The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-13
Railway Operatives 10 Alabama Son'0
Caroline and Georgia Wax Uut.
TRAFFIC OF ALL KINDS IS IaPtDtD
seriou. at the Beginning and as ~
Grows Older the SITUATION
Grows Worse

Atlanta. Ca. April 12.--The threatening
trouble Of the telegraphers and other sta
ton employees OF the Southern railway
and Alabama Great Southern railroad.
/ which mas been progressing for several
months. came TO head here today, whicA
President Powell OF the Order OF Railroad
lTeIegraphers called on the teiegrapners
Ito quit work. The incipiency OF tue
trouble commenced early East fail, when
the telegraphers Of each division appoint
ed a committee to go before the DIVISION
superintendente and ask settlement OF
certain grievances.
Hearings, they say. we're refused them.
and an appeal was made to General super
lintendent Barrett at Washington and later
to Vice President and General Manager
Cannon. The officials OF the order stato
that no satisfaction was received from tnoso
and the grievances were finally taken 10
President Spencer. whose secretary stated
he was too Ill to consider the matter AZ
that time.
The Southern railway officials claim at
a late hour tonight that but 10 per cent
OF the men have quit work, while Presi-
dent Powell says 80 per cent " thSI are
out. There has been considerable delay to
both passenger and freight traffic. but
the effect of the walk-out Is not yet known
to the extent which would warrant an as
sertion as TO the situation.
Mr. W. " Powell. president OF the Or
der OF Railway TelegrapEels. gave out the
following statement tonight: Reports
from every direction OF the Southern rail-
way show that the entire system, with the
exception OF theoI4ouisvile branch, Is tied
up completely as far as freight trains are
concerned and that passenger trains are
from three to seven hours late aud are
making very slow time.
Our members on the Birmingham,
Knoxville Charlotte. Danyillc Chattanoo-
ga Asheyille, Washing on Columbia.
Raleigh and Lynchburg divisions wire that
the condition OF affairs is very encourag-
ing to the men and that fully 80 per cent
of the telegraphers and dispatchers are
on strike. On the Alabama Great South
ern every man except one struck north OF
Birmingham. The road from Birmingham
to Meridian is completely tied up. onn
freight train has been standing ten miles
from Birmingham since 10 o'clock this
morning and no passengers are running
except on flag signals.
THE engineers fremen, conductors and
trainmen are giving our men every encour-
agement and assistance and we are re-
celving messages from every class OF rail-
road employees In the South Offering sup
port.
II am in a position to state positively
; that more than 80 per cent OF the teleg-
raphers quit work, the claims of the COM
par 10 the contrary Notwithstanding. The
officials have picked UP few boy opera
tors and students and inexperienced men
and are sending them OUT on the line. bur
they are incapable of handling train orders
and the company will no doubt find their
; services unsatisfactory.
1t was ascertained at midnight that the
officials of the outhern. anticipating the
,, strike of the telegraphers gave ordsr
several days ago that In case Of walk
ont that all freight trains be held Up AND
that the engineers run their trains by the
card schedule. This bears out Mr.. Pow
ellis assertion that freight traffic is com
pletely tied up and explains the delay tc
passenger trains.
Chattanooga, Tenn, April l2.-The strike
o. telegraph operators OF the Alabama
Great Southern and Memphis divisions Of
/ the Southern railroad is complete tonight
No response could be obtained to call:
for any station along the line and A. B
Stillwell, the first assistant of President
h Powell Of the telegraphers' union, who /:
! stationed in this city during the strike
g states that all the men on these two diys
: ions. with one or Two exceptions are out
q In this city cut OF the seven operator,
e employed BY the Southern only one be.
loDged to the union, but all seven of tn,
s men went out in response to Presiden
: Powell's order
% Officials OF the Southern here tonigh
n state that they will be able TO supply tn
. places of the strikers in few days. Ii
In the meantime passenger trains will rul
!, on schedule time, with here and there a,
a operator from among the officials. Freigh
trafhc Is already beginning TO conges
here. as no trains have been sent out Ihi
afternoon. The Alabama Great Souther
passenger train this morning came In tw
hours late having been forced TO reduc
y It's sneed after IL O'Clock TO about ST
miles an hour
sr On the Georgia division and on the ma,
81 Knoxville line Of the road very few opera
tors remain. Cleveland - London wer
u without operators tonight. two of the mo,
~ important points on the Knoxville aivis
4, Ion. Dalton, Ga. was reported out tonigh
- and Rome, Ca. reports vacancies. Rs;l
= road officials hope TO be able to rellev
IN the situation within the next two day
ba and say that II they can not do IL N
an damage here in the way OF cougeste
freight business will be very considerabI
Information was given tonight bv raj
road officials and partially confirmed !
representatives. OF the Order OF RaiIwa
"a Photographers, that the operators on N
1g Cincnnati Southern Queen and Cre-c.n
e, VIII be ordered out on Friday morning
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