Evening star., 1901-11-26
Members of the Union Ordered Out
at Pittsburg.
ROADS ARE BADLY TIED Up
Railway Officials Hope to Get Aid
From Trainmen.
DEMAND FOR MORE PAY

PITTSBURG, Pa, November ga
strike for increased wages of all switchmen
belonging to the Switchmen's Union of
North America, in the Pittsburg district,
was inaugurated this morning. Reports
have not been received from all the yards,
but the officials of the union say it affects
every road entering Pittsburg except the
Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago and
Pittsburg. Cincinnati, Chicago and St.
Louis and all private individuals and cor
porations. There are between 600 and
1000 members of the local organization
and the union officials claim the response
was general.
In their demands the switchmen asked for
the enforcement of the standard scale of
wages. This calls for q cents an hour
for day foremen and conductors, the night
men to receive cents more per hour, their
work being more difficult and dangerous.
Under the new schedule the day helpers
and brakemen are rated at % cents an hour
and the night men at q cents The switch
men claim that the tonnage handled by
them in this city is much greater than that
handled by other men in other cities.
Question as to Support.
Whether the strikers will secure the sup
port of other railroad men cannot be
learned at this time. The officials of the
union claim the other railroad organiza-
uons cannot if they adhere to the princi-
pies laid down by their organizations, con-
scientiously oppose them. 1t has been
stated by w. G. Lee, first vice grand mas
ter, that the Brotherhood of Trainmen is
not in favor of the strike and will not in
dorse it.
It is learned that the strike not only
affects Pittsburg, but McKees Rocks, Nc
keesport, Braddock and adjacent terri
tory. Its influence will probably be visi-
bly, felt by mill owners throughout the
state Following the big steel strike so
closely the present trouble is quite likely
to interfere materially with shipments.
But the railroad officials believe they will
be able to cope with the situation, and that
with the assistance of the Brotherhood of
Trainmen, traffic will not be materially af-
fected. There has not, however, been a
time in the history of the city when traffic
IN and out of Pittsburg was so heavy. The
yards are badly crowded now The strik-
ers say they are overworked on this ac-
count and that they are forced to work
overtime to keep cars in motion
id. Hughes Statement.
j. d. Hughes, second vice grand master
of the Switchmens Union of North Amer
lea, stated this morning that the officials
of the Monongahela connecting railroad
company had signed the new schedule of
the switchmens union and would handle
no foreign freight until the dispute was
settled. He said further that the Monon-
gahela connecting people were the first to
sign the schedule and that it was the ex-
pectation that several other roads would
be in line before the close of the day.
Inc SWitchmen's Union does not have
members In the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and
chicago, ana P1ttSburg, Cincinnati Chi
cago and st. Louis yards, and business was
reported as going on as usual there. Gen
eral Manager Schoonmaker of the Pitts
burg and Lake Erie railroad reported all
the men work 10 o'cl0oly
The strike was causing some trouble in
the yards of the Pittss,urg and Western
and Allegheny Valley roads, however; but
the railroad officials said they expected to
have traffic moving as usual in a short
time.
Special trains with detectives arrived
from the east and west last night and the
detectives are on duty about the wards to-
day. The newcomers are silent lot and IT
is impossible to get them to talk None
of the officials would say anything about
tne men, ana 1t is possible many are
sWltchmen instead of detectives.
No Trouble Up to Noon.
At noon the officials of the different roads
reported no serious inconvenience from the
switchmen's strike, and expect by evening
to have the situation we'll in hand. The
chief detection was at the Baltimore and
Ohfo yards, and a number OF Pinkerton de-
tectives were taken to the neighborhood
during the morning. The movement of
trains, however, was not seriously impeded.
Some few men went out in the Pennsvl
wanna yards, but the company had proyid-
ed against any emergency by bringing sew
enty-hve men in early in the morning from
Altoona. There was no excitement and the
announcement was made that there had
been no further Inconvenience at the Yards |
than had been experienced for some time.
On the Pittsburg and Lake Erie one crew
OF TOUR men struck, but later one of them |
returned ~
only one crew reported on the ALLEGHENY |
valley railroad this morning at II o'clock. |
one crew came back and more are expect- |
ed to return tonight.
On the Pittsburg and Western railroad no |
crews reported, but three crews came back |
later. WYNN