The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-24
THE RAILROADS. SIDE.
Manager st, John Before the Ma.
tional Strike Commission,
NOT OBLIGED TO HAUL PULLMAEs.

The RooE Island Road Gould Have Left
the Palace Cars or without Breaking
n Contract-An Assertion That strikers
Destroyed Railroad Property.
CHICAGO, Aug. 24-General Manager T..
| st. John, Of the Rock Island railway, WIS
called before the strike commissioners
! yesterday. Mr.. st. John had prepared
| history of the strike as it affected his
! road, and read to the commissioners de
tailed account Of the troubles. When he
had finished he was asked II his company
blacklisted men.
Not in the sense that the word is gen.
orally understood" said the witness
| "When a man is discharged from our
| divisions we send a statement to our
other divisions, that he may not be re-em-
| ployed, but no such statement is sent to
other roads unless 1t is requested"
"Can you show us a copy of your con
tract with the Pullman company asked
| Commissioner Herman.
81 can show you the contractif II you will
regard it as a private matter. do not
wish TO have 1t published in the news
papers"
This proposition was refused and Mr..
/ st. John was asked if the contract com
PEELED his company to haul Pullmans on
all passenger trains.
NO" was the answer, Eve can haul
Pullmans on any trains we choose, and
need not haul them unless we wish"
"Then you were not compelled to haul
Pullmans during the strikeW
"No, we were not"
"Mr. St. John was asked as 10 the num-
. .4-.l- A. L.. I i
after the strike.
Most of our men, b" he said, quit work,
but of the 552 actual strikers only seven
ty-four have been taken back"
The witness said that their relations 10
labor unions were regulated by the mum
Der of men on their lines belonging to the
unions.
"Whep union has so per cent. OF more
of men," he said 1--WE as general thing
treat with its representative. We had nc
dealings with the American Railway
union as it had less than 500 of our EN-
ployes"
How much did the strike cost the Rock
Island roadY Mr. Herman asked.
IL should say that the strike cost oui
road between $500, 600 and 81 900, ,OOO"
Mr.. St. John emphatically denied the
statement that United States marshal'
used during the riots were controlled by
the railroads. He declared that many o.
the rioters who overturned and burneC
cars were strikers
The commissioners questioned Mr.. st
John very closely regarding the contro
of the deputy United States marshals, a,
the statement had been made by Chic
Deputy Donnelly that the railroad com
panies took charge of the forces during
the riots.
Mr.. St. John gave history of the for
nation of the General Managers associa
tion, which he denied had its conception
from any desire to reduce the wages o
the men He said further;
81 do not say that there will not be
reduction of wages and a revision of tn
schedule tax on the Rock Island road.
speak of the company's financial affair
with the greatest reluctance in public
but its earnings have suffered a decreas
of SS0O,0OO in three months, and som
method will have to be devised of chang
ing that result Some of the companie
have had their earnings decreased at tn
rate of $500, 600 a month";
Mr. st. John was again called to tn
stand this morning.