Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-07-11
How it Began /.


Below we give from the Chicago
Inter Ocean, in a condensed form,
the start of the great railroad strike,
which has paralyzed business OF
every kind throughout the whole
country. 1t will be seen that from
a very small beginning, most of the
railroads in the west have been in
volved in the most disastrous strike
ever known on the globe. Millions
of dollars have been lost in the dis
truction of property and loss of
wages, to say nothing of the loss
caused by the stoppage of general
business:
May pullman carpenters met
at Kensington, organized Union
No. 2OS of the A. r. U. Black
smiths union also formed. Strike
advocated if wages were not in
creased.
May "a delegation waited on
President Pullman, who went over
the ground with the committee and
delivered a statement to his en-
ployes, in which he set forth that
it was impossible for him to raise
their wages. He pointed out that
his company was employing 1890
men at Pullman at q loss $4,000
per month, and that cars were be-
ing built at a loss of $40 each, SIM
ply to keep the works running.
The same day, at meeting at Ken
sington, Vice President Howard, of
the A. r. u, promised the men the
aid of the union in declaring a boy
colt in case they were not success
full in their demands.
May 1.-Two thousand of the
men employed at Pullman laid
down their tools. The strike was
unauthorized by Vice President
Howard and was caused by order of
local committee composed of for
ty-six men representing the various
departments of the works. The di-
rect cause of the strike was the lay
ing of of three men-Peterson,
Hasty, and Watson-who had been
on the arbitration committee and
had been promised they would not
be molested because of that fact.
At SIX o'clock the same evening,
after consultation with the vari-
Gus heads of departments, the works
at Pullman were shut down. Dur
ing the remainder of the week the
situation at Pullman remained the
same. The works were closed.
The strikers organized an executive
committee, of which T. w. Heath
cote was made chairman. Vice
President Howard went to Indiana
polls to confer with President Debs
for the purpose of declaring a gen.
eral strike in all the branches of
the A. r. u, and threats were made
to force the Pullman employees at
st. Louis, Ludlow, KY, and Will
mington, Del, to 60 out.
May 16-Officers and members
of the Order of Railway Conductors,
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers, the Brotherhood of
Brakemen, and the Brotherhood of
Switchmen said they would not 60
into a sympathetic strike for the
benefit of the Pullman men. On
the same day an assessment of 3
cents a day was levied on each of
the 100000 members of the Ameri-
can Union to assist the Pullman
strikers.
May 20-The men were anxious
to arbitrate. Mr.. Pullman refused
to deal with the strikers except as
individuals.
June 4-The Trade and Labor
Assembly, by unanimous vote, pass
ed resolutions of sympathy with the
strikers.
June 15-President Debs called a
national convention Of the Ameri-
can Railway Union to order in
Uhlich's Hall and a special COM
mittee was appointed to confer with
the Pullman officials. General
Manager Wickes, of the Pullman
Company, June IS, told them that
his company had nothing to arbi-
trate.
June 22-The committee again
waited upon General manager
Wickes, with the same result. For
NAL notice of boycott to take effect
June 28 given.
June 25-General Managers As
ISOLATION met and decided to stand
together to prevent the A. r. U.
from disturbing railroad traffic. A.
r. U. ordered general boycott of all
Pullman cars. Illinois Central Rail-
road INSTRUCTED at Grand Crossing
and Western Indiana Road at Ham
mond.
June 26-General Manager Char
les Watts, Of the Pennsylvania sys-
tenn, called on Chief Bremen for
police protection. Inspector Hunt
was sent to Grand Crossing, where
he stated he had 200 officers in re-
serve, and was prepared to suppress
any disturbance that might arise.
June 27-The details of police
were increased. Chief Brennan
said; I'VE will do all we can to