The Indianapolis journal., 1894-04-27
WAR TO THE KNIFE
All Hope of Adjusting the Great
Northern Strike Abandoned.
President Hill and the American Rail-
way Union Officials Disagree-Trains
to Be Run in Earnest Now.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, April 26.-All overtures
for a peaceful settlement of the Great
Northern railroad strike have been declared
off, and the company and the American
Railway Union have begun to test their
strength, and 1t may yet end in. bloodshed.
The Great Northern railroad extends from
this city to the coast with many branches
in this State and the Dakotas, and its 4, 4s5
miles of track goes through considerable
comparatively new country, where no other
means of traffic are to be had and where
the conditions of society allow q somewhat
rougher element to control affairs. The re-
suit In that section, when the road begins
to run its trains with new men, will be
that there will be war to the knife, and
perhaps with it. 1t is believed to have been
this fact, almost as much as the desire TO
give his men every chance TO make known
their grievances, that induced president
Hill to wait two weeks without an at
tempt to get out any other than mail
trains, but he started the first freight in
two weeks to-day, and the battle may be
said to have begun. The officials Of the
road secured the issuance by the United
States Court in this State and Dakota, and
also in Montana, restraining orders order
ing the men not to interfere in any way
order deputies were sent out on all mail
trains, and beginning to-day they went out
the freight trains well.
During the time that the strikers have
been preventing the running of the road
committee of thirty-three members of
the American Railway Union, employees or
the road assembled in this city in accord
ance with a reply favorable TO their re-
quest for conference with the officials
of the road. AT the start OF the conference
President Hill announced his willingness
to arbitrate. but agreed to try the posi-
bility of conference first. When they
came together yesterday the men demanded
as the first condition that the road grant
all their demands for the renewal of the
wage schedule in force prior to last August:
without conclusion having been-reached.
The conference was resumed to-day.
a brief communication TO President
Hill Internationally rejecting his
proposal for arbitration, renewing their de-
mand for the old schedules and giving him
to understand that this is their .ultimatum.
Mr.. Hill sent a reply to the men tonight
in which he says that the action Of the men
he is concerned. He will no Slonger
recognize the American Railway Union
and will at once proceed to operate the
Great Northern road without regard to that
organization
very important side issue in this con-
test is the fact that the strike was de-
clared and Is being managed by the new
organization the American Railway Union,
practically in opposition to the federated
brotherhoods of railway engineers, firemen,
conductors and trainmen. Some members
Of the brotherhoods are also members OF
the union, but many others are not and
as the brotherhoods have signed schedules
with the road the men feel that they must
agree to their contracts even though
they might not like everything. The freight
train that went out this afternoon on its
way to the coast was manned by brother
hood men, all old employees of the com
Dany: The union leaders claim that they
will have all the men on the line out, and
it yet remains to be seen whether the men
will go with the union stand by the
brotherhoods. The brotherhood chiefs are
apparently taking no active part in the
fight although it is considered something
in the nature of a fight for existence be-
tween the two organizations.