The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-10
THE SIDE.
Statement That Does Not Consist with
the Views CT officials.

TOPEKA, Kan, Dec. 9.-The following
information is given out by strikers rep
resentatives:
"At s o'clock tonight practically all the
telegraphers on the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe Railroad are still out. A few
men returned to work this morning under
the impression that the strike had been
called off and were later on induced TO
join the strikers. Later in the day they
were all out to a man west OF Emporla.
Not a man will return to work unless their
grievances are settled in the fullest pos
sible manner. Some of them nave already
places offered them on other roads and Will
accept them If the Santa Fe management
persists in its present course. Men from
different places all along the line wired IN
to the train dispatcher's office here asking
the conditions n whether the strike
the strike was practically settled, and the
only thing for them TO do was to return TO
work. This many of them did, and II
began to look something like the strike
was ended. Soon the condition OF a1alrS
became known to the operators of this
city, and they Immediately started TO
make a change in the condition or aftalrs.
They busted themselves in getting the
real news of the situation along the line
with the result that the operators went
out again. The railroad company met this
last move by positively ordering all the
strikers to stay out of the ONCE ana away
" NAC my &NO
thus be sent to some of the few VINO are
yet working. Operators i'm places where
there are uptown telegraph offices nave
been reached in that manner, while those
in smaller places will be reached in another
manner before noon tomorrow. The Strlk-
ers believe that by the time mentioned
they viii have the strike at its 1un
height, and that traffic of all kinds on the
Santa Fe will be tied up"
The fact developed to-day that numer-
Gus operators along the line mad not yet
convinced themselves that the order Tor
the strike was genuine. When Geographic
inquiries at Topeka failed to bring salts
factory answers, operators by twoS ana
threes from various parts or the STATE
began to arrive in Topeka to get at the
real truth of the situation. Once here, they
appeared TO be convinced, and Immediately
returned TO their homes, determined to
remain on strike until the company would
make peace. Men came here to-day from
as far west as Newton TO find out the sit
uation. They had heard SO many conflict
ing reports over the wires that they were
at a loss to know whether TO go out or
not. Somebody has been industriously
sending out reports that the strike was
ended. Then would go out reports that
the strike order was genuine. Some OF the
operators who were not informed in the
matter refused TO go out until they be-
came convinced that the order was gen.
uine. They remembered their experience
of five years ago, when the bogus strike
was ordered by a Dodge City operator.
IO-nlgnt none OF the depot operators Is
working in Topeka. In the general offices
two are working. One is a new man and
the other is not a member of the order.
A meeting of operators from Topeka and
surrounding points was held here this
afternoon. After a thorough discussion of
the matter, il was unanimously agreed that
the situation looked very bright for the
operators. Mention was made in the meet
ing of the claim of the company that Rule
30 of the agreement between the operators
and the company had been violated. In
reply to the contention of the company
on this point, the blowing statement was
given out tonight by j.. G. Badgley, local
chairman of the grievance committee:
Rule 80 is not violated by the men re-
fusing to work. This rule only applies
when a revision of the schedule is desired.
when the general chairman gives thirty
days notice. 1t would be fallacy to pre-
sumo that we would nave to give the COM
pany thirty days notice before we would
stop working and not require thirty days
notice from them. While the Atchison.
Topeka &c Santa Fe schedule has been
violated time and again by the company we
are not striking for a revision of our
with the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe men
and means a great deal to organized as
well as u-norganiZed labor. Speaking Of
violation of the rules, let me refer to
Rule %, which reads:
DAY telegraphers will be allowed one
consecutive hour for dinner between the
hours of 1.30 a. m. and 1:30 p. M
"A number of men in the general Of
flee here nave been obliged to take their
dinner at any hour ranging from 2 to 4
p. m. The company also violated Rule 4,
which provides that at offices where two
operators or more are employed ten con-
secutive hours, including one for dinner,
will constitute a days work. The opera
tors are thus worked nine hours, but when
deductions are made for absences, it is
figured up on the basis of ten hours work"