Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-24
ST. JOHN ON THE STAND.
was NOT conpELLED TO HAUL
PULLMAN sLEEPEps.
Reads n Carefully Prepared state
ment of fhe striise-The Loss TO the
Rock island Amounts TO Nearly
MlIion Donsrs--No Black List.


Chicago. H.. Aug. 2s,--Gcneral Mana
ger u. ST. John. OF the Rock Island,
WAS called before the strike commits
s!oners today. Mr. ST. John had pre-
pared history Of the strike as It affec-
ted his road and read TO the commits
sloaers detailed account OF the
troubles. When he had finished he was
asked II his company blacNllsted men.
mot In the sense that word Is gem
orally understood" said witness.
when a man is discharged from our
division we send abatement to other
divisions that he may not be re-
employed but no such statement Is
sent TO other roads unless 1t Ia re-
questod."
Can you show us copy OF your
contrsct with the Pullman Company,
asked Commissioner Herman.
II can show you contract II you
will regard 1t as a private matter. /
do not wish 10 have 1t published In the
newspapers"
This proposition was refused and Mr..
st. John was asked II the contract
compelled his company to haul Pull
man cars ON all passei ser trains,
mo, we can haul PuilInans on any
trains we choose and need not haul
them unless we wish"
Then you were not compelled to
haul Pullmans during the strike"
mo, we were not"
Mr.. 81. John was asked to name the
number of strikers that had been taken
back by his company.
Most OF our men" he said. quit
work through fear. but OF 622 actual
strikers only "A have been taken
back"
The witness said that their rela-
tionB to labor unions were regulated
by the number OF men on their lines
belonging to the unions.
when n union has 20 per cent or
more OF the men" he said we, as
general thing, treat with Its representa-
yves. We had no dealings with the
American Railway union as II had less
than GOO OF our employer"
did your road cut wages last spring
or this summer asked Commissiontr
Wright.
No NJ, sir, We cut our force but no
Has your road advanced wages
within the last ten yearsY
Yes, we have frequently made
Individual advances but no general in
crease that / remember Of"
How much did the strike cost the
Rock lslandY'
Il cannot give exact figures without
reference to data but / should say that
the strike cost our road between $780,
600 and 5l.OOO,00O,"
Mr.. st. John emphatically denied the
statement that United states mnrshnla
used during the riots were controlled
10y the reads.
we asked for protection and furn-
ifhcd many Of our employees who were
worm In az deputy marshals But
-lsr being sworn In we had nothing
"'nmnnded and controlled by the
Hitel states marshal I suppose"
tNe witness stated that many Of tha
30 who overturned ana burned
Vcro strikers lie knew this to be-
iet, he said, because many OF them
re recognized by the Rock Island
'rloyes who witnessed the lawneBs-
.fs4
The commissioners questioned Mr..
T. John closely regarding the control
VI we deputy United States marshals
" me statement had been made by
uhiet Deputy Donnelly that the rail-
road companies took charge of the
forces during tho riots
In the afternoon Mr. ST. John gave
me history OF the formation of the
General managers association which
ne denied had It's inception from any
desire 10 reduce the wages OF the men.
nc said. further: "rhc schoduie OF
wages we have complied fsems 10 have
peen misunderstood. II ~ n tabulaNon
nt RAILROADS. wages MI over the coun-
tty ~ was impossible TO have any
thing like equality OF wages for t6o
same elias OF service without some
bunh tAbulation. II had nothing 10 do
WIN an intended reduction of wages
snd wng not followed by reductions.
we or hree Southern lines found they
we're paying wares considerably in tx.
tcss OF wages paid by their oompetitnrs
ana naturally reduced them 10 an
tquhiity. do not say that thcrc win
not De reduction OF wages and n re-
slsion OF the schedules The Rock
STAND so far has made It's economics
n the reduction OF force and lie shnrt'
Hings or hours I fenr very much
however that unless n change comes I'm
ne hituotion something viii have Ia
70 done. J speak of the oompany's
.nsneial nnsirs with the greatest re-
uctahce In public, but It's earnings hnvo
Mnered general decrease OF $500 900
n three months and some method WIN
ave TO be devised OF CHANGING that re-.
UT some OF the companies have bad
hsir earnings decreased at the rate OF
900 900 q MONTH"
Questioned MS TO the best remedy for
1rikes he said he had no suggestIon,
y make although he had given tho
natter much thought. That n way
to,ld eventually be found he nrmlv
eneNeu anu ne could not form any idea
oW az 10 what that way would be
lhs witness was asked II he ala moi
elsNe a system Of government license
! good thing WIN w
Mr, 81, John said he thought the plan
lohtes. The government could ostnh.
isn the system on some OF tho ann
idixed roads and try H..
,a Mr. 81 John viii go on the stand to-