The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-17
CORRESPONDENCE ny WIRE.
Mayor Curtin 90 Gsnerai Manager Case.
and the Reply.

Mayor Curtin to General Manager Case.
and the Reply.
Mayor Curtin on Saturday sent the fol-
lowing dispatch 20 g. W. Case. general
msnsQsr of the Great Northern railway. a.
81 Paul.
II trust that the existing differences bo-
tween your company and its employees will
be 90 adjusted that no additional unem-
ployed men will be thrown upon this little
city. We are already greatly overlohde1
with the unemployed. Every department
Of the city has been taHed 20 the utmost 20
furnish barely enough employment 20 pre-
vent distress"
To this President Hill and General
Manager Case have replied as follows;
AFTER full eopsideration the rules and
schedules OF wages and hours OF work we're
approved aad adopted BY grand officers OF
ths brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
and Firsmen. by fully authorized com
mittees Of men In the service aud ieduced
10 writing. These took effect Mach /.
since then no chanRsa IN these schedules
have been made or thought OF. The pro-
posed changes in similar schedules for con-
ductors and trainmen. making slight re-
ductiOns In special onses. but leaving a
large proportion of wages unchanged, we're
70 mulated bT officers Of the company and
ths principal officers OF the respective or
been submitted 20 she men themselves
for approval by vote. No change in any
previously Hgreed upon schedule has
been made. No reduction OF rates OF pay
or Increase OF houra Of 6Witchmen or yard
men here or elsewhere was under cOnaidora-
tion, and the proposed changes In the
schedule Of trainmen and conductors we're
subject TO the vote of the men soon 10 be
taken and reported TO the company. IN
Ger these conditions The company had no
thought or notice OF trouble until a tele-
gram was received by its general manager
10 81 Paul. hafollows;
"BUrrE. Ap ii l3 1891. am Instructed
by your employees TO say that unless the
wages. schedules aud rules of all clGases Of
employees which we're ia effect prior TO the
FIST cut made in August, 1893. are restored.
and the switchmeB at Great Falls and
Helena receive the came pay and schedules
as at Butte; and that the management
agrees 10 meet the personalities Of the en-
ployss at Minot not later than ten days
hence. and formulate schedules accord
inRly; all classes will quit work at noon this
18Th day OF April. Signed,
JAMES HoGAN.
This message was received about eight
O. clock In the morning OF the day for
which the strike was ordere1. Within an
hour after the receipt of the above mes
sage a copy fthe strike order was received,
directed to engineers, hremen. brakemen,
hNlNoumout opofhAoth. agents. Clef Ms hce-
tion men and all employees. stating that the
management OF she Great Northern system
are arranging 20 run lot OF men from the
east TO fill the Ilacss in the departments.
on account of employees belonging 30 the
American Railway union, and that it had
been decided 10 quit work Friday, April l3,
and that after that no more work should
be done until the company had restored
the old rates Of wages paid urior to Aug l..
Thus the strike was pTeoihitated without
notice TO the company from any Of its en-
uloyes. through the officers OF ths reapsc-
tive orders or otherwise, that wages or
terms of service we're unsatisfactory.
'Al EumorS and statements that the
company was preparing or had thought of
re placing its employees are false. Tho
company ia not responsible for tie strike
by which q large number Of men are thrown
out Of employment IN all industries, and
the business OF the several communities
along its line made 20 suffer heavy loss
The company has at all times been willing
to discuss with ita employees or their duly
authorized representatives all questions
affecting their wages or other items OF em-
plovment."
The reply 10 Mayor Curiia was given out
bv the officers of the company in -. Paul.
nearly complete as n was sent u was net
untIl alter this had been done that the
mayor decided to give out the full tsle-
graphic Correspondence.