Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-25
TWO OLD SHOP BOSSES QUIT
Assistant General Foreman and Subordinate
Leave Union Pacific,
PRESSURE OF STRIKE GIVEN AS CAUSE
Lack of Highly Skilled workmen
Throws burden on FOremen and
Latter Refuse to stand the
Continuous Pressure.

Two Of the oldest employees in the Union
Pacific shops have quit as an indirect re-
suit Of the strike. They are Antoine Bonni-
vier, assistant general foreman Of the mo-
tive power department, next In point Of au-
thority to General Foreman Turtle, and
James Holland. gang boss. Both men served
their apprenticeshps In the local shops
and have been there almost continuously
since. IL is understood that Bonnivier al
ready has another position in view, that Of
representing some large steel firm in the
west.
It is held that the stocking Of the shops
with new and unskilled workmen led both
these men to resign. The pressure in this
line is said to be very great on all the
foremen and great dissatisfaction is pre-
valling among them. One Of the foremen
was heard to say a few days ago: III be
batty II this strike does not end soon. for
I can't stand these new men much longer"
A relative Of one OF the men who quit
the local shops said that both men had
been asked to do certain finishing work
which none Of the new force was capable
OF doing They are said to have done the
work, but refused to keep on doing it.
Members Of the mschinists executive
committee and other strike leaders sought
opportunities yesterday to deny state
ments made at headquarters and pub
lished regarding the high standard OF work
being done at the shops by the new work
men ut is absurd" said one Of the men,
for any oficial to say that they are turn
ing out more engines from their shops
than before this strike. He knows that
this is not correct and he knows, too, that
those engines turned out are not gen
orally repaired as they should and would
be under normal conditions. They are
what we term round house repaired,
merely fixed temporarily to answer for
short time.
Keeps Tab on Engines.
These engines were turned out from
the Omaha shops between the time we
struck and last Friday Nos. INA, 1874,
1910, 116O, 1890 and 1905. And except No.
1160, they we're all in the shops when we
struck All the engines taken in and
| turned out since have been given round
house repairs"
TOPEKA, Kan, Sept 23.-Lee johnson,
| state labor commissioner for Kansas, Is IN
| teresting himself in the Union Paclhc STRIKE strike
of the boiler makers machinists and help
ers and with p. J. Conlon, frat vice presl-
| dent of the international Association OF
| Machinists and other officials OF the unions
! he is trying TO bring about settlement Of
/ the strike. Conion's headquarters are N
| Cleveland, but he was sent west 10 repre-
| sent the grand lodge Of machtnists IN the
! Union Pacific trouble.
OF this Associated Press dispatch, which
appeared in the morning Bee, P. J. Conlon,
who is making his temporary headquarters
in this city, says: 81 don't know anything
of any scheme or plan to settle the strike.
| have none and have not entered into one
with Mr. Johnson. Mr.. Johnson is deeply
| interested in this fight, and we have great
respect for and confidence in him. We know
he would do all he could"
Lee Johnson is by trade boiler maker
and was formerly the president Of the In
! ternational Brotherhood Of Boiler Makers
OF which John Mcneil is now president
johnson was the first chief executive, hav-
ing been elected when the organization was
formed in 1883 and holding the position until
| 1892.
Conlon gives Johnson the credit for set
| tling the strike on the Union Pacific in 1S9:
| by negotiations with Mr.. Mcconnell, ther
of the Union Pacific. He adds: And Lee
may be able yet to pull this tight on II
some way; l would be glad II he was"
District Secretary Grace yesterday re-
ceived word from Cheyenne that twenty
hve more nonunion men had left the shops
there and that hve had deserted at Nortf
Platte.