The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-02
SWITCHMEN ON A STRIKE
Montana Central Employees al the
Butte Yards Knock or
From Work.
They Submit a New Schedule OF
Wages and Time 20 tho
Company.
The Tie Up Leads 20 the Closing Of the
Boston and Montana Mines
The Situation.

The Gt'iks Of ths Montana Cent al
svitohmsn a. Butte has NOT Affected the
suitehmsn Ia the Helena yards. who. It is
stated. have no grievance. The cause Of
the strike II sot forth in a communication
20 Superintendent Currisr. Tho Is. A. a.
=. and Montana Union awitchmen receive
t3.l5 for ten hours work. while the Great
Northern men have Only been getting So
for twelve aud thirteen hou work. and the
latter believe that they srs entitled 20 tie
same wages ~ those in the employ Of the
other two roads. and will mske a combined
snoTt TO get the same pay that the oths,s
receive. All Of the strikers bslonq either
th the American Railway union or some
other organization, end they say that
they have assurances that the bTAkemen,
conductors, engineers and hrsmen will stay
With them II the road attempts 20 hll theif
places with others. The other trainmen,
not having ony grievances At present Of
course will not take any part IN the strike
unless non-unton men are employed. 1his
10 the only condition under which the
strike could spread. a. Butte 10 special
yard and the only one on the line vhers
the men get 50 day.
As a isault of the strike no coal or wood
was delivered al either the Pennsylvania
anu SILVER DOW NO. huu mines or the
Heinzo properties. They will probably be
compelled 60 close down Temporarily II the
strike continues long.
supt. Courier fenohs1 Butte Saturday
night from Great Falls 60 settle the troubls
II possible. supt. Courier told J. Stalk.
chairman OF the o0mmittss representing
the switshmen, that President Hill was in
Europe and could do nothing In the way Of
granting the demands Of the employees for
more pay and shorter hours until Hilrs
arrival in New York. where be is expected
at any time. The other 0fdciala he said.
could do nothing in the matter. evan ~ 10
resulted Ia a general strike all over the
road. IL such an event happened she road
would have 90 remain tisd up until Nr.
Hills return. The superintendent said he
dsplored the fact that the men had taken
an unfair advantage Of the company in
striking before the eIpifation Of the Iims
given the company BY them IN which 20 de-
eide on she new schedule.
The strikers committee reported the
! facts a. related 20 q large meeting Of she
Associated brotherhood of railroad sm-
ployea in session 81 GnndoEson's hall In
/ South Butte. After discussion OF the
matter tke railroad men decided 90 main
tain their stand BY. 10 is understood, an al
most unanimous vote Of the large meeting.
/ The committee VAS Instructed 90 inform
/ Mr. Courier that she sWitehmsn would not
return 90 work until the company came 60
| their terms. This the oommittss did. Mr..
Courier rsglied that this settled the mat
ter; that be could do nothing further.
The sSitehmen's COMMITTEES reported
back 90 the railroad meeting. which re-
mnined in session until one o'clock sunday
morning and decided TO hght the issue to
finish.
Mr. Courier emphatioally denied 20 q
reporter that the company oontsmI lated
the importation Of men to take the places
of the strikers.
The Butte Yard is now pretty we'll hlled
up with freight cars and delivery of freight
10 Butte IL practically a. a stand still.
Passenger tfains carving ths mail are nos
inteFfered with. The Pacific express when
10 reaches she Butte yard has 90 be pulled
out backwards.
A special dispatch from Butte last night
says: Nine suitohmen In Bate who want
an increase OF 10 cents per day in thsiF
wages ae likely so tis mp the entire hon-
tana Central road and perhaps the Crest
Northern, throw 200 miners out of work IA
the Boston ard Montana mines aud per
hapa close the amelters In Great Falla A.
/ fret the strike seemed . trihing matter, bat
to-day 10 assumed stronger proportions,
with chances favorable 90 q tis-up Of the
Montana Central road In a few dsys. Tn
M to-day the trouble was confined to
the nine striking switehmen, bat
nov it has spread 90 the othsr
employees The conductors. tremen, sse-
tion men, ear fepairers and coal heavois .
held meetings here to-day and decided on
nsv schedules of wages which will be pre-
sentsd TO the road 10 morrow and II not ao-
ospted = general Ns up can hardly be
avsFtsd. The railroad men IN their new
schedules demand the same rate of wages
a. 10 paid on the Butte. Anaconda Paciho
aud Aontana URion roads. The section
men ere now getting Sl.25 and want Sl.Ib.
The oar rspaiTsrs are getting Sl.7O and
want g.. 25. Coal beavers are getting ST. IL
and want g.. The other railway employees
also ash increases 10 correspond with ths
roads runuina between Butte and Ana
eonda. 10 10 understood that the engineers
held . meeting In Great Falls. but nothing
has been hsard here OF sue outcome. IL u
believed they will stand by ths other rail
way men and will ask na Increase OF from
abe present rate OF s. 80 90 a. 90 per dAT.
IL 10 Also Understood that all she various
trades will stand together aud the grant
ing OF the demands OF one class Of en- plOyes
will NOT avail unless the demands OF all
are sccsdsd 10. The Bostsn A hontana
mines closed down indshnitely tonight,
throwing 200 men out OF work. This IL
because the e'e cannot be carried 30 Great
Falls and the bins here are all full. The .
will be no effect at the Great Falls smeltsrs
unless the strike is OF long duration. aa
thsrs 10 o.s enough In Great Falls 20 last
six weeks
DEAR WILLIE'S NOT ALONE.