Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-07-15
TEST OF ENDURANCE
That is What Union Pacific Strike Promises
to Become,
HAS APPEARANCE OF WAITING GAME NOW
Company Not Supposed to Be Anxious for
Early Settlement,
MAY WAIT UNTIL NEW SHOP is FINISHED
Then Strikers Will Expect Big Demand
for Skilled Mechanics,
MAY WAIT UNTIL NEW SHOP is FINISHED
NO MORE NoNUNloN MEN BROUGHT IN
six More Strike Breakers Quit ne
Omaha shops and Three Leave
the ROundhouse Mt Coun-
Gil Bluns.

with no excitement to mar the even
tenor Of Its progress the Union Pacific
strike drifts slowly on to the point OF
stagnation. Both slices apparently are en-
deavoring to block the process and resolve
the fight into simple stubborn test Of
endurance. Not the slightest evidence OF
concession is yet apparent on either side
and the indications are that the fight will
be on for some weeks.
There Is a popular theory that the Union
Pacific does not intend to make any spe-
cial effort to bring about a settlement of
affairs until it's new shops are completed.
This will be some time during August
probably. The contract called for compile
tion by August 10, but owing to unfavora-
BILE weather. which made It impossible for
the outside work to be done with facility,
this date may be passed and the work not
completed until near or at the end of the
month. 1t is thought that the company
does not care to go to extra trouble and
expense OF re-employing its normal force
here in Omaha In the old shops, which
would involve considerable diflculty and
as 1t would not be profitable to take strik-
ers back into other shops until those of
the Omaha shops could return also, II Is
believed to be the object OF the company
to allow matters to take care OF them
selves until the new shops here are
finished and ready for use.
New Locomotives Coming.
The company has ordered eighty new
locomotives, as was published some time
ago, and the first installment of these is
to arrive during the latter part of July.
The last lot probably will be on hand by
the latter part of August. One OF the Of
icials said recently that the company
would make no effort to get these engines
into service Immediately upon their ar
rival, but soon thereafter. Some work by
skilled mechanics would be necessary to
get these engines in shape for operation,
and the strikers hold that the company
would rather wait until normal conditions
are restored and the old men are at work
before undertaking work on these enr
gines. g,s.5 i
President Burt. General Manager Dick
fnson. Supertnt tendent 3. n cfzeep. Master
Mechanic Barnum and Division superin-
tendent Baxter are all out of the city on
different sections of the road. so that no
information could be obtained from rail-
road headquarters yesterday regarding the
companys side Of the fight.
No More ImpOrtations.
The belief that the officials are disposed
to allow matters to pursue their own
course for while srows In the face of
| the fact that no more nonunion men have
been brought into Omaha for several days,
while at the same time defections are oc-
curing daily in the ranks Of those en-
ployed at the shops. Yesterday six of
| the recent nonunion recruits left the
Omaha shops, one left Saturday night and
| another Sunday, while at Council Bluffs
three deserted yesterday and Joined the
strikers.
1t has been the custom Of the company
| to send the best mechanics IL could pick
from those imported to the Council Bluffs
| roundhouse and the acquisition of these
three is regarded by the strikers as a
victory we'll worth achieving. Many OF
these men brought from Chicago, It is in
sisted, are "1oaters," who do not care to
work long anywhere.
| Strikers Find EncouraEement.
Two Of the men who left the shops yester-
day were seen by reporter for The Bee
and said they looked for the entire number
to join the strikers within a day or two
They said about sixty still remained there
In view Of these defectons In the local
shop force and those at other places the
strikers are finding much encouragement
| They claim incidental victories every day
| ana assert IldI WlJ0ln n week COnQltlOnt
will have undergone such a perceptiblt
change as to present a most assuring aspect
for the strikers.
The report that thirty-hve. the tota
number of boilermakers and mAchinists
helpers. had gone out at North Platte
aroused much interest In local circles. Al
North Platte had been considered q pivota
point by both the strikers and the railroad
this break causes the utmost concern. i
is being used by the strikers as a demon
stration of their influence and power Al
against those of the company. The striker
are devoting jealous efforts to the work Il
the North Platte and Grand Island sec
tions.
Strike Breakers Quit.
s. H. Grace, who is directing the strik
here for the machinists, received word yes
terday morning that nine of the fifteen mel
shipped by the Union Pacific to Cheyenn
last Friday night deserted upon their ar
rival there and Joined the strikers. 1t 4
urged byth strikers that many Of thes
importations are men awaiting Just sucl
an opportunity as this to get west. and d.
not hire TO the company with any intention
! Of going to work.
report was current at Labor tempt
yesterday that a large number Of GOAL car
had been sidetracked at Rock Creek, Wyo
, | on account Of the strike. While this repor
was not confirmed, it is generally reporte
that the company is doing as little Goa
hauling as 1t can and keep up it's motiv
power. Up to Saturday of1cials insiste
and offered proof that their motive powe
was in good condition, and since then n
notable or confirmed reports of failure
have been received, although daily tn
, strikers are claiming big inroads on thi
department OF the service, which Is vita
point.
al Leader Grace Talks.
, S. II. Grace Of the executive COMMITTEES
insists that the test OF the strikers strengt
= has not come yet He said:
within the next thirty days ! look Il
/, some final development. But l am NJ
surprised or disappointed that It has NJ
come thus far. for it generally takes th
: long for a strike OF similar proportions
really assume shape and give the opposin