchmen is said to
be only the opening wedge for a general
strike along the line of the Montana
Central and the Great Northern. The
switchmen demand 1915 per day of ten
hours and a full hours pay for all time
exceeding fifteen minutes. They claim
this is the system on the other lines.
They say they are getting 50 per day
and have TO work frequently twelve and
fourteen hours per day. At dinner time
they are frequently called upon to work
twenty minutes or 30 within the hour
and get no pay for it. Supt. Currier
says the men are not required to work
more than ten hours a day and are paid
% cents an hour for overtime.
The Boston q Montana company and
Butte Il Boston closed down last night
throwing nearly 1000 men out of work.
Superintendent Currier received the
following today which be thought would
end the strike it being from the general
superintendent:
"St. Paul, April ITO w. W. Currier,
Butte.-We are informed by Thomas
Clark, chairman Of the trainsmen's COM
mittee, that a verbal agreement between
Mr.. Mohler and the committee was made
to the effect that the wages paid by the
Montana Central at the Butte yard for
yaru work should be the same as those
paid by other roads at Butte for like
services. Mr.. Mohler now being absent
cannot be consulted as to his under
standing, but until further inquiry can
be made, ! am willing to accept Mr..
Clark's statement. Our policy has been
to stand by all agreements until the
same have been properly a~brogated, and
you are therefore Instructed to grant
the men the same rates Of pay as those
in force on the other roads in Butte
Signed, r. w, Bryan"
The switchmen refused to go to work
on this until the schedule agreed upon
had been t~elegraphed and signed by
General Manager Mohler and Supt. Cur
rier. The latter says MIR. Mohler is
cunning in the pines of North Carolina
and cannot be reached by wire at pres
ent. The arbitration committee of the
Knights of Labor is now engaged in try
ing to settle matters. Mr.. Currier says
he will have to compare the schedules of
other roads, He thinks the men are act
ing unfairly and that Mr.. Bryan's tele-
gram give them everything they ask.
There is no trouble elsewhere on the line
and he anticipates none.