The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-04-20
AMERICAN RAILWAY UNION.
Members Of the A. r. L. and Citizens
Join in Open Meeting-The
Schedules Of Pay.
Speeches Of Sympathy Made. TeIe.
grams Read, and Much En-
thusiasm Manifested.

Pursuant to call a meeting was held
last evening In Elks' hall, composed of
members OF the American Railway union
and citizens Of Great Falls to consider
the question Of the railroad strike. The
hall was completely filed and the pro-
ceedings were very enthusiastic. After
preliminary remarks by the president of
the local union, who called the meeting
to order, addresses were made by the
following gentlemen:
A. L. Kyle, who stated bis sympathy
with the men in their present trouble,
as they had to live, and they were now
receiving what barely kept them alive.
1t was like taking a horse and using up
bis vitality and then turning him loose.
He made further remarks tending to
show the injustice Of the pay received
by the railroad employees at the time of
the strike.
o. M. Holmes said j. j. Hills action
last fall making reduction in salaries
was the primary of the strike. He
was in favor Of labor being we'll remun-
Grated, and expressed sympathy with
the movement made by the men.
Mr.. Murphy remarked that the people
OF Great Falls and Cascade county are
in favor Of the old rate of wages being
received by the men, that 1913 and s41
per month ls not enough for operators;
he said he would rather engineer a mule
on a farm for $15 a month. He advised
the men to be careful, moderate, and
pursue the course they had done since
the strike commenced.
w. l. Riker, chairman OF the A. r. u.
said he was not aware but all present
knew what the strike was for. 1t was
not merely a matter OF wages, but a
matter OF principal. About two or three
months ago the men thought they
ought to have a just schedule of wages,
and at last, after the railway company
had heard 60 much about it, they
thought there was a strike in the wind.
The employees never thought Of a strike,
but when they heard the railway com
pany was preparing to fill their places
with other men, it was a matter of pro-
lection to them to strike to save them
selves. The American Railway union
west OF Chicago, contains l40 lodges and
$4,000 members in good standing. The
circular OF the Montana Central railway,
dated Aug. l, 1893, came out signed by
j. j. Hill, ordering a reduction of salar-
les, stating it was necessary as the road
was not paying expenses, and asking the
support OF the men. The reduction
came during the panic, the country was
upside down, railroads were losing mon
ey and corporations we're failing. The
result was the men had to grin and bear
it; it was dull times and the men thought
half a loaf was better than none. Mr..
Riker then gave the wages as they stood
before the reduction last fall, and as
they were after. In the telegraph de-
partment the operators wages between
Assinaboine and Great Falls at present
was:
Average, S1316; maximum, S63.75;
minimum, S42.50 per month, and in some
places the operators do the work of
agents as well for maximum $3.50 and
minimum S3J.15. Other employees in
this department receive 1872, and two or
three others 52l.35; and on the trans
portation pay roll the minimum is So. 30
per month.
Before the reduction of Aug. l, 1893,
for operator or agent between Great
Falls and Assinaboine the average was
1862 80, maximum $50, minimum S42. so
per month. No overtime was allowed
and yet lots Of operators between here
and Assinaboine were called up four and
five times a night and received no pay
for it.
The same maximum and minimum ap-
plies between here and Helena.
In the present scale from Helena to
Rufta tho avnrQOa Uoc UQc 2n2 1ClL thu
maximum $3.50, the minimum S35.15
per month. The former rate was S75
the highest and $50 the lowest. At
Boulder one man does operators and
agents work, gives bonds, and,is paid 800
per month for two mems work. The
Northern Pacific at the same place pays
$lO5 per month and only one train a
day.
There were men working up to the
time of the strike at 81 per day, and hard
work to. All they ask are the::necessi.
ties of life and something to put by for
a rainy day. No department was ever
o~verpaid; 81 "A is the average; is it just?
Should not the workingman have
something to say? At the end the com-
ther use for you. There has been, how
tNcI. SOilc dIuOuk d
few people. The strike is not a matter
of wages. 1t is a matter Of principle.
Every American citizen has the privilege
of being a member of an organization if
he wants t., and he would like to know
if any monopoly or corporation should
have anything to say in the matter. He
made further remarks in favor of rail
way labor union.
Mr.. Riker then read the following tel
egram from Butte received the day
previous: "Breckinridge all solid-she
stops at Observation-Disclosures, enthusiastic
meeting, will uphold you. Signed
Hogan"
The speaker further said that there
were reports of trains leaving st. Paul,
il so, why did they not show up at
Grand Forks and other places; he had
reliable information that no train had
left st. Paul since last Friday evening.
Not a wheel was turning on the Great
Northern or Montana Central railways.
Mr.. Riker thanked the people of Great
Falls and the press, asking nothing but
a true statement of affairs. The men
hoI o,,ordaa tho cOmpapy'c proparfy for