The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-16
RAILROAD NEWS.
Strike Situation on the Gulf
Lines of Santa Fe.
All MachiniSts on That Part OF
System Are Out.
SYMONS' STATEMENT.
STATEMENT.
Says Company Has Right to
Assign Men to Work.
Possibility That Strike May Ex-
tend to Topeka Shops.

Reports of the strike of Santa F'e ma
chinists on the Gulf lines have not
been so complete until the present as
were those of the disaffection among
the boilermakerS on the western lines
of the road. Even the local newspaper
stories from Cleburne do not seem to
clarity the situation in a way that is
desirable The walk-out of the men
took place at 10 o'clock on Monday of
last week, and within hour a meet
ing of the union mechanics was held
at which it is supposed all the facts
of the matter were gone over. Present
at that gathering was c. G.. Hess, presl-
dent of district of the International
Association of Machinists embracing the
state of Texas, likewise James Corum,
the local head of the order.
From street rumors the men appear
to make the claim of broken plight
on the part of the company. From
what can be gathered they believe that
the Santa Fe Disseminated against men
on the grievance committee of the
union and clauses of contract regard
ing seniority and proficiency of skill
in making assignments of position
They believe they have the companys
word in black and white virtually sus-
tanning their side of the contention At
the time of the disagreement it was
thought that the officials and the work
men would soon get together and the
shops would be running shortly; but
since the whole Gulf system has been
called Out-that is the machiniSts-and
that means that if such conditions con-
tinue long it will mean also that other
departments will be compelled to Sus-
pend labor activity.
The Cleburne papers say the strike
leaders are men of the best standing
in that city, having been in nearly if not
all instances with the Gulf road for
years. They are preserving the best of
order while the diSaffection exists, but
n q in
upon the railroad.
No statement from the strikers could
be obtained, but the following commun-
ication addressed to Cleburne newspa-
per by w. E. Symons, mechanical super
intendent of the Gulf, Colorado & San
ia Fe, having his headquarters in that
city follows and gives the company's
side OF the controversy: In compliance
with your request for some data in
reference to cause of difficulty between
the machiniStS and the company at
Cleburne, beg to advise that this was
brought about on account of the COM
pany declining to the shOpmen to die
tate as to where any certain mechanic
shall be assigned to work. The partic-
ular case in question being one wherein
one of our emachinists, who has been
running machine has been absent
from the shops great many times.
and on account of his absence the COM
pany being required to either allow the
machine to stand idle or assign
strange man to the work. This being
repeated so often as to cause great
deal of inconvenience and annoyance,
We were finally compelled to assign
man to the machine who would work
regularly, and in turn assign the me-
chanic to work at the same rate of pay
and under precisely the same conditions
where he may lay off or be absent from
the shop If necessary without in any
manner embarrassing the company or
interfering with the progress of the
work in the Shops The employe in
OIlQGfiOn narf0Tnl
in question assigned to him; the men
demanded that he be placed at such
work as they prescribe. He was not
dismissed or in any manner prevented
from resuming his duties as a machinist
on his return from work. We could
not, however, accede to their demands
that he or shop committees should be
allowed to dictate to us just where he
should work 1t being absolutely essen
tial to the proper operation of the plant
that the company's officers and fore
men in charge should not only lay out
the work but assign the men to it.
The company regrets very much
that the men should have taken this
very hasty and what appears to US ILL
advised and unwarranted action as we
had no desire to create any friction
whatever among our employees but must
insist that. the management of the COM
pany's property shall be vested in the
officers and foremen employed for that
duty and not delegated to an individ-
ual employe or a committee.
(Signed wv. E. SYMONS
Mechanical Superintendent"
The local machinists appear to know
nothing about the grievance of their
brethren on the Gulf lines further than
that contained in floating rumors. The
belief at Cleburne is that if the higher
officials sustain the subordinates in the
action thus prolonging the strike, that
the machinists of the whole system will
go out in sympathy. 1t seems reason
ably certain that If locomotives from
the Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe come
into Topeka shops for repairs. the local
tradesmen will refuse to do single
turn on them until the strike in the
south is settled.