Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-07-03
Men Encouraged by Strikes on Montana
Central and Northwestern.
lLLINe STRIKERS PLACES A QUESTION
Leaders Say Company oannSt Hire Enough
0ompstent Men.
SIGNS OF ACTIVITY AT CHEYENNE SHOPS
Company Appears to BE Making Prep
arations to Put Imported Men.
to Work I'm wyOniinE
City.

Happenings Of yesterday seem to indi-
cate preparation for a material enlarge
ment Of the Union Pacific strike. Piece
work is the bone OF contention and the
carbuilders and blacksmiths are the possi-
BILE additions to the list of those who are
at outs with the company.
Ii was less than a week ago that a meet
ing at the roads headquarters was fol-
lowed by the announcement that the on
cisls and the carbuilders had come to an
agreement and that all was well with them.
But differences have arisen because, the
union men say, the company is indicating
a purpose to force the piecework provi-
sion upon them and that, they say. they
will not sumbit to under any consideration.
The Union was prepared to confer yes
terday with the roads representatives. bat
General Manager Dickinson and Superin-
tendent McKeen were out of the city and
President Burt was not reached. At night
there was a mass meeting of unionists
employed, or formerly employed, In the
shops, but those in attendance state that
1t was devoted to a general discussion and
that the carbuilders' union did not meet
separately.
Something Doing Today.
One In attendance said There is moth
ing to give out for print tonight. but to-
morrow may develop something decidedly
interesting. There will be a committee at
work tomorrow, but IL will be a general
committee, not a committee Of our union"
There are, 1t is said, 169 carbuilders now
in the Omaha shops and should they strike
1t will be the largest single waikout yet
recorded in the history Of the strike.
The blacksmiths, who, 1t is said, may
also go out, make the same complaint
that against piecework. 1t has been in
troduced to small extent In their depart
ment but in the event OF their making any
demand at all 1t is understood that 1t will
require that piecework be done away with
entirely. The journeyman blacksmiths
number about twenty-A Ave ald the helpers
between forty and fifty.
Quiet, stubborn Fight.
The strike on the Union Pacific seems to
have resolved itself down to a quiet, stub
born fight between the two contending fac.
tions. The machinists, the most aggressive
of the strikers, are claiming new laurels,
while the railroad is treating such claims
with silent Indifference, contenting itself
with the fact that the strikers have thus
far been unable to effect a complete tieup.
There are several places where the ma
chinists have met the insurgent spirit their
men refusing to join the union in its fight
against the company.
The strikers were displaying considerable
encouragement yesterday from a tieup
on the Montana Central, Great Northern
tributary. Vice President Wilson said he
had received word by telegram from Havre.
Mont, that every machinist on the Central.
forty-six in all, had struck and that the
tieup was complete among the helpers. His
presence was requested at that point, but
he thought 1t would be unwise for him to
leave Omaha and lose touch with the situa-
tion on the Union Pacific.
The strike OF the Northwestern machin-
lists in Iowa has also stimulated the hopes
of the strikers here.
shuts on supply.
1.-THE significance OF these simultaneous
strikes is that the Union Pacific will be
unable to get machinists to fll the old
employee places" said Mr.. Wilson. vital
results hang upon the ability or inability
OF the company to hll the places made
vacant by the strikers, for 1t is fact that
needs no argument that the great Union
Pacific Railroad company cannot do with
out machinists. despite what any of the
officials may say to the contrary. Nor can
It any better survive without boilermakers.
and, as President Kennedy says, all the
boilermakers are out on the Montana
Central and will go out with the machinists
in other places where the occasion may de-
mand."
President Kennedy said yesterday that
foremen from the Union Pacific shops had
been to Plattsmouth TO try to induce men
from the Burlington shops there to accept
work in the Union Pacific shops, but that
the foremen had met with failure. Kennedy
further declared that the boilermakers on
the Burlington were ready to cooperate
with their fellow workmen in Omaha when
ever the latter made the request.
Want More Ray.
The machinists on the Montana Central
were getting "a cents an hour and demanded
| 36. The wages OF the boilermakers were
not given out.
| Wilson for the machinists and Kennedy
for the boilermakers express doubts OF the
alleged rioting at Cheyenne.
81 believe those shots which were re-
ported as rife shots" said Vice President
Wilson, were simply the explosions OF tor
pedoes that had been placed on tracks
around the shops. strictest orders have
been enjOined upon the machinists at Chcy-
| enne to refrain from all semblanee OF vio-
lence, and / do not believe the men have
or will violate these orders. Nevertheless
they are wrought up to pretty high pitch
| and have not the same restraining In
fuences about them as the men here have.
"rhe men out there iceland We feel the
| same way here-that the Union Pacific has
endeavored TO intimidate and coerce them,
and you can imagine for yourself that un-
der such conditions they are not In the
most amiable moods. We look upon the
arbitrary action OF the company In closing
down its shops at Cheyenne and giving out
the unequivoeal announcement that these
shops were to remain closed for an inden-
mite period. probably two years. as the most
transparent evidence OF blum game.
Doubts COmDany's Word.
'If they really intend TO abandon these
shops, as they said, because the business
men Of Cheyenne had imposed such in
tolerable conditions upon the railroad em-
ployes, why did they take the frst oppor-
tunity 10 hire men and resume operations
II that isn't blum, what Is it?"
President Kennedy expressed himself u