The herald., 1894-04-16
A hecuIiar State of Affairs Developed.
Ebe strike Activity Antsgonisod
by the Railroad Employer
brotherhood.
By the Associated Press.

way company itself. There can be nc
doubt that the individuals OF the various
brotherhoods are privately somewhat
dissatisfied, but they recently ac-
cepted the revised schedules
and are standing by their agreement
with the company. A meeting this
evening of the local organization OF en-
gineers was held. looking to q strike,
but at the close Of the meeting the sec.
retary told an Associated Press reporter
they were opposed to the strike, and
any engineer who countenanced it or in
sny way assists the strikers will DO 90 at
his peril.
The following address to the president
OF the Great Northern railway has been
received here:
If firemsn in your employ who are
members of the brotherhood have quit
work in the present strike they have
violated the laws Of the organization
and will be expelled. They will have
no support from the organization or be
supported by the federated committee.
We propose to stand by all agreements
that have been made and signed by au-
thorized committees. You are at lib
erty to act accordingly.
[Signedl F. P. SARGENT.
The following is a copy OF q message
sent by E. E. Clark, grand chief of the
railway conductors, to the local aecre-
tary at Spokane, with directions to make
such use of it as he choose:
"Strike on Great Northern will re.
ceive no recognition or support from NE
or OF the federated organizations. Our
members' duty is to comply strictly with
our laws and to perform their proper
duties. If any participate in a strike
they must abide by the consequences,
which are we'll known"
AS far as can be learned at this hour
the road is tied up over about 1900 miles
of its system, the number OF men idle
being much greater than the number of
actual strikers. 80 long as the strikers
can prevent the mEking-up of trains,
the crews, although ready to run trains,
are helpless. At number of points the
citizens have openly espoused the cause
of the strikers. 1t is not thought any
lawleseness will be permitted at any
point. The company this evening
handed to the Associated Press the fol-
lowing copy of message to the mayor
of Helena, who had sent a message ask
ing for a statement of the extent and
cause OF the strike:
ST. PAUL, April 10Th.
To Hon. John C. Jurtln, Helena. Mont;
After full consideration OF the rules
and schedules OF wages, the hours OF
work were approved and adopted by the
grand brotherhood officers of the Broth
erhood OF Locomotive Engineers and
Firemen, by the fully authorized com
mittee of the men in the service, and
had been reduced to writing. These
took effect March let. Since then no
changes in these schedules have been
made or thought OF. The proposed
changes in similar schedules for con-
ductOTs and trainmen, making
slight reductions in special cases,
but leaving large proportion
of the wages unchanged, were formu-
lated by the officers of the company and
the principal officers OF the respective
orders and of the employees affected,
and have been submitted to the men
themselves for approval by vote. No
change in any previously agreed upon
schedule has been made. No reduction
Of pay or increase in hours of switehmen
or yardmen or anyone was under consid-
Grafton, and the proposed change in the
schedule OF trainmen and conductors
was subject to the vote OF the men soon
to be taken and reported to the COM
pany.
Under these conditions the company
had no thought or notice OF trouble uu-
til telegram received from Butte and
signed by James Egan was received by
General Manager Case. stating that un-
less the former wages were restored the
men would strike at noou the Bame day.
Nh.xa hnn tail fxtk fnA y
out notice to the company from any of
it's employees through the officers
of their respective orders or other
wise, that wages or terms OF ser-
| vice were in any way unsatisfactory. All
rumors or statements az to the company
proposing to replace its employees had
been false. The company is not respon-
sible for the strike by which men are
thrown out of employment in all indus
tries and the business Of the several
communities along its line made to suffer
loss. The company has at all times been
willing to discuss with its employees, or
with it's duly authorized representatives,
any questions affecting wages or terms
OF employment.
JAMES ]. HILL, President.
g. w. CASE, General Manager.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press at Superior telegrsphs that there
is no sign OF strike at that point. sew
eral trains on the Minnesota branch OF
the Great Northern having started out
today without any interference. No
trouble is Rntici ipated there.
| A dispatch received by the Pioneer
Press from Summit, Mont, on the Cas-
cade division, says no one is working on
that division.
At DEVILS Lake the strikers have pre-.
vented any movement of the trains from
that point for 4s hours. The company,
with the help of the crew OF the train
that was stopped yesterday. tried to
make up train today for the east, but
were prevented by the strikers. They
will allow baggage cars and mail cars
to proceed. but will forcibly pre-
vent the coupling of any passen-
ger trains. Baggage cars are
exempt from interference as they have
mail matter in them. A special meet
ing Of the council held today decided to
hear any warrants the company might
swear out and enforce them. The
strikers are orderly and have been keep
ing the peace. 1t is understood that all
of them who may become disordsrly
will be promptly locked up by the strik-
ers themselves.