The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-13
Claim Made That Railway Officials Would
Not Listen 10 Grievances.
ABouT12oo TElEGRApHERS EMPLOYED
Also Chngsd That Members Of Committee Ap-
pointed to rressnl Grievances Hare Been Dis
charged Traffic Has Not Been Interrupted.

Atlanta. Ga, April 13.-The threat
ened strike OF tha telegraphers and
other station employees of the Southern
railway and Alabama Great Southern
railway, whic-i has been pending for
several months, came TO head here
f, yesterday when President Powell OF the
Order OF Railway Photographers called
on the telegraphers 10 quit work. The
trouble commenced early last fall. when
the telegraphers of each division ap-
pointed a committee to go before the
division superlntendents and ask a set
tlement of certain grievances. Hear
ings, they say, were refused them, ana
an appeal was made To General Super
antencent Barrett ar Washington, and
later TO Vice President and General
Manager Cannon. The officers OF the
order state that no satisfaction was re-
ceiyed, and the trouble was finally taxi
en- TO President Spencer, whose secre-
tary said the president was too i'll 10
consider the matter at this time.
President Powell said the committee
selected TO represent the men have been
dismissed to the number OF more than
20, and that dozens OF members OF the
Order of Railway Telegraphers have
been discharged because of their MEM
bership. He says the last communica-
tion to the officials of the company con-
tained an offer to arbitrate the differ
ences.
In the Atlanta office of the Southern
seven of the nine telegraphers employed
there have quit work. Reports received
at strikers headquarters are said to be
very satisfactory. Railroad officials say
the strike has caused them no incon-
venience and has not interfered with
traffic.
The Southern has about 1,200 ems
ployes of this class.
In statement which President Pow
ell has issued he says he has approved
and ordered the strike on the southern
and the Alabama Great southern rail-
ways, and that the order took effect at
IL a. m. yestrday. He says many nom
union members will stand by the order.
According 10 President Powell, the
operators demands are as follows:
Reinstatement of it's members who
were discharged by the Southern Rail-
way.
The right to be heard through COM
mttees in the event OF individuai sriev-
ances.
Twelve consecutive hours work per
day where one or two telegraphers are
employed, including one hour, for DIM
ner; 10 consecutive. hours, includhng
meal hour in all relay dispatchers
hff1CpS.
telegraphers are employed --~
Eight consecutive hours for train
dispatchers.
Pay for overtime.
Abolition of the practice of compel
1fng agents to load cotton and the per-
formance OF other manual. labor.
A minimum wage scale of S45 and 500
per month for operators and $l2O for
dispatchers.
Fair and equitabe rules regarding
promotion.
The Southern railroad officials claim
that but 10 per cent. or the men
have quit work. while President Powell
says 90 per cent. Of them are out. II
was given out last night at tn eoffice OF
General Superintendent Thompson OF
the Southern that she places or the
seven men who struck In Atlanta had
been filled. and that the dispatchers on
all divisions enterings here are at work.
No serious delay. the officials say. has
been caused. excepting in the case OF
the Washington limited. which arrived
four. and a half hours late. and the
Richmond local. which was taken up
near Cornelia, Ga. by the vestibule
which left here for Washington at
noon
President Powell of,the Telegraphers
gave out the following statement last
night:
Reports from every division Of the
Southern railroad show that the entire
system wp,n the exception of the Louis
WILLIE branch Is tied up completely so
far as freight trains are concerned.ap
passenger trains are beng run only
under great difficulty. All passenger
trains are from three TO seven hours
late and are making very slow time.
"Our members on the Birmingham,
Knoxville. Charlotte. Danv'lle, ChaS;a-
nooga Asheville. Washington. Column
bia. Raleigh and Lynchburg divisions
wire that the condition of affairs Is
very encouraging TO the men, and that
fully 90 per cert. of the telegraphers
and dispatcheTs are on a strike"