The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-12
WAR OF THE WORKERS
The Little Montana Central Strike Is
Still On.
j. H. CALDERHEAD SPEAKS
He Says the Men Are Well Pre-
pared for a Fight II Such n Meas
ure IS Necessary Superin-
tendent McLaren's Views

The strike of the Great Northern car
repairers in Butte over the reduction of
s. a month in their wages is still on
and their places have not yet been
filled. An effort was made yesterday
TO secure men to take the places of the
second force OF car repairers who went
out Tuesday morning. but IL proved un-
successful. The men who took the
places of the regular force of car re-
pairers who quit work Sunday morning
on being informed of the reduction in
wages were brought up from Pocatello
and went to work on Tuesday morn
ing, but, as was stated in yesterdays
Standard, they only worked two hours.
The old men have not asked to be re-
stored, but simply demand that the old
wages be restored.
Notices were posted about the city
yesterday by the Brotherhood of Car
Men notifying all workingmen that the
car men in the employ OF the Montana
Central in Butte are out on strike over
a reduction in wages. 1t is expected
that the Silver Bow Trades & Labor
assembly will formally approve the
strike at its meeting Saturday evening.
J. II. Calderhead, president of the
Butte lodge of the A. X. L., made the
| following statement to Standard re-
porter yesterday afternoon: 1T is
| probable that the present trouble will
be fixed up, for the Great Northern can
not afford to precipitate a labor fight in
! Butte. The car men will not work for
| the reduced wages. however. and
don't believe their places can be filled
| by outsiders. If the present state of
| affairs continues the Great Northern
| will have serious trouble before very
| long, for the men are very much dis
/ 3AA fhsa lei h.aa ION "a -
| ters were removed to Clancy. So
bralxemen have quit because they could
| not make enough to live on and seven
| conductors quit at one time because
| they could not get passes to visit their
| families i'm Helena. A great many en-
| gineers and firemen have also quit dur
| ing the past month. The trainmen
used to make pretty good wages. but
| the mileage and runs are now so ar
| ranged that the men cannot make liv-
| ing wages. Mr.. Hill has never pretend
ed to live up to the agreement he made
| with the men at the time of the last
trouble and the situation, as II now
| stands is this: All of the old men who
| had some money saved up are going
somewhere else, as they don't want any
| trouble. Their places are being filed
| by less responsible men and when Mr..
| Hill antagonizes them he Is going 20
| have trouble. II the present oppression
| of the men is continued there Is liable
to be trouble about the time the grass
gets long enough for the men to Craze
on it,"
b. In accordance with a system that
was adopted some time ago Mr.. Calder
head refused to make any statement
regardig the strength of the A. X. L
1t Is claimed, however, that the order Is
stronger and in better shape for fight
than IT has ever been.
d. McLaren, the popular superintend'
ent of the Montana Central. was In tho
city last evening and was seen by q
Standard reporter in regard TO the new
order which went into effect on Sunday
THAT order was issued" said the su.
perintendent, for the purpose OF
establishing a uniform rate of pay II
the mechanical department. The ode
pennies are done away with and som'
men have their wages slightly reduced
while others have them correspondence
| raised In Butte the machinists wer'
raised from $3.50 to SO a day and the ca
repairers from s1.92 to 81 Ii
Great Falls there were three rates 70
machinists-$2.S so, SO and 1913. Nov
men on the Montana Central are max
ing more money than they ever have
and / have no anticipation OF tn
, slightest trouble. The agreement be
tween the company and its employees l
, being lived up to in every detail. Al
! though the actual mileage betweel
! Butte and Helena is only 81 miles tn
trainmen are paid for 100 miles on
one-way trip. In making the roun
: trip between Butte and Clancy IN
trainmen are allowed ia miles for |
hours and 10 miles an hour for all tim
. over 10 hours"