The Portland daily press., 1900-04-13
Men Claim 20 Per Cent Of Operators
Obeyed.s,
Nearly the Entire Sys-
tenn Held Up.
Road Says They Haven't Been
Bothered.

Atlanta, Ga, April ia-The threat
sned strike OF the telegrsphers and 9TH
or station employees of the Southern rail-
way and Alabama Great Southern rail-
way, which has been pending for several
months, came 20 head here today when
President Powell, OF the Order OF Rail
way Telegraphers' called on the telegraph
ers to quit work. The trouble COM
menosd early last fall when ths telegraph
srs OF each division appointed commit
tee to 20 before the division supsrinten-
dents and ask Q settlement Of certain
grievances. Hearings. they pay, were
refused them and en- appeal was made
TO General Superintendent Barrett at
Washington, and later TO Vice-President
and General Manager Cannon. The ON
csrs Of the order state shAt no satitfao-
ton Was received and the trouble was
finally taken to President Spencer, whose
secretary said the president WAS too Ill
TO consider the matter at this time.
President Powell says the committee
selected TO represent the men, have
been dismissed to the number Of more
than 20, and that dozsns of members OF
the Order of Railway Telegraphers have
teen discharged because OF their men,
bership. He says the last communion
tion to the officials OF the company con-
tained an offer to arbitrate the ditieren-
oes.
In the Atlanta ofiioe Of the Southern,
seven Of the nine tslegraphers employed
there have quit work. Reports received
at strike headquarters are said to be
very satisfactory. Railroad officials say
the strike has caused no Inconvenience
and has not intsrfsrsd with trafiic.
The Southern railroad officials claim
tonight that but ten per cent Of the men
have Quit work, while President Powe
says ninety par cent Of them are out. 1t
was given out tonight At the office o..
General Superintendent Thompson Of t, .
Southern, that the places Of the seven
men who had struck In Atlanta had tesn
filled and that the dsspatchers on all d.
visions sntsring here are ct work. No
serious delay, the officials say. has bean
caused excepting In the case Of the Wash.
ington limited which arrived four hours
and a half late and the Richmond local
which was taken up near Cornelia, Ca.
By the ysstipule which left here for WASH
ington at noon.
President Powell Of the tslssraphsrs,
gave ont the following statement TO-
night:
"Rsports from every division Of the
Southern railroad show that the entire
sy stem with the exception of the Louis
VILE branch. Is tied up completely so far
as freight trains are concerned, and that
passsn ger trains are being run only under
great difficulty. All passenger trains are
from thres to seven hours lAts and are
making very slow tims.
? sour members on the Birmingham,
Knoxville, Charlotte, Danville, ChAtta-
nooga, Asheville, Washington, Columbia.
Raleigh and Lynohburg divisions wire
that the condition OF affairs is very en-
couraging to the men and that fully
ninety psr cent Of the tesegraphers and
despatohers are on q strike.
THE STRIKE COMPLETE.
Chattanooga, Tenn, April ia.-The
strike of telegrsphers on the Alabama
Great Southern and Memphis divisions of
the Southern railway is complets tonight.
No response could be obaiined TO calls
for any station along the line aud the
o. r. Il. officers state that all the men
with one or two exceptions, are out. The
seven Chattanooga operators went cut.
Officials OF the Southern here state to-
night that they will be able to supply
the places OF tbs strikers in a few days.
Meantime passenger trains will run on
schedule time with hare and there an
operator from among the officials. Freight
trsffio Is already beginning to congest
here az no trains were cent out this after
noon.
On the Georgia division and ON the
main Knox xville line of the road very
fsw operators remain.
BIG RAILROAD STRIKE.
Atlanta, Ga, April 12.-In 9 statement
which President Powell has issued. he
says. he has approved and ordered the
strike on the Southern and the Alabama
Great Southern railways and that tt o or
der took effect at II q. m, today. He