The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-20
BOTH SIDES PROFESS SATISFACTION AS
TO THE SITUATION.
STATEMENT FROM Mr.. DOLPHIN
He Declares the Position OF the Man.
agement Untenable-Trains Blocked
from Charlotte to Greensboro and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Freight Lost.
More T~elegraphers Joining h
Ssrfkers-Comrany officials Claim No
Inconvenience Suffered from strike.

Atlanta Ga, April 1s-The South
ern railway telegraphers' strike in
this vicinity today seemed TO be pro-
crossing satisfactory to both sides.
President Powell claimed hat the sit
uation was encouraging. and the rail-
o officials say they are suffering
no inconvenience nor appreciable de-
lays in the operation of trains.
In his statement today President
Powell offers 500 reward for the per-
son who. it is said, wrote the letter OF
warning &c Mrs. J. s. b. Thompson,
wife of Assistant General Superinten-
dent Thompson. Of the Southern, pro-
vided it is shown that a member of
the order was implicated in its au-
thorship. According to Mr.. Thomp-
sons statement the letter threatened
the life of himself and Mrs. Thomp-
son.
THE STRIKERS HOTEL.
Selma, Ala, April 16.-At Marion
junction, fourteen miles south Of Sell
ma, on the Mobile and Birmingham di-
vision of the Southern, a hotel has
been secured by the striking operators
on the Southern and headquarters es-
taDllshed. From this point, it is IN
derstood the organizers will operate.
Seventeen men registered there today.
STATEMENT FROM VICE PRESI-
DENT DOLPHIN.
Charlotte, n. c., April 16.-M. Nj.
Dolphin, general counsel n first vic
president Of the Order of Railway Tel
~egrapherS, who has established head
quarters here, tonight gave out the
following statement:
The Southern railway telegraphers'
strike situation on all divisions. be-
tween Charlotte and Greensboro,
Greenville, ASheville and Columbia to-
day renders the position of the man.
agement ~untenable. Fifty-fve addi-
t1onal operators are out on the Knox
vile division and eight additional out
between Charlotte and Asheville. We
have reliable reports that twenty-three
cars of dressed beef due here last week
have been lost in transit and a large
number of cars of perishable freight
destined to points etwee ASheyilIe
n Greensboro have been destroyed.
T~Wenty-three striking t~elegraphers be-
Ween Charlotte and Greensboro were
offered an increase in salaries of from
ten to fifteen dollars per month if
they would desert the organization
but all are standing firm. The Ameri-
can Federation of Labor today offered
their financial as we'll as moral sup
port through their local representa-
tiveS On written Instructions from Ma
tional President Samuel Gompers, OF
Washington. The low rate of wages
demanded by the telegraphers creates
the general opinion that the policy Of
the Southern railway is more an at
tempt to destroy the organization than
a question of money"
THE SITUATION OUTWARDLY UN-
CHANGED.
Atlanta, Ga, April 16.-Outward in.
dications denote no change in The
strike situation. Passenger traffic wa:
handled by the railroad today will
little or no delay n the head of tn
freight department reports his brancf
of the service in a normal condition
An inspection of the car reports o.
the Southern showed that the usua
number of trains were being handled
A comparison of the freight move
ment of today with the number of car
handled the day before the strike OIL
April 5th and one year ago, shows fc
the most part an increase in traffic.
President Powell, of the photographers
| claimed tonight that the strike ha,
taken on new life and that the situa
ton was very encouraging. 1.-The or
ganization has gained many recruit
from the ranks of those who too
strikers Places" said Mr.. Powell. ="
understand the Southern turned 20
2Oooo ONSI ~ LAe LII <1lldllli
at Chattanooga today. The sid
tracks of the Southern are blocke
with freight Of all kinds.
I'VE have arranged to issue, begin
ming tomorrow morning, . ALL ed
ton of The Journal of Labor, to b
known as The Southern Railwa
T~elegraphers' strike edition.
81 am advised tonight that Superir
tendent Ryder, of Charlotte, took sen
eral men to Newells and Harrisbrr
today to fill the strikers places, bI
the citizens of those places would nj
let them go to work, and they weI
compelled to leave hastily"
No wire communication has bee
had with Asheville, y. c., since moo
today.
), COMPANY NOT EMBARRASSED.
Washington, April 16.-The oficia
of the Southern railway in this eli
declare hat the effects of the telei
rapherS' strike are no longer causir
I embarrassment of any consequence
t the movement of business Of the roa
: Reports from the various division s.
] p~erintendents, the officials also he
say, show that passenger and freig
traffic is again moving along witho
delay save such as is incidental 20 &
business of r~allroading. The officia
nj say that 10 per cent. OF the places
O. men who have gone on strike have be
g. filled and that the chief difficulty @
ours where a striking empioyc W
MI both agent and operator.