The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-10
HOW IT BEGAN.
TWO Versions Of the Strike From
Different Views.


general committee and the bylaws Of
this organization on this date, you VIII
strike, cease work and Thereafter r.
fuse to perform any duty of any cnaI-
acter whatever until the said strike -
declared off by me personally and notice
of settlement of all your grievances ac-
knoWledged. Said notice must be Vouch-
ed for by our local representatives, you
win turn your boards red for the protec-
ton Of life and property and leave Lhen
in that position permanently Carefully
protect all company properly N y oul
care or possession and allow no person
access thereto until you are properly
checked and released from all response
bility by the company's actual represeh-
tative This action is made necessary
to secure for you reasonable compensa-
ton and conditions of service
s.AIl train dispatchers, clerks and other
employees are earnestly requested TO give
US their assistance"
The above order inaugurated the gen
eral strike of telegraphers on the Santa
F'e system Tt was sent out by j. A.
Newman, who is general chairman on ltle
o. R.T for the entire system from Wlch-
ita, at $3.50 o'clock Saturday afternoon
The order reached Topeka few minutes
before 4 o'clock, and the operators VINO
complied with it went out on the hour
here.
In the general offices eight operators
walked out and three non-members Went
along in sympathy. Tt was one Of the
picturesque incidents of the strike how
the keys in this Office were manned i'm
mediately following the operators de-
parture. G.. w. KOuns, superintendent
of car service, G. G. ShOles, superintend-
ent of telegraph, and G. +. Ressegules
general superintendent took desks and
tapped the brass. All have been opera
tors before DOMINIC the official ermine
They dispatched matters principally
pertaining to their own department do
ings and helped straighten up the situa-
ton from its first few moments of dis
order General Manager Nudge Joined
the shift for time and did his own
talking over the wire into the Chicago
offices. He began work as telegraph
operator.
ONCE business was trimmed into fair
shape before midnight here, and the reg
ular train service was not disturbed TO
any great extent.
A small proportion of men went out on
this division. superintendent G. T. Nc
JeIlan went over the division from sta
ton to station, comforting with the men
and as the result of this canvass some
wavering ones We're induced to stay at
work.
At 1890 o'clock Assistant Superintend-
ent of Machinery Sanderson, acted upon
the general order issued in advance Of
the strike and posted notice that the
shops would not begin work again pend
ing the settlement of the strike This
order was revoked Sunday, as noted.
At no time did the company officials
admit that as much as so per cent of the
telegraphers had gone on strike
In an interview General Manager
Nudge said:
I'm reality the operators have no
grievances. The order and the company
last April signed a new schedule. which
was not to be annulled without 80 days
notice. They have broken their own
agreements. Had the company been I'M
fair discomfort might spread. but there
is no grievance whatever among our
men"
Discussing the strike order General
Chairman J. A Newman said:
THE action was taken at the sugges-
tiO0 of the orders national president, M.
M. Dolphin, and only after it was evi-
dent that the company 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 a matter of pro-
lection to ourselves.
IF the Santa Fe cut wages and i'm
posed other burdens upon the operators
on that system, what is to prevent them
from doing the same thing here2 This \
is not altogether in sympathy, therefore,
with Gulf operators. There is one thing
am glad of and that is this fact that
the men are a unit in the matter. am
receiving kilograms from all points in
dorsing my action.
Just how long the strike will continue
is a matter hard for me to determine.
Under no circumstances viii we return
to work until our grievances have been
adjusted in a manner satisfactory to the
members Of the organization. The real
grievance of the men on the Gulf system
as given to me in a special from Nation
al President Dolphin, is a protest against
proposed elimination of u stations for
schedule and a proposed reduction In
wages at 19 other stations. To avoid the
strike the committee agreed to accept
Santa F'e rules, amended by providing
for eight consecutive hours rest in each
"a, excepting in case of emergency. The
clause depriVing men of a hearing when
discharged for characterization was also
to be eliminated. Another demand was
that there was not to be any reduction
in wages at any of the stations for the
present.
Our grievances are identified with
those of the Gulf operators and we viii
fight this matter together
POLK IS BLAMED
According to members of the Order of
Railway Telegraphers in their early
claims. between 1000 and 1880 telegraph
Santa Fe railroad left their desks and
walked out en- strike According to the
same authority. early advices from points
along the 5000 miles of track in the sys-
tenn INDICATED that the freight traffic was
practically tied up and that passenger
trains ran slowly, with no further des-
tination than the next division terminal.
NJ. NJ Dolphin, president of the Order
of Railway Telegraphers. estimated that
50 per cent of the telegraphers on the road
been called to support the demands of the
5oo opsIaeoIs, Mao, sln@S seay naEe
& Santa Fe division of the Atchison. To-
give this as their side of the dispute: The
difference has been regarding wages and
rules and the strike was called Following
bitrate. Most Of the present trouble is
due to the .'high-handed conduct of L. J.
Polk of Galveston, general manager of
the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe division
of the road.
After the complaints had been brought
to him and had been briefly discussed,
he passed the matter on to Vice President
J. NJ. Barr Of this city. Mr.. Barr, how
ever, sent back the dispute to Polk for
settlement With him it stayed, while the
officers of the telegraphers tried in vain
to bring matters to a head.
The executive committee of the Railway
Photographers reported at the end of the
two months that they were unable to get
any satisfaction from Polk The executive
committee decided that the time had come
for open war against their alleged OPP
pressors and they were confirmed in that
determination by the knowledge that for