The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-11


in the wards or on the engines. Even our
two yardmasters went out With this
state OF affairs staring us in the face. we
set to work to straighten them out. l had
to get in and fire up engines, switch cars
by hand and brake cars in the yard. The
master mechanic and Mr.. Burkhalter had
to run engines. When we started there
were only two men to DO the work. That
is less than a week ago, and now
we have all the locals, just thirty in ana
out in a day, running and have started off
a freight train and the regular overland
passenger and mail train for the East over
the Southern Pacific route. I've started
trains going and carried the mails as fast
as possible under the circumstances when
there was not wheel moving on the other
lines. We have pretty nearly all the men
we need and expect to keep overland
trains, both freight and passenger, moving
from this out"
a freight train moved out of the South
ern Pacific yards. opposite the American
Railway Union headquarters. at A. NJ.
It's destination is Yuma and further
points east and south as far as New Or
leans and Mexico. Soldiers were not
called to guard it. as they will not give
protection except TO mail trains; but eight
Deputy Marshals armed with revolvers
accompanied the freight. The train con-
sisted of seventeen loaded cars, and its
crew was made up of a union engineer,
conductor and brakeman and non-union
fireman.
What is considered another important
break in the tie up was the starting of the
Southern Pacific overland passenger train
at 9 O'Clock this morning. The train of
nine cars. consisting Of mail, baggage, dav
coaches, Pullman and tourist sleepers. was
moved into the Arcade depot early, and
sign denoting that it was for Pomona,
Ontario, Cotton, San Bernardino, Deming,
FL PasO and New Orleans was affixed con-
spicuously before the surprised spectators.
Baggage, express and mails were put
aboard in tremendous quantities. as mary
as sixteen of the largest cases of the San
Fran cisco papers helping to fill the
mailcars. They represented accumula-
lions of several days. Several pas
sengers bought tickets for various
points along the route, some intending TO
20 clear through until connection is made
with lines not affected by the strike. The
surprising information was given at the
depot that the train crew were all regular
union men, although it was not known
whether they are in the American Rail-
way Union. AS mails were aboard, a
detachment of twenty soldiers escorted the
train ont of town as far as Cotton, where
they got off, leaving eight Deputy Mar
shals to protect the train. The troops re-
turned on a local, well pleased with their
trip into The country. No trouble is feared
for either of these trains, as the route lies
through a country paratively free
from pTeiudices either way.
Still the union men feel confident that
neither train will reach its destination
Indeed, President SJanwood of the A. r.
u. says they will not go far. and predicts
that Tucson, AriZ., will tie them up, leay-
Ing the freight and passengers on torrid
desert and at the mercy Of the strikers for
release from such d situation.
The train for San Francisco that has
been at the Arcade depot for week is still
there, and no immediate prospect of NOV
ing it is in view. Considerable doubt is felt
regarding the half-hearTed attempt to open
the road through California, which by the
way is matter of the gravest importance
TO interior towns, the farmers, an6 indeed
the general welfare of the State, for many
towns on the railroad are suffering as well
as the fruitmen and others with market
able products. The local superin-
tendent says everything is in readiness
here for a start. Only orders from
General Manager Towne are awaited be-
fore the train can move. No explanation
further for delay is given here. Possibly
the railroad officials fear that train might
be stopped at Bakersfield as two others
were. and having such good cause to show
the government why the officials should
not be indicted for delaying mail on the
line to San Francisco they feel secure and
concentrate their efforts in other drec-
tions where no reasonable excuses can be
gwen.
At all events somebody is response ble
for the most disgraceful treatment of pas
sengers. If Towne holds back the train,
the blame evidently rests with him. Money
was taken from passengers for tickets. and
they went on the train with the under
standing that they would start immedi-
ately. But something happened that day;
thirty minutes. then an hour, two. twelve,
day. and finally a week went by, while
all the time the passengers have been led
to believe that the train would leave at
any minute. So they have hung around
tHO OSpOtS oedIblHS 6f0Ly oOuuQ VI d 10
comotiye-beli. Day after day they have
slept on the cars at night. and did not dare
to venture uptown lest their train might
pull out in their absence.
Fancy depot shed with the only out
look wall of dust-begrimmed cars on
one side, camp of soldiers on another
ana far off palms, flowers and restful hill
sides and mountains that seem to mock ex-
isnence in the dreary railroad yards; the
only seat baggage truck. the only prom
enade between the tracks or over asphalt
tum, and the only retreat the burning cars,
made still more sultry by the hot sands.
All these combined constitute without
change the daily life of the detained pas
sengers whose days this past week have
been the very acme of tedious ness. The
railroad holds onto their fares with grim
viciousness. while leading them to the be-
lief from hour to hour that the train will
start soon. For these Door passengers
there is no place TO battle, no privacy for
the ladies, and everything is utterly COM
fortress. Some of them grew sick and
weary from waiting and took boat to San
Francisco. but all cannot go by sea, and
those who remain are suffering, Pathetic
incidents have been noticed that point to
patient suffering which may never reach
the public ears, and yet the train is side
tracked behind the depot building under
the hot sun and upon the bisteri ng sands.