The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-26
JIM HILL OBSTINATE.
Refuses to Treat With the
American Railway Union.
he ASKS employees TO RETURN
DsAs Says They Wea't Return Cntal
Wages Are RsstsPoA-Ihe
serikers' UlttnssaA.

ST. ParI. April 1s-rhe committee
from the American Railway Onion that
- trying 10 arrange wage
schedule with the Great Northern,
spent oil day With President Hill,
trying 20 convince that officer that they
were the regular accedited representative
OF bis employees, but il ended without their
object having been attained. There are
thsrty-shree members of tho COM
mittse. coming from all branches OF
the road. and Mr.. Hill went over the
pay rolls Of the company in the first place
20 find whether the men were, a. they
claimed. employees of she company. This
matter being settled, the question was
whether they represented all OF their CO.
employees.
Mr.. Hill explained that he did not wish
20 settle the matter with them, and then
find they were not what they claimed and
have 10 settle the difficulty eli
over again. Mr.. Hin wanted the
men TO so back 10 work pending q
settlement OF the difficulty. This Lass
suggestion was promptly uegasived by
President Debs, of the union. who an
nounced that the men did not propose
10 do anything until the whole
the committee came together in
this conference they presented tbs
demands tina; they considered necessary
to be accepted before they would consider
any proposition to resume work These
demands include . return to the scale of
wages in force prior 20 last August; that
the switchmen at Helena and Great Fails
receive the same pay As those at
Butte: that the management pledge
themselves to sign the schedule Of wages
in force prior to last August; that If nee
essary TO reduce the expenses the hours be
reduced instead of men being discharged.
The conference will be resumed in the
morning.
The only question any one asked yester
day in regard to the Great Northern strike
was, what Is the conference committee
doing?" and, as the telegraph wires alone
could give the answer. the question had to
60 unanswered until dispatches came from
st. Paul. Not move is being made by
either party on this end Of the line. and
no move is expected until the negotia,ors
in st. Paul either agree or agree to dis
agree. The local leaders of the strike say
that the statements coming from st. Paul
that the running of trains is being resumed
as far as Minot are false, as the strikers
only allow mails and such other trains to
run as are necessary to prevent serious
distress along the line. In support of this
claim. Organizer Adams showed kilograms
from President Debs. of the American
Railway Union. in one of which he says:
Situation splendid. Success assured"
And in another: 1.-THE situation is dead
right. Stand pat"
All fear of the strike extending to the
Northern Pacific is over, ut least unless
affairs on the Great Northern should As
sumo an aspect much less favorable for
the strikers. The strike resolutions
adopted on the divisions east of the
mountains aresunderstood to have been
rescinded. and the strike feeling has sim
mered down to nutterings Of discomfort.
Il. NJ. Goodwin, who organized the union
on that road, left yesterday for Helena at
the call of Organizer Hogan.
ST. PAUL. April 2a-Thc Northern Pa
citic officials In this city place little Gre
dence in the Helena report that their men
will strike If the Great Northern does no,
grant the demands of its employees. SO
far as known here the Northern Pacific
men are satisfied with the present ar
rangements, and have no intention of
striking,