The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-04-20
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IOvs eSsO0U 000 VvVS III 00taI0 IO8Q
west 70 the coast struck and trains
Ietoppod. The inoonvenience togenstal
|, public IL very great. "A large number
Of ministers Of the NE. church, who
live o. that line, were about leaving
Tor conference Ut Wahpston. A large
amount Of Ncchs mall now comes via
Pembina. One Of the dlsoomforts Of
the strike 10 the bad state Of the roads
Tor penple who have 20 70 someway.
We hardly know at this writing how
We shall distribute this issue Of the
PIoAEER ExPAEss TO our subscribers
inlthe western part OF the county. but
viii do our best. There have been
rumors that the n. p. would also be
stopped. We fervently hope not.
In these days Of railroads and daily
mails, We kick II they are . few min.
utica Oh time. We don't really realize
how large q figure they cutin affairs
until there's strike. But to 60 to the
post once day after day and no mail,
and only got ncws Of the outer world
BY telegraph 1t begans to get lonesome
like and then when the grocer says
be has no sugar. or coffee, or some
such necessity, 4 man has to have q
good deal Of sympathy for the railroad
employes II he don't cuss the man that
invented the strike.
The Geographic news from all parts
show everything quiet along the lines.
There is absolutely . complete stop.
page and not q wheel moving west Of
st. Cloud, after Monday, except the
st. Vincent branch, which was still
running from Cropkston to St Vim.
cent until Wednesday; this Is = mixed
train Of purely local nature. Every
where men arc detailed by the strik-
ers to remain on guard aud see that
no damage comes to the company's
property. It is probable that these
guards also look after the interests Of
the strikers by taking note Of what is
going on in the yards. In most cases
the operators and dispatchers have
gone out with the men.
AS to how long the strike may con.
tinue IL as yet a question, with only
pure guess-work for q solution. On
the part Of the strikers they have the
advantage In the unanimity Of feel.
log. aud the difficulty Of finding train
ed men to I'LL their places over such
an immense length Of road. So much
Of the road goes through a wild and
mountainous country, where special
knowledge is concerned, new engine.
crs do not dare to take trains through
without pilot. There is not much
doubt that the company could easily
find men In these hard times to supply
the vacant places Of the train men
except for the engineers. On the
other hand the men are fighting the
richest aud most powerful railroad
magnate Of the northwest, whose
lighting qualities. as to endurance,
skill and knowledge are we'll known.
a large part Of the road that now lies
idle, was being run at loss.
Another grave difficulty imminent,
that complications arising from try
ing to send "scabs," freight, express
matter, or perhaps G. N. cars by other
roads may precipitate strikes on the
N. p. and other trans-contincntal
roads. Rumors arc abroad that this
will be attempted and it is almost GER
tain that very slight cause would be
sufficient to tie up every r,ad leading
out from the Northwest.
There seems to be u mixture and
clash Of authority IN the ordering Of
the strike. There are several orders"
'or "unlons" among the employees.
The engineers have AZ "Order" the
firemen have another, 50 each, have
the conductors, brakesmen, switch
mcu, etc. There have been various
efforts to consolidate these orders but
have mostly failed because Of diverse
interests. A couple years since a new
order called the "Amerlcan Railway
Union" sprang up which includes all
classes OF railroad employees but b, 9
no connection with any Of the lord
es." Ills under the authority of
this body the present strike exists,
and 1t Is stated In direct conflict to
agreements and the orders Of the var
ious chiefs Of the brotherhoods among
which are Chiefs Arthur of the En-
glncers', Sargent of the Firemcns' and
Clark Of the Conductors Brotherhood.
The difficulty between the company
and the men is the reduction Of
wages. 1t is stated that under the
present schedule, the conductors on
the st. Vincent branch gets $3.50 per
month, hremen 4l.25 per day and Sec
tion men only 80 cents. Thursday
mornings papers give nothing new on
the situation, except, that injunctions
FROM U. S. Judges Sanborn and Thom-
as, have been served on the officers Of
the unions at Grand Forks and other
places enjolning them from interfcr-
ing In anyway with making up or rum
ming trains bearing passengers, mails,
trOOD6. munitions of war or inter.