The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-24
THEIR DEMANDS REFUSED
Between Five and Six Hundred Men
Have Laid Down Their Tools.
TIE RAILROADS. SIDE OF THE QUESTION
The Order For Strike Was Promptly Ratified
Here and Not One Of The Union Men
Yesterday Went to The Shops
to Work..

In accordance with the order telegraph
ed out on Wednesday night by Organizer
Nedrey, of the American Federation OF
Labor, all machinists employed in the
seaboard Air Line shops were yesterday
idle. Immediately on receipt of the order
the machinists employed in the Seaboard
shops here held meeting, at which they
formally ratified the order and yesterday
the shops were practically deserted. The
belts were moving but the machines were
not being used, as the machinists have
struck.
There was no demonstration whatever
at the Seaboard shops yesterday morn
ing. The men simply failed to appear and
the round house and machine shops were
deserted, except for the few nom union
men and not machinists. who were on
hand.
About thirty men went out, and but one
of these was a foreman, this being Fore
man Hanks, of the wreckage depart
ment. Foreman Kehoe, not being a
union man. is still at work.
There has been no attempt made to
obtain men to fill the vacant positions in
the shops here. Things are at stand
still, awaiting instructions from the main
office of the company, which has not yet
indicated its purpose in the matter.
On the whole Seaboard System there
are somewhere between 500 and 600 ma
chinists affected by the strike.
RAILROADS SIDE OF IT.
The men say they are striking for a
nine-h hour day, but, as usual there are
two sides to the question, and one of the
sides is that of the railroad. The follow
ing message sent yesterday by F. H.
MCGEE, superintendent of motive power,
to all master mechanics of the Seaboard
Air Line. discloses the situation. so far
as the company is concerned:
Demand was made upon us yesterday
afternoon by machin!sts for a nine hour
day, twelve and one-half per cent in
crease in wages and changes in shop reg
ulations. Demand for nine hour day was
declined. Wages paid by us are already
as high, and in some cases higher, than
are commonly paid by other roads in
our territory, and so admitted by COM
mittee. We stated we were willing to pay
same wages and apply same conditions OF
service as were commonly in effect on 9TH
er roads in our territory, and that we
would meet existing conditions in this re-
spect, whatever they might be. Strike
was afterward ordered by the Union
without notice to us. Please have facts
understood by all concerned"
Also dispatch from Portsmouth says:
IAN official of the Seaboard Air Line
said today in commenting upon the strike
of the machinists Of the road, that the
officers of the line were willing to treat
with the employees frankly and give them
such consideration as they were entitled
to justly"
The railroad people give no intimatior
as to what they propose to do about it,
and the striking machinists are likewise
reticent as to their plans, only expressing
themselves as confident Of an ultimate
satisfactory arrangement.
The striking machinists of NorfolR
have secured an optional lease upon the
plant of the Twin City Iron Works, and
will seek to force the recaleitrant en-
ployers to accede to their demands for the
nine hour day by competing with them.