The record-union., 1894-04-14
The Great Northern Railroad Tied
Up by a Strike.
employees UNITE IN DEMANDING A
RESTORATION OF WAGES.
Kelly's Industrial Army Speeding on
Toward Omaha, the Union Pacific
Having Refused to Send Them by
WAY of Denver - Well Supplied
With Food by Citizens of Towns
Along the Route.
Special to the RBcoRD-Us1ox.

Northern main line has had the middle
cut out of it by a strike which began at
noon to-day. Nota wheel is moving, not
q wire working, and not trackman on
duty between Spokane and st. Paul, ac-
cording to a telegram received to-day
from James Hogan of Helena, Chairman
of the American Railway Union, by the
local officers.
The intention to strike was well-kept
secret among the employees, and the hrst
intimation the local officials had OF 1t was
the news that it had come and the silence
Of the telegraph instruments. The en-
ployes of the road, no matter to what
organization they belong, have by popu-
lar vote federated all their unions, and
made common cause in demanding the
restoration of the wages prevailing be-
fore the reduction of August l9, 1893, and
the arrangement Of new schedule with
a committee of their own choice. Ihs
strike includes engineers. trenen, con-
ductors, brakemen, switchmen, opera
tors, agents, bridge carpenters, section
hands, car-cleanerS and repalrers.
The coast lines extending along the
Sound from Seattle to New Westminster
were not included, because the organlZa-
ton is not strong enough to give them
promise of success.
The strike order provided that passen-
ger trains should be taken right through,
in order not to work any hardships on
passengers. but freight trains were
dropped where they happened to be at
noon. The westbound passenger train,
due here at ii O'Clock last night, was very
late in reaching kalispell. and had thirty
hours run to make from there, which
would not have brought it to Seattle till
after noon to-day, but it was rushed
through in twenty-five hours, and got in
at IL o'clock this morning. AS the local
officials only have charge of the coast
lines, and the main line is under a sepa-
rate management, they know nothing
officially and very little unot11clally.
PEACEFULLY INAUGURATED.
HELENA, April 13.-The strike on the
Great Northern and Montana Central sys-
tenn was peacefully lnaugurateG to-day
at noon. At the stroke of II the men all
left their posts of duty and gathered at
the station to await the appearance Of the
eastbound passenger train at 1925. AS
soon as the train stopped two men, dele
gated for the purpose, uncoupled the
mail car from the coach. Then the en-
CINE and mail car were ready to move
eastward. AT the end OF fifteen minutes
no orders to move had been received.
Then J, l.. Dunn of Great Falls, the
official representative of the American
Railway Union, stepped to the end Of the
platform and said:
Friends and FeIIOlu- Citizens: We are
ready and willing to move this mail car.
The men are at their posts. 1t is the
company's fault, not ours, that it did not
leave on time. We are ready and will
ing to do our part. The company will
try to make it appear that we are the
cause of the delay to the mail, but want
you all to bear witness to the fact that we
are ready to move the car"
Mr.. Dunn stated that the train crew
could and would run the car through to
Great Falls on the general orders, but for
the fact that the Superintendent had
given express orders that the trains
should not leave the station.
Sometime since the officials of the
Great Northern issued q new schedule to
govern various employees. This was to
90 into effect the lst of April, and it
made sweeping reductions in the wages
of all the employees. The men would not
accept it, and it was hung up awaiting
the return of President Hill from
Europe. Since his return he has ordered
that the schedule be enforced, and rather
than accede TO the demand, which they
considered unjust, the men left work at
noon to-day. The order for the strike
James Hogan, organizer OF the American
Railway Union.
The strike extends from Larimore, n.
D., to Spokane, and 1000 men are now
out, 200 of that number being in this city.
The only trains that have left Helena to-
day are two freights, one eastbound and
another westbound, which left this
morning. They will be allowed to pro-
ceed to their destination.
Paul and Division Superintendent Cur
rier of Great Falls are managers of the
situation for the company at Helena.
THE STRIKE SAID NOT TO BE GENERAL.
ST. PAUL (Minn.), April 13.-It is a diff
ficult matter at this time and at this dis
tance from the scene OF the strike on
the Great Northern system to understand
its size and significance. In fact, from
all local sources of information, the same
report comes that the strike is not gen.
eral Nice-President Clough said to-
night. that the first word received by the
company was in the shape of telegram.
signed by some one named Striker, =
announcing that the men would go out
at noon, in the Wertern division. No
demands had been received from the men,
and, Judging by the results OF the confer
ence with them lately, they were fairly
we'll contented with affairs as they now
engineers conferred with the officials
and finally signed and agreement that
when the earnings of the company
reached certain figure the old rates
would be restored.
Colonel Clough says the present out
look was not anly authorized py the
brotherhoods and their chiefs, but is de-
preclated by the men.
President Hill of the Great North
ern is at West superior, and
when approached by the Asso-
ciated Press Correspondent, said:
''rhese reports are exaggerated. There
are few local disturbances along the
line, but nothing to speak seriously OF.
No statement has been yet received as to
the number of men OUT
A Great Falls lAont.1 special to the
Pioneer Press says: the Great Northern
strike was inaugurated to-day at noon.
When the train from the East arrived the
bridge across the Missouri River had
heen filled with uncoupled ears loaded
With coal and ore. The train was obliged
10 remain on the west side of the river
and is still in the yard. The train from
Butte was abandoned at Helena, and it is
0rohable the only outlet for a time will
he via The Great Falls and Canada road.
A prolonoed strike will close the smelters
here. and this. il is said, viii cause great
loss to the Great Northern. Laborine
men and citizens generally are in sympa-
thy with the strikers.
a Helena Mont. special says: All the
employees Of the Great Northern, eXcepi
Superintendents and Roadmosters, went
out. The strike will tie up the road
barring, possibly, mail trains. The
troubIe is over the new schedule OF wages