The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-04

Special Dispatch to the Post -Inteliigencer
VANCOUVER, b. c.. Aug. S.-From
Fort William, the headquarters OF the
Lake Superior division of the Canadian
Pacific railway, TO the western terminus
at Vancouver. every machinist and filter
has gone out on strike. In Vancouver
eighty men have left their work. and all
through British Columbia, the Northwest
territory and Manitoba the same rule APP
plies.
Between 100 and 100 men are now out,
and II II is not settled within a few days
other mechanics will probably quit work
and swell the total number to over 3,Vo
With only the machinists out. trains would
probably be able TO run without trouble
but II all the car shop men Join the strik-
ers In sympathy with the general move
ment. the railway system would be par
aiyzed within a few DAYS.
The strike trouble has been brewing for
a long time. II began last November
when the boilermakers at the central ma
chine shops at Winnipeg went out on
strikes They had a long series OF griev-
ances against the company, and tenn
porary arrangement was then come 10
with General Western Manager White.
Manager White returned three days ago
10 Winnipeg from a tour to China. ana
now has another strike on his hands;
In Vancouver the men claim good local
MacClain. president of the machinlsts
union. was discharged because he was
taking too active a part against the can
nerymen in the salmon iishermen's strike
on the Fraser river. Then, out OF the
eighty machinists employed in the shops
in Vancouver. nifty were discharged the
other day on the grounds that. owing TO
the failure OF the Manitoba wheat crop.
the company must reduce expenses. and
there would be much less work for the
shops.
This morning the thirty remaining ma
chfnists and filters laid down their tools
In response to a general telegram from
the headquarters at Winnipeg. One OF
the principal local grievances Is that the
their request for raise of wages from
: ESQ 10 81 per day. MacClain, president
OF the union. said today:
I'm May last the machnists asked the
company to adopt their schedule OF prices
and the rules that had been arranged by
the union. The company refused at that
time to treat with the machnists. and
said they could not afford to increase
wheat crop IN the Northwest. Frequently
during the past few months the company
has been requested TO adopt the union
schedule. but the same reply was always
given. The company declined to treat
with the union. We ask an increase from
q to 30 cents per hour. Men have also
workmen on committees OF investigation
We were refused the privilege OF laying
grievance before the general manage
ment at Winnipeg. and the free passage
of delegate was stopped"
General Superintendent Marpole said to-
day that the men here had gone out on
fnstrucii-ks from Winnipeg, and here they
did not know what they We're striking for.
He thought the local grievances were
trivial, that the whole trouble emanated
from Winnipeg. 1t was peculiar. he ex-
claimed. that men should go on strike
and not know what II was for.
The whole strike Is being conducted very
quietly. and there was not the slightest
demonstration when the men quit work
this morning.