The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-24
THE RAILROADS. SIDE
Manager St. John Before the Ma.
tional Strike Commission.
NOT OBLIGED TO HAUL PULLMANs,
The Rock Island Road Could Have Left
the PalEoe Cars on without Breaking
. Contract-An Assertion That Strikers
Destroyed Railroad Property.

CHICAGO, Aug. 24.-General Manager r.
st. John, of the Rock Island railway, was
called before the strike commissioners
yesterday. Mr.. St. John had prepared q
history of the strike as it affected his
road, and read to the commissioners de
tailed account of the troubles. When hi
had finished he was asked If his company
blacklisted men.
Not in the sense that the word is gen
orally understood" said the witness
when a man is discharged from oul
divisions we send statement to oui
other divisions, that he may not be re-em
ployed, but no such statement Is sent t.
other roads unless it is requested"
Can you show us copy of your con
tract with the Pullman company askeI
Commissioner Herman.
II can show you the contract IL you viii
regard it as n private matter. do no
wish to have it published in the news
papers"
( This proposition was refused and MI
st. John was asked If the contract com
PEELED his company to haul Pullmans o.
all passenger trains.
NO." was the answer, 1--WE can hau
Pullmsns on any trains we choose, an
need not haul them unless we wish"
Pullmans during the strike?"
mo, we were not"
"Mr. st. John was asked as to the nun
Der of strikers that had been taken bac
, after the strike.
/ "Most of our men, he said, quit work
but of'the 552 actual strikers only sever
; ty-four have been taken back"
The witness said that their relations I
labor unions We're regulated by the nun
: Der of men ON their lines belonging to tn
/ unions.
"When a union has so per cent. or MOI
: of men," he said, 1--WE rs a general thin
Q treat with its representative. We had II
dealings with the American Railwa
union, as it had less than 500 of our en-
"How much did the strike cost the Roc
Island roadS" Mr.. Herman asked.
: ~ should say that the strike cost OF
? road between $500, 600 and u, 00O, 900"
: Mr.. St. John emphatically denied IL
9 statement that United States marsha
y used during the riots were controlled
: the railroads. He declared that many
the rioters who overturned and burne
cars were strikers.
The commissioners questioned Mr.. S
John very closely regarding the contr
pl Tue deputy l llteu states ularSnAlS,
the statement had been made by Chi
Deputy Donnelly that the railroad cor
;. pauies took charge of the forces durir
;. the riots
& Mr. st. John gave history of the 70
u nation Of the General Managers associ
IL ton, which he denied had its conueptic
from any desire TO reduce the wages
the men. He said further:
al do NOT Tint thpra will NOT ha
reduction of wages and revision of Il
schedule tax on the Rock Island road.
ls speak of the company's financial affai
~ with the greatest reluctance In publ
~ but its earnings have suffered a decrea
n of 5000 in three months, AID son
IF method will have to be devised of chan
ID ing that result. Some of the compani
0, have had their earnings decreased at Il
lr rate of $500, 900 a month";
=, Mr.. St John was again called to Il
~ stand this morning.