Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-21
Exonerates MIR. Lansford.

1t was suggested that the claim had been
made that the cuts in wages we're made
by the new piecework inspector, Mr.. Lang
ford. and that until his arrival the COM
pany kept its agreement and the men got
the wages promised them.
This is the worst sort of absurdity,"
exclaimed an official. at is positively rid
tedious and the men ought not to make
such unwarranted assertions. Mr.. Lang
ford has nothing whatever to do with the
wages paid in the shops; he was employed
as piecework inspector and could not II he
was so disposed, make any cuts In prices
of work. Those things can be done only
by the superintendent Of motive power and
even he would not act arbitrarily in tho
matter. To come down to the precise
question Of prices having been cut. l wish
to say most emphatically. that the prices
for car builders in the Omaha shops where
the strike occurred, are exactly what they
we're July 7 when the new scale was
adopted. Not a price has been changed.
The other day when the men were getting
ready to quit Mr.. Barnum overheard one of
them say that certain prices had been cut.
He asked the man to name the price and
the car builder could not do 1t. He then
asked him or any others to point out a
single instance where wages had been re-
duced or determinations practiced and no.
body could do It. The men simply had
made up their minds to strike and they re-
fused to listen to reason"
Onhcials Of the Union Pacific were asked
regarding a statement in the Railway Age
Of August Is that the company had placed
an order with the Baldwin Locomotive
works for 120 new engines.
Won't Discuss the Statement.
we cannot say anything about the mat
ter Just now" was all the information OBJ
tanned. 1t was not denied that the COM
pany had placed such an order. Superin-
tendent McKeen said he was unable TO
give out any information regarding the
eighty new engines ordered shortly after
the strike began.
Speaking Of the company's motive power
II was said that seven engines are now
awaiting at Cheyenne for crews, that the
business being transacted by the company
was so great in volume that 1t had become
an ordeal to get enginemen and crews
enough for the trains.
John Quinn. associate editor Of the West
ern Laborer, an old shopman. made a trip
through the local shops or run the block
ade. as he says. Tuesday and succeeded In
completing his tour Of inspection before
he was detected.
Quinn Tells of His Visit.
81 went In" said Quinn, dressed as one
Of the men at work land this involved
the dofing OF my shirts and everybody who
saw me thought OF course that I was &
'scab' and consequently l was not inter-
fered with until / reached the machine
shops. after having been through the boiler
and blacksmith shops. In the machine
shops / was arrested and taken before the
captain OF the guards. / knew II was all
on then, but l had already seen enough.
The captain said l would have to 90 to
Barnum's once with him to be Identified.
Barnum was not In. but his chief clerk
knew me and told the captain Of the guards
that / had not worked there for fifteen
years and to put me Out"
"In the boiler shops / found virtually
nothing doing. About nine men were pre-
tending to be at work, but they were ac-
complishing nothing. The blacksmith
shops had about thirteen fires burning up
coal and iron without any profitable re-
suits. The men seemed unfamiliar with the
work. The machine shops showed the
largest force. but no more actual Industry.
Thirty men were found in there and all
were idle. standing around as II they didn't