The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-12-09
TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED
SANTA FE OPERATORS OUT.
Practically All the TeIegraphers on Main
Line and Lines West of Albuquerque
Quit Yesterday.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Galveston, Tex. Dec. SIN consequence
of the nonagreement of the management OF
the Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
and President Dolphin of the Order of Rail
way Telegraphers. on the wage scale AMI
the rule regulating the hours of employ
ment OF the telegraphers. President Dolphin
issued an order. calling out at noon today
so0 Of the order employed on the Atlantic
and Pacific division west OF Albuquerque.
Scarcely had President Dolphin received
notice that his order had been complied
with. before he issued another order. call
ing ont 1.6O0 men OF the order In the en-
ploy OF the Atchison. Topeka ard Santa Fe
system.
At this hour II is claimed by President
Dolphin that over $50 teiegraphers are out.
and. from advicCs he - constantly receiving
from various points or the Atchison. Topeka
and Santa F'e. that the tie-up is complete
and the operators will remain out until their
demands for a more equitable wage and less
hours Of employment are complied with.
The gauntlet has been cast into the ring
the battle Is on, and the greatest strike in
tho history Of the Order of Railway
Telegraphers is inaugurated. Both slices are
determined. 1t will be fight to a finish and
may involve kindred organizations.
Gulf IL Operating Its Trains.
Its effect. so far. on the Gulf, Colorado
and Santa F'e Railway system is scarcely
apparent All trains are arriving and de-
parting on schedule time. The places Of
the striking operators are being rapidly
filed and General Manager Polk asserted
tonight that all stations on the line be-
tween Galveston and Purcell and all
branches Of the Gulf Colorado and Santa
Fe would be fully manned by tomorrow
night.
General Manager Polk stated:
"As a matter OF fact. we are handling all
the business Just the same as before the
strike. and We anticipate no interruption
therefrom'
President Dolphin expresses confidence
that the Order Of Railway Telesraphers will
win out.
ORDER TO THE TELEGRAPHERs.
Wichita. Kas., Dec. B.-General Chairman
]. A. Newman Of the Santa Fe division of
the Order Of Railway Telegraphers. includ-
ing the entire Santa Fe system. issued the
strike order at $50 o'clock this afternoon,
and a few minutes later he was informed
that LOO operators over the entire system
quit the key.
Referring to his order, Chairman Newman
said:
This action was taken up at the sugees-
ton OF National President NJ. NJ Dolphin
and only after It was evident that the COM
pany would not listen to our grievances
We were compelled to take this step to
see that justice is done TO the members Of
our organization on the Gulf system. and as
matter OF protection to ourselves IL thu
santa F'e Company cut wages and imposed
other burdens upon the operators on that
system, what Is to prevent them from doing
the same thing here? This Is not altogether
in sympathy with the Gulf operators
e MY order caused over 1900 operators to
strike. Shere :s one thing 1 am glad Of and
that IL the fact that the men are a unit
In the matter. I am receiving telegrams
from all points indorsing my action. Just
how long the strike win continue Is a hard
matter for me to determine. Under no
circumstances will We return to work unit,
our grievances have been adjusted in n
manner satisfactory to the members Of the
organization.
THE real grievance Of the men on the
Gulf system. as given to me in a report
from National President Dolphin is a pro-
test against a proposed limitation oe twelve
stations from the schedule and a proposed
reduction in wages at nineteen other sta
tions.
Trains Tied Up at wichita.
TO avoid the strike. the committee
agreed to accept Santa Fe rules amended
by the providing for eight consecutive hours
rest In each twenty-four. excepting In cases
Of emergency. The clause. depriving men of
a hearing when discharged for insubordina-
tion, was also to be eliminated. Another
demand made was that there were not to
stations for the present
I'VE will stand by the men of the Gulf
ana fight this battle to finish"
All the Santa Fe trains are said TO he
tied up In this division, between Newton
and Purcell. No operator was working
after O'clock. except two at Arkansas
City and one at Perry. Ok.
Division Superintendent Tyce Is trying to
bring the night train In. but 1t is not ex-
Iected that he will succeed. Three freights
and passenger are tied up here and q
telephone message from Weliiaston SAYS
that everything Is dead on the Panhandle
division.
PRESIDENT RIPLEY'S STATEMENT.
Chicago. Dec. s.-Late to-day the tele-
graph operators at this END OF the Atchi-
son. Topeka and Santa Fe Railway went on
strike. thus extending the walkout over
practically the entire Atchison system,
President z. p. Ripley of the Atchison
road when he learned OF the strike of the
man line operators, said:
These men. having broken their con-
tract and left our employ without cause and
without notice. will not be re-empioyed.
'- This action was taken," he continued.
notwithstanding the fact that the COM