The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-11-30
SN|ICHNEN ON STRIKE.
Men of the Switchmen's Union of
North America at Pittsburgh
Want More Wages.
NOT ALL OF THE ROADS ARE AFFECTED.
The Men Demand the Enforcement
of the Standard Scale-OhciaIs of
the Roads Affected Said They Had
Not suffered any Serious Incon-
venience.

Pittsburg, Pa, Nov. 27.-A strike
for increased wages of all switchmen
belonging to the Switchmen's Union
of North America in the Pittsburg
district was inaugurated Tuesday
morning. Reports have not been re-
ceived from all the yards, but the
officials of the union say it affects
every road entering Pittsburg, except
the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne d Chicago
and Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago &
st. Louis, and all private individuals
and corporations There are between
600 and 1000 members of the local or
ganization, and the union officials
claim that the response was general.
The switchmen's Demands.
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 re-
ceive two cents more per hour, their
work being more difficult and danger
Gus. Under the new schedule the day
helpers and brakemen are rated at %
cents per hour and the night men at
~ cents. The switchmen claim that
the tonnage handled by them in this
city is much greater than that han
died by other men in other cities.
other Points Affected.
II is learned that the strike not
only affects Pittsburg, but McKee's
Rocks, McKeesport, Braddock and ad-
jacent territory. Its influence will
probably be yisibly felt by mill own
ers throughout the state. Following
the big steel strike so closely, the
present trouble is 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 broth
erhood, traffic will not be materially
affected. 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 strikers say they
are overworked on this account, and
that they are forced TO work over
time to keep cars in motion.
One Company SIGNS Scale.
j. d. Hughes, second vice-grand
master of the Switchmen's Union Of
North America, stated that the Off.
Gals Of the Monongahela Connecting
Road Co. has signed the new schedule
of the Switchmens union, and will
handle no foreign freight until the
dispute is settled He said, further,
that the Monongahela connecting
people were the first to sign the
schedule, and that it was the ev.
pectation that several other roads
would be in line before the close OF
The day.
At noon the officials OF the different
roads reported no serious inconveni.
encc from the switchmen's strike and
expected by evening to have the situa.
ton well in hand The chief defec'
ton was at the Baltimore e. Ohio
yards, and q number Of Pinkerton de.
tectives were taken TO the neighbor.
hood during the morning. The move.
ment OF trains, however, was not serl.
ously impeded Some few men went
out In the Pennsylvania yards, bu,
the company had provided against
any emergency by bringing IS men on
IN early morning train from Altoona
There was no excitement, and the nm.
nouncement was made that there had
been no further inconvenience at the
yards than had been experienced for
some time,